Hello friends

I am traveling to West Palm Beach/Miami over new years'...any MUST SEE record stores for shopping and digging? If they are owned by an old man in a hawaiian shirt it's a plus

Would be looking for cheap and unknown more than super collectable and expen$ive...

all suggestions for good eats and fun thrift stores welcome as well!

Happy New Year!

There used to be a store in WPB when I was last there about 10 years ago, and the guy liked soul and had some mates that came along with boxes and a lock up out the back full of records and err...poisonous spiders. But that's all I can remember.....too many stores they all blur into one. I remember one of the guys (Adrian?) showed me a wants list from the UK - Frank Wilson, Don Gardner etc etc pages of "trophy records"

Edited December 26, 201113 yr by Steve G

Was at one on the edge of Miami recently - forget name but the one decent looking prospect in the yellow pages - but it was beyond cleaned out

Was in Fort Lauderdale a year or 2 ago. Re.the phone book approach, proceed with caution - I spent a few hours plotting a course of the shops in the area and only found 1 still actually in operation.I did, however hit a lot of garage sales on my travels.

Cant really remember how far it is, maybe an hour on the highway but we did venture down to Miami Beach for the day and whilst there are a couple of stores in the town, not far from the beach strip I found no 45's but I did find the CD from Keith Rylatt's Detroit book for sale in one

If you can get up to Fort Lauderdale there is a HUGE flea market (outdoor and indoor) with 1000's of records but mainly albums. I did pick up a few cheap Soul 45's and a pile of Beatles 45's - VeeJay, Swan, picture sleeves. I suppose it all depends who is there on the day. I found most outside and it really is HUGE.

There was also a decent store in Fort Lauderdale, not far from the beach strip called Radio Active with a large selection of 45's and I did get a few more common things from there. They were supposed to be sorted but it paid to go through all of them.

Where ever we go in the States I always try and have a day on the hunt but casual pickings are slim, especially in Florida.

Is that Flea Market still going? Got some good things there cheap, like Maxine Brown Epic LP, but it was a long time ago now - at least 15 years.

I'd be surprised if you find much 60s these days, what with everyone going over there so often. The good thing when I went to the shop in WPB (again at least 10 years ago), was that within an hour of talking to the owner these other collectors came in with their sales boxes and there was some interesting sweet soul stuff in them boxes. In the lock up it was v v hot and dusty, and the spiders put me off, even with me gloves on I was worried about getting bitten. The owner was pretty clued up, knew the main UK dealers etc.

Edited December 28, 201113 yr by Steve G

Yes, flea market was still there in 2010 and I enjoyed about 3 hours in the blazing heat. If I was an album collector and could be bothered to carry it all home I could have scored a lot of very good 70's Soul albums.

Flea Market website.

https://www.floridaswapshop.com/swap.html

In 2004 i traveled for work to Orlando,florida .in yellow pages i founded a record shop called "soul train ".i have just one day free and decided to go on vinyl search...don't go that side of the highway said the taximan...! I have to was my reply!

So by foot i began to walk trough the neighborood and found the shop. small like a kitchen and dirty like a cellar...speakers outside playing soul music .Not a warm welcome from the hakf dozen lads who were there but a good amount of 45's.

It' not really far from the city centre but can't remember the adress and din't kniw if it's still open.

Good luck

loren

In 2004 i traveled for work to Orlando,florida .in yellow pages i founded a record shop called "soul train ".i have just one day free and decided to go on vinyl search...don't go that side of the highway said the taximan...! I have to was my reply!

So by foot i began to walk trough the neighborood and found the shop. small like a kitchen and dirty like a cellar...speakers outside playing soul music .Not a warm welcome from the hakf dozen lads who were there but a good amount of 45's.

It' not really far from the city centre but can't remember the adress and din't kniw if it's still open.

Good luck

loren

what a great beginning to a horror story

at least your still here to tell the story...

There's an absolutely HUGE guy who lives on a trailer park in Kissimmee just near the crossroads of US192 and the OBT, that has a trailer full of good condition 45s. But you'll need to be able to stand the stench of year old food and converse with a guy who hasn't showered for about the same length of time. And don't even think about using his bathroom! (Arrgghhh!!). Oh...and he collects knives and has some r.e.a.l big fookers! You might wanna pull in at the pawn shop on 192 just up the road and buy a Glock before calling! I lasted 15 minutes before getting out of there after realising he was 'eyeing' me up for something.

