Pilgrim's Progress [Charleston WV]

I was eating a bowl of pho across the street when my colleague noticed the sign through the window that stated "RECORDS". I could not believe my luck. I had already checked out Charleston on my way through a few days earlier, now I knew I'd have another shot. I called the number on Google Maps from my table at Pho Vihn Long on 'D' Street to make sure they were open and had an interesting aside with the person who answered. 

When I stated my question, she replied that I must've really been worried if they were open or not because she was late that morning. She said that she got pulled over for having expired plates and credited the grace of God with the police officer giving her a warning instead of a ticket. A few moments later, I was inside. 

I wandered around and saw quickly but this was not just a bookstore as Google maps stated, but a Christian bookstore.  I gave into the  realization  that I would likely neither buy anything, or perhaps even see anything worth looking at.  But I was saddened further with the thought that there might not be any records anywhere in this cluttered space. Just as I was about to give up, in the far back reaches of the room I did find what I was looking for: vinyl, of the Christian variety, and a good amount of it. 

It was obvious they had not been moving many units anytime recently, as the space where these bins resided were having their personal space impinged upon by old racking and other flotsam and jetsam associated with running such a niche business for presumably many years.  Satisfied that I had the photos I needed to prove to all of you (and myself) that I had indeed visited the place, I headed out with a tip of my cap to the cashier who shared such a pleasant chat just moments before.  I headed back to Pho Vihn Long and grabbed a Thai iced tea (in a Vietnamese restaurant) to go and go back behind the wheel.

Mountain Mission [Charleston WV]

Mountain Mission is a charitable organization with a soup kitchen and such, as well as a thrift store on their clean grounds in Charleston.  Things started off quite auspiciously when we parked and got out, there was a glass of Kool Aid or iced tea, with ice still in the cup, just sitting in the middle of the lot.  And not a soul around...

Can I get you something to drink?

I had called in advance to assure the presence of fine vinyls awaiting a dig and I found them in the rear of the shop on the bottom shelf of a book lined wooden rack.  I found nothing of interest save for one strange foreign platter which hailed from Greece.  With its toilet paper quality jacket, I knew it came from across the big drink.  I left it here, in West Virginia and got onto more pressing matters like a bahn mi at Yen's Sandwiches and moved on, southeast bound....

Goodwill [Charleston WV]

So I left on a Sunday from Chicago bound for Kentucky.  I spent 4 nights there then drove to North Carolina.  Charleston was about 1/2 way so it was a prime stop for lunch and a quick chance to look for vinyls.  First up was the old standby: Goodwill.  

I had a brief discussion was an old timer who hand an armful of VHS tapes (as you can see they are right behind me to my left).  I told him to give me a nudge if I was in his way and he politely said that I wasn't.  Then he commented that he was buying some movies he had once owned but borrowed out.  I joked that perhaps the people he borrowed them to eventually gave them to Goodwill and he was buying back his own stuff.  He gave me a chortle and went on his way, and me on mine.

I found a copy of an 80s rock classