Salvation Army, Clearing

I generally will not go out of my way to hit an SA anymore, they are always sad barren places devoid of any good vinyl, and often it seems, don't carry any vinyl at all.

As part of an especially relaxing morning, I got my work done in Marquette Park (where coincidentally I also hit an SA, long ago) in record time.  I saw this place as I approached the intersection and figured what the hell.

The vinyl was junk, save for one semi-interesting (though beat) jazz platter.  I figured I'd glance through the CDs quickly before I left.  I should divulge a short tale regarding CDs.  I have 100s at home in CD books.  Recently at work, we were trying to find information on some storage boxes we bought long ago because we wanted more.  After much internet sleuthery, we found the cases and saw that they must have been purchased at Office Depot.  So my boss ran over to grab another one and he grabbed an extra one for my truck upon my request.  Because as it turns out, these were actually CD/DVD cases (not at all what we were using them for).  So I made a pact with myself to fill that case with some classic albums and then stop there. 

So I've scooped up some interesting stuff at thrift stores and online and I'm a little over half full (I think it holds 20 jewel cases).  Well would you believe I found the first Pat Metheny Group CD here? This is now the 5th PMG album in my little case.  I've had this on vinyl and I shouldn't admit it, but I honestly never listened to it in depth.  Well I have listened to it now extensively, again and again, and realize what a classic it is.  So overall, this was a huge score in a dumpy little store that was, as usual, bereft of good vinyl.

Salvation Army, Franklin Park

The old Savers space back behind what was once known as Jewel 'Grand Bazaar' finally has a new tenant.  I don't know how many (any?) vinyls I've pulled out of SAs in the past, but it is few, that's for sure.  So I wasn't excited to check this out but as it is in my backyard, there was no way I could forego it completely.

Nothing more to see here, folks.  Though I must admit, I don't know if I've ever come across that TJ Brass comp before.  Still, I did decide to do a 'catch and release' on that one.  I'll stop in again sometime later this year with my fingers crossed.

 10205 W Grand Ave Suite 300, Franklin Park, IL 60131

Salvation Army, Belvidere IL

I ended up being 'lucky' enough to go back to Belvidere four times in just a few weeks and I wouldn't be surprised if I get another call soon.  On one trip I brought my bike as I had so few tools to bring there was plenty of room in the truck.  I hadn't planned to search for vinyl but when I was whizzing down the road I saw a SA so I slammed on the brakes and headed in.  They had a nice load of vinyl but it was all stacked for maximum ring wear and minimum navigability.  I bent my neck and read the spines for a while until I got bored and headed back out again.  Hopefully my friend above scored something nice.

Minimizing Minneapolis' Mighty Millieu

I've been up to Minnesota a few times, but this trip was unique.  I flew in but did not have a rental car so I was reliant on my local colleagues to cart me around.  When that ended, I was on my own - which is fine with me.  This time I was in the heart of Minneapolis and as expected for a December in that region, it was cold, hovering around 0 Farenheit at mid day.  When I was done with my work, I had to carefully craft a few excuses explaining why I did not want a ride (or have one) and that I'd be fine to walk, even in this weather.  Of course they could never accept that I simply enjoyed being alone, wanted to spend the afternoon looking at grimy old records in a junked out thrift store, and that the ice cold didn't bother me at all (and I was well prepared for it).

So I headed south on Washington for the one mile jaunt to the Salvation Army on 4th.

I wandered around long enough that I started to become convinced that there were no records in this store...I couldn't even find any books.  But alas, it is always in the place you look last, just inside the door.  And oh how many they had - eight crates! I discarded my heavy coat and got in for the big dig.

I didn't find anything but as I searched I soon had a mate.  It is rare that I have to rub elbows with anyone on my digs and rarer still in a place like this.  Compounding the unlikeliness of it all, it was indeed a female about my age.  Nothing was spoken and I watched her out of the corner of my eye.  I always figure that people are looking at records as a novelty or some kind of mistake - they couldn't possibly share the same interest.  Unless of course they look exactly like me, which she didn't.

Well this is probably one of my best sneaky shots ever, it is so good I would swear she knew I was taking a photo and wanted to pose.  Can't beat the U of M hat, either.  Can you believe while I walked away empty handed, she strolled out with 2 or 3? I looked through all those bins - what on earth did she get? I didn't see anything that was even moderately interesting.  But hey - major kudos for spinning that junk into gold.

Later that that night in my hotel out in Mendota Heights near the airport, I went on a frozen stroll (it was -2 or -3 at this point).  I had the hotel shuttle drop me off in the area and when done I took an Uber the ~2.5 miles back.  In the meantime, I had a burrito at Chipotle, stopped at a liquor store for some brews and went out of my way to go back to Goodwill Eagan where I abandoned a very odd record long ago.  I stomped through a huge snow bank to take a very short short cut to the front door and got a boot full of powder as a result.

Fittingly, my vinyl was gone and it looked like the whole area had been cleaned up pretty well.  Learn from me kids- when you get that impulse, follow it and learn to discern between lust and intelligent love for a vinyl.  And when you feel that love, take it home kids, take it home.

Findlay Fiasco

On the way out to McComb, I made an array of stops at some old haunts and some new ones as well.
A year ago I had stopped at a Goodwill in Waseon OH (I swore it was a Salvation Army which led to great confusion on my part in attempting to retrace my steps.  Good thing I have this blog to hold all the memories my brain cannot).  I had seen a bizarre release there which bothered me for the full year and I hoped it would still be there.  No shocker to know that indeed, it was not there at all.  Probably tossed into the trash heap when no one turned up to take it home, like a forlorn orphan.

Community Thrift in McComb is one of my favorite anywhere but alas they are closed on Monday.  There was probably no need to bother with the place as I know the guy that provides the supply of vinyl but I just can't help it.  Anyway, I hoped I'd have a chance to stop in on Tuesday before I headed back towards home but as I drove by Monday they were open! This worked out well as Tuesday got hectic and there would have been no one for me to stop in.  I didn't see anything I wanted but the old woman who has eternally watched over the place assured me that new records would be in soon and I had ought to stop back in! I thanked her and bid my farewell.

                                                  

Back in Findlay the only place that came up was a Salvation Army.  But when I got there, I remembered the place.  Again, I checked my own blog as a guidebook to figure out what I had seen in there.  I could find no entry for this shop.  My previous trip was a year earlier, October 2014.  Before that, I was around in the late spring of that year and this is when I had come to check out the store.  I remember sitting in the parking lot before they opened talking to my girlfriend before I headed to Bowling Green.  The only thing I can think is that I either never bothered to go inside, or I did and couldn't find the records (don't know that this has ever happened before).  So I was going to pass it up again but for whatever reason I defied my own impulses and checked it out.  Tons of vinyl!

I almost jumped on the Guess Who album over track B3 which is one of the finest and most indepth tribute songs to another artist I've ever heard.  The Mahavishnu album would have been a treat if I didn't score it earlier this summer. And old Urel Albert caught my eye so I snapped some pics and added it to the DB myself later that night.  Anyway, I ended up leaving empty handed (and contentedly so) but I am glad I took the chance on stepping inside when everything told me not to bother.

Now content with a few stores under my belt, I just wanted to head to my hotel for a few beers and some shut eye.  But as has happened before, all of a sudden there was a Goodwill so I swerved in and parked.  I swear I had checked and could not find one in Google Maps but this did look like a new store.

                      

The place was new but the 'media' section was pretty bombed out.  The books were sparse and a mess.  As the vinyl usually resides near them, I felt my heart sink when I saw them nowhere in sight.  Then, along the back wall, I saw a giant heap of trash amongst which was a small stack of vinyl!

And my prayers were answered - a classic barbershop record! I hoped wildly that another was further in the stack but nothing doing; still, I was happy with what I had. A trip well explored pays dividends!

Run Through MN

Started off at the Goodwill in Eagan MN.  I got into town a few hours before my colleague so I grabbed the rental car we were sharing and headed over.

I instantly hit it big with some polka platters and even some barbershop! As I have done more than once, when I start seeing a lot of polka, I always hope for some of the homegrown variety.  And my prayers were answered with not one but two, neither of which I have been able to add to the discogs database previously.  Neither show dates but based on catalog numbers they are both likely from 1974 and are in supreme condition.