I did manage to get a box of Atlantic promos of the Embers "Where Did I Go Wrong" on the way out!

Regards,

Dave

what a great beginning to a horror story

at least your still here to tell the story...

what a great beginning to a horror story

at least your still here to tell the story...

oh yes...!

Nearly same moment in Chicago in 2006...i was in a record store dowtown...good all the way but they were dealing mainly with lp's.i asked if they know where i coud find those 45's...they gave me an adress wich wasn't on my shops list...it was in south chicago.be early they said because it isn't very safe in the afternoon ! I found the shop, it was a big room in two parts (one for 45's and one for lp's )...REALLY DIRTY as it was just on the ground ! not much light in the room ,big boxes of 45's...no time to look at all of them...some Dore's label 45 laying on the floor...the owner and "staff" was cool but outside was another thing ! I left the shop dirty as if i've done works in the garden !

Will never forget

In 2004 i traveled for work to Orlando,florida .in yellow pages i founded a record shop called "soul train ".i have just one day free and decided to go on vinyl search...don't go that side of the highway said the taximan...! I have to was my reply!

So by foot i began to walk trough the neighborood and found the shop. small like a kitchen and dirty like a cellar...speakers outside playing soul music .Not a warm welcome from the hakf dozen lads who were there but a good amount of 45's.

It' not really far from the city centre but can't remember the adress and din't kniw if it's still open.

Good luck

loren

hi went here in 1997 and got to know hodge the owner well he was a friend of roy c and millie jackson he died tragically and his son Cookie took over he then died aged 42of cancer his widow majorie took over untill 2009 i think but really struggled all 3 were lovely people hodge rang other people with my wants list and i also gave him and his son my spare copies of voices from the shadows mags the area is run down but there ain't a bad man on evey corner a lot of talk is bullshit i think you just need to use common sense the barbers next door to the Soul Train shop are good guys and one rode with us to record heaven florida seems hard to find much though a mate walked in a store once that looked crap nothing in the racks etc he asked owner if he had anything in the back he said a few old 45s and showed him a small stack and siitig on top of the pile of records non with sleeves was Jimmy bo Horne "i just can't speak"for the princeley sum of $2 strangeley enough the rest of the pile ws just crap and pop music etc not another soul recodr among them

keep digging

dave L

hi went here in 1997 and got to know hodge the owner well he was a friend of roy c and millie jackson he died tragically and his son Cookie took over he then died aged 42of cancer his widow majorie took over untill 2009 i think but really struggled all 3 were lovely people hodge rang other people with my wants list and i also gave him and his son my spare copies of voices from the shadows mags the area is run down but there ain't a bad man on evey corner a lot of talk is bullshit i think you just need to use common sense the barbers next door to the Soul Train shop are good guys and one rode with us to record heaven florida seems hard to find much though a mate walked in a store once that looked crap nothing in the racks etc he asked owner if he had anything in the back he said a few old 45s and showed him a small stack and siitig on top of the pile of records non with sleeves was Jimmy bo Horne "i just can't speak"for the princeley sum of $2 strangeley enough the rest of the pile ws just crap and pop music etc not another soul recodr among them

keep digging

dave L

hi dave

thanks for those informations about it.like lots of us i love records stores and it 's nice to read about something many years after.in fact i was wrong , it wasn't in 2004 but in 1994...first time in the US , 24 years old...young man !

Now17 years later i think and hope to visit again florida,orlando...with family in next summer . time for some true holidays...

Can you give me some records stores adresses,...anything that can help for a vinyl hunt !

All the best

loren

I used to go to Florida on holiday (oops vacation), regularly a few years ago. I used to find some great stuff around Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach.

I am still in touch with a guy called Kelly and there is a guy in Palm Beach called Steve. Goes under the name of "Always Buying".

Kelly has been ill recently but I can always send you his email and he would hook you up with Steve.

Kelly had lots of soul stuff but I cannot be sure if he is still active.

Hope this helps

Dave