New York Vinyl/DVD/Book tips

[guidedbyboognish]

Apologies for purely selfish help e-mail in advance. In a few weeks I will be taking my students from the UK to New York for a few days for a field trip. While I will be spending the vast majority of the time with my head stuck in a map desperately trying to find places without getting us too lost, on the last evening I will have about 3 hours to myself in New York City. Within this time I am looking to buy some Region 1 DVD's, some vinyls and some books. Was hoping a couple of you with impeccable taste could provide a few suggestions of good places. I will be based in central Manhattan and would ideally prefer not to spend all too much time travelling.

Help a poor tourist earn instant New York City street cred. Please.

[JonFromMaplewood]

For starters...

-Mercer Street Books and Records is a great hole in the wall with vinyl, CD's and obscure books.
-Other Music is pretty good, but small, and I sometimes find the help a little snooty.
-The Strand Bookstore is a New York mainstay, but can be overwhelming.
-St. Marks Bookshop is a little more manageable and has a wonderful selection of books, magazines, and zines.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

All seconded.  And the best record store in New York is actually in Princeton, New Jersey -- the Princeton Record Exchange.  A pretty easy one-hour train ride from Penn Station, if you have time.

Also, if you want to go to a Secret Bookshop, PM me and I'll help you hook it up (offer good for all FOT).

[guidedbyboognish]

Thanks kindly. Went to Strand last year and plan to return. Unfortunately won't have time to go to Jersey, hopefully will be able to make it out there sometime soon though.

[JonFromMaplewood]

All seconded.  And the best record store in New York is actually in Princeton, New Jersey -- the Princeton Record Exchange.  A pretty easy one-hour train ride from Penn Station, if you have time.

I have been dying to go here and have not yet had the opportunity. It sounds amazing.

Also, if you want to go to a Secret Bookshop, PM me and I'll help you hook it up (offer good for all FOT).

Wow!  That is very cool. I may need to take you up on that soon.

[Trotskie]

wow, Skyline Books is closing/closed.

[Christina]

wow, Skyline Books is closing/closed.

yeah, I noticed that too ...I don't know how any used bookstore pays Manhattan rent, frankly.

[MikeInManhattan]

I work above the Strand in Union Sq - (almost) endless opportunities to squander every paycheck. 

Halcyon was a cool record store in Cobble Hill but it's since moved to Dumbo - haven't been to the new one.

Personally, I've always liked Generation Records on Thompson. Great used selection - lots of vinyl in the basement.

[Christina]

Personally, I've always liked Generation Records on Thompson. Great used selection - lots of vinyl in the basement.

I'll vouch for Generation too ... I like them a lot.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I also like the Academy Records Annex in W'burg - actually discovered it via a FOT who clued me into a green vinyl copy of Murphy's Law's self-titled LP.  Which I owned as a teenager, stupidly sold, re-bought in a midlife crisis moment, and have listened to one and a half time.

[Christina]

I also like the Academy Records Annex in W'burg - actually discovered it via a FOT who clued me into a green vinyl copy of Murphy's Law's self-titled LP.  Which I owned as a teenager, stupidly sold, re-bought in a midlife crisis moment, and have listened to one and a half time.

Oh, yeah, and the main one on 18th btw 5th and 6th. Way more CDs than records than the Willamsburg one, so if you want LPs go to the Williamsburg Academy. You can also go to Sound Fix on 11th and Berry (also in Williamsburg). The guys at Earwax (Bedford & 5th I think) are dickheads, but they are usually running buy x, get y on their CDs.

I think you said you have limited time to buy stuff, so either W'burg or W Village I think is a good bet cause there's a concentration of a handful of stores.

[Martin]

I'm ready to do some crate diggin' next time I'm in the city. Last time I asked (possibly on this very board) I seem to recall people telling me there were basically no record shops left in NY, so I never bothered to look deeper into it.

(And the secret bookshop sounds awesome - JG and Jon, let's do it!)

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Let me know when you're in town again, Martin!

[Martin]

Mid-April!

[Christina]

Mid-April!

FOT dogpile on Martin!