I started noticing some barbershop and jumped with delight.  I have so many of the Decca 'Top Quartets' albums but I knew I had this one without checking - the Mark IV song is one of my all time favorites.  This is the final year before the SPEBSQSA took over the release of the albums.  I will admit to buying some on ebay but I actually found this one at a thrift store as well.

But I knew (like with the polka) that where there's smoke, there's fire! And I hit the jackpot about 30 seconds later...I have 2 of the 3 Sidewinders albums already and I could not believe I happened to find the only one I needed.  This is at least 10 years older than the polka albums I found...one seam was torn but I couldn't care less.

Unfortunately the rest of my trip was not quite as good as this beginning.  I stopped by the Goodwill in Hudson WI where we were staying - they were using magazine racks and they were JAMMED.  Some of them were so far in the corner I couldn't even reach in there.  I did my best and probably checked 50% - all junk - so I rolled out of there.

Almost not even worthy of mention was my 30 second stop inside the Salvation Army in Hastings MN where we were working.  One crate - all religious and/or junk.  Yuck.

Kalamazoo Thrift Store Circuit

I've torn up Grand Rapids a number of times as I've made many trips there over the years.  I was headed up yet again and had some serious problems finding a hotel (I must admit, I am particular with where I will stay) so I booked in Kalamazoo instead.  I was due to complete my work as soon as I arrived (around lunch time) so I was able to get into town, do what I had to do, then head out for a bite to eat and get into Kalamazoo in time to hit up a few shops in the area before evening.  On the way out of GR, I stopped at the Kentwood SA.  I figured I might as well stop at one of the many stores in town quickly as I headed off into the sunset and I chose this one as I've had good luck there in the past.  But it was nothing doing - just a bunch of junk, so I headed south.

When I reached my destination, I made my first stop at St. Vincent's but I got there about 15 minutes after they closed.  Bummer!  I made it a solid trifecta of failed thriftings when I swung through Goodwill - another garbage dump.  Now I started seriously thinking about just getting to my hotel and taking a nap because this was all a waste of time.  But this is where the wheat gets seperated from the chaff, and you have to buckle down and make it happen.

I was getting very annoyed so I called ahead to my next stop - Nuway Thrift.  I asked if they had records and they said 'oh yeah...we have a ton'.  This is the type of answer I always get and its an exaggeration more often than not.  Even if its accurate, it can easily be even more JUNK.

The store was cramped with tons of dishes and clothes.  I wandered around looking for my beacon...I found some VHS tapes and there was a sign on the wall with prices for all the media, records included.  It would have been just my luck if they had decided that morning to just shit can all the vinyl and I prepared myself for a dumpster dive.  I kept wandering and was about to ask for help when I ducked behind another rack of clothes right along the front wall of the building.  And there it was - my vinyl, and yes, they did have 'a ton'.

Unfortunately, it was all stored vertically which makes browsing difficult and worse yet often times they get stuck in backwards - and I am not about to reorganize hundreds of titles to see what is in there.  But before I had to wrangle with any of that mess, the first shelf I approached had a disheveled stack atop it.  A glance told me it was all 70s-80s contemporary jazz - right up my alley.  I instantly pulled out a duet of sorts as I continued my hunt for the discography of the latter artist.  I was tantalized by a nice stack of Spyro Gyra records...I have one and it is kind of beat up, I wouldn't mind replacing it and grabbing the rest but I held off.  And of course, sort of regret it now.  My heart skipped a beat when I thought I found the last Eng Epic album I need but it was another Xmas record I already have.  Damn.

I was feeling burned out now but mustered the strength to hit just one more shop before I turned in for the day.  The Salvation Army just outside city limits in Portage was close enough for me so I headed over.  Before I could find the records, I grabbed a Cinderella Pyrex for $5 that I needed (now have 2 of 4 pieces in that set).  My luck with glassware carried on to the record rack and I found a few candidates.  The Canadian rock record was a no brainer - the Kim Mitchell LP I grabbed a while back in the same state never disappointed and this has truly been a joy as well.  The Bob James I decided to catch and release (I do not see myself collecting this deep into his discography, ever) and the last prog rock epic was a tough call but I decided to leave it behind as well.  I wonder if a displaced Ontarian dumped his collection in this store - I had never heard of Saga before and had to look it up.  Five stops and only two records might have seemed like a poor showing to me in another time.  But I've learned to be patient and hold off on the 'consolation prizes' whenever possible.  Best of all I hope to be back in town this week!

