Savers, Franklin Park [RIP]

Very sad news which I luckily caught in time to make one last trip to a shop that has been particularly kind to me.  It was pretty remarkable to have a legit thrift store in my hood and I'm proud to say I took good advantage of it.  I documented more than a couple trips there but there were many others that didn't turn up much.

I first visited almost exactly three years before they closed.  I scooped a garage sale type find which I don't regret because track B2 is such a classic.  It is funny that back then I wasn't even clear on what 'Savers' was and went in totally on a whim.

Made a very brief post about a visit just a few months later when I grabbed a pretty beat but important vinyl that I'm still glad to own (especially for the price).

That fall I am very grateful that I did not pass on a bizarre disco record.  Even if not totally listenable, an important collection piece to have in the inventory.

Early the next year is when things really started to pay off for me.  I hit pay dirt with a duplicate of my barbershop quartet magna carta and grabbed two Chicago polka records that I still hold dear.

Just when I thought things couldn't get anymore outrageous, I found a bevy of rare vinyls, too many to buy all at once, so I grabbed what I could.  Still can't believe these scores.

So that is eight whopping records from one shop, even if the first couple are pretty minimal in terms of rarity, etc.

When I found out about the close and read the story above, I made plans to get in there that last week.  So I rode down there one day after work.

Then I got inside and saw that they had modified hours, it was about 7pm but they had closed at 6pm.  So my last shot was to get in there on Good Friday.

I wish this epic had an exciting ending.  I had to elbow my way into the bins with a lady digging through the DVDs.  Besides a mint copy (still in shrink, original inner sleeve) of Roger's third (if it had been mono I'd have bought a duplicate) and a weird promo (there were actually two copies), the place had been picked through pretty good.  Rest In Peace, Savers FP.  You'll will be missed.