Gurnee (By way of Waukegan) Fly-By

Made a run up to Waukegan and found time to snoop around.  Last time I was in the vicinity, I headed towards the north shore and came away with a quite a haul.  This time I headed over to Gurnee and Community Thrift Store.  

The place was huge and it was packed with people, even during work hours on a weekday.  Thrifting knows no bounds! The records were junk - all religious and symphonic stuff with a couple Phase 4s thrown.  However I have never seen records packaged this way...or seen them packaged so well outside an actual record store.  

                           

They were all in 'jackets', really just 12" bags.  The width fit fine but they were a bit long.  They were also a strange plastic that was really slippery.  Combine that with the big of bagginess and every time two rubbed together during your flipping and everything threatened to dump out onto the floor.  This was all exasperated by the fact that they were just in heaps.  The records themselves were removed from their jackets and laid inside the bag, sans inner sleeve.  I guess this was so you had a chance to examine their condition and confirm that you had the right record for its corresponding jacket.  At any rate as I said - all crap.  I did find a Pyrex bowl for my girlfriend, the lone piece they had in the store.  

                           

I had to stand in line for a while to get out of there, one person ahead of me was making a purchase of a few items all in change.  They had a few cashiers working and they were doing well but there were just so many people in line! Never been in a thrift store this busy, ever.

When I had pulled up I had to park way the hell around the corner....this place was built to accommodate many customers at once.  Anyway, as I had rounded the corner behind the building I noticed a Salvation Army across the street.  As soon as I exited Community Thrift I made my move across the street.

                      

As soon as I walked in my eyes darted left and right.  Where are the records? Where are the books? (the two are generally near one another...find the books and vinyl is near).  I either way something or just had a hunch about a small room just inside the entrance, to the left.  What I encountered is probably the biggest dump of records I have ever come across.  It was honestly innavigable even by someone with as much patience for filth as myself.  I'll let the pics tell some of the story.

Not 5 seconds before I snapped this pic, this person was bent over with their buttocks on full display.  Maybe they found a belt during their thrifting.  We can only hope.

Every time I thought I found all the vinyl, there was more.  The shopping cart just made the whole thing absurd....someone needs to light a match and burn all that Mantovani to Hades.  You'll be shocked to find out that I bought positively nothing once again.  In a way, this was a wasted jaunt (besides what I bought for my girlfriend) but I don't mind - once you give up on places like this, you have just given up on the whole thing and your passion has gone down the drain. However, this is one of the first posts in a long time (or ever) that I not only did not buy anything, I didn't even see anything remotely noteworthy to mention.  It is kind of depressing to write about and I find myself searching for words to be somehow entertaining at least and I know I'm coming up short.  Better luck next time!

Independence Day Thrift Circuit

A route I have covered before, once on a holiday - it was time again with a day off and nothing to do.  I reviewed my own blog and also the always handy Google Maps to create a list of places to go and root around in.

First up was the Shelter - I have always had good luck here with jazz records, promos and beyond.  However I was disappointed to see that they ditched their record bin and are now using a shelf.  Worse yet, the collection had diminished to true junk - nothing of interest.  I searched for Pyrex to complete my second set of nesting bowls, I did find a 401 but it was the wrong pattern and I need 402 and 403 anyway.

Only thing worse then junk records is junk records that do not respect the
categories they are supposed to be organized in!

We ducked around the corner to Quake to find the familliar selection of wildly overpriced records.  Besides the new sealed reissue vinyl the place is riddled with, there were a variety of common $1-3 records labeled for $10 or more.  I considered paying the $8 for a Sting record then got a hold of myself and determined I could get it for almost nothing elsewhere.  I do not know where this guy gets his prices from, or just figures his customers are dumb enough to be gouged like that.  No thanks.

Quake added a couple other bins scattered around.  I don't care much for the one up front, but the one buried back there I had as a youngster...

Next up with Kenneth Young Resale.  They have a magazine style rack which was loaded with perhaps Frank Sinatra's entire discography.  There are worse records but these surely do not interest me.  The only thing of marginal interest was the country platter depicted below.

Much more interesting however was the wildness that took place during our visit.  Back last fall when I was had been in the store, we witnessed a literally crazed customer getting loud with one of the cashiers.  I wasn't fond of that display of rudeness but attributed to (serious) mental illness.  This time around, we got to see someone lose their marbles over having one of their scores 'stolen' by another customer.  The cashier told them it was 'fair game' as it was left on the counter (I whole heartedly agree) but she would hear none of it.  Some of the better quotables:

"She stole my junk! That BITCH!"
"This store is racist....most racist store in Illinois.....they are down with the KKK!"
"She stole my SHIT!"

Next up we stopped to get a bubble tea then decided if we should head to Goodwill Addison or Arlington Heights - never been to either.  Instead, we headed over to Savers Hoffman Estates.  This place was loaded with scores the last time around and this visit was no different.  First off I found a red 402 Pyrex before I even got to the record rack.  I need this desperately in the 'multi color' (red) pattern but it was super beat up so I left it behind.  Funny as I recently found two totally wrecked 401s at an SA - keep your Pyrex out of the dishwasher people! But I came away with an array of excellent condition Phase 4 records - I got hooked on Frank Chacksfield long ago at a garage sale and I ironically just ordered one on discogs.  Well here I got not one but two additional which makes four.  There were many other Phase 4 records and I even grabbed a cool promo sampler - however there was a different vinyl inside the jacket! Of course I always check for warp/scratches/mismatches before I buy anything...this one slipped by because it was actually ANOTHER Phase 4 promo sampler! Too weird! Best of all is that the vinyl I actually got is far better in terms of song selection than the jacket it was in.  Still, I am very bothered by the fact that the other one is there, with the other jacket....I want to go back and raid it one more time.  If it is there and I missed it I'll have to give myself 20 lashes or something for being so remiss.

I also grabbed a really cool UK only release (with a price tag in pounds!) on the cover, another Jose Feliciano album and a much cleaner copy of a CW album I already have (which I bought on ebay close to 10 years ago probably).  Better yet - it turns out to be a previously undiscovered center label variation AND it has a very odd sticker on the back I did not notice until after a week later.  I was going to pull the old copy out of my shelf and either sell it or otherwise get rid of it when I saw it.  Looks like while this is not an import version, it made a mighty long trip from a record store in Goor, Netherlands! The shrink wrap was carefully opened by a record nerd over 30 years ago and is still tight as a drum!

My girlfriend got my fave Brasil 66 album (favorite based on cover art, though the album is great too) with a cool promotional sticker on the cover - I'm still jealous.  Last night I sat on her basement floor and listened to both sides in the nude, while drinking a freezing cold Pilsner Urquell from a frosted mug.  It was a spiritual experience.

We closed things out with a stop at Salvation Army Roselle.  This place was notorious for having a multitude of records stored in the worst way possible and nearly innavigable.  It was shocking to find that there were NONE in the store! I asked one cashier who pointed me to the back (where I had already looked).  When I asked another worker they said someone had come in and 'bought all the records'.  I don't know about that but I do know there were none in the house.  We even wandered around in the back room, hunting high and low.  Maybe they went in here? I'd have gone inside to check, but apparently it is against the rules.  Oh well - a nice day of thrifting none the less!

Salvation Army, South Holland

I was last out in NW Indiana back in January - I had a blast and came home with a load of records.  This time around, I tried to see what I could hit on my way back.  Initially I went for a Savers in Dolton but when I arrived there was only a Food 4 Less.  Don't know if they moved out or Google maps was just wrong.  Back to the drawing board - I found a SA South Holland and off I went.

This is the nicest SA I've ever been to - it was clearly built just for them unlike many/most of their other buildings which are 'generic' structures, this was a beauty!

I found a sign that seems to show that they have possibly only been there since last fall.  It shows - the place is clean and well organized.  The building has many features not standard to a SA - like the 'Replenishing Station'.

But onto the records - there were not many, just one lonely stack.  I did come across a mint condition Ray Price reissue (I already have the original press) which I passed on.  Outside that I found a strange funk/soul record that was beat to hell, another from 'Mister' and a very odd Yugoslavian folk music album which I have just the slightest affection for now and of course regret letting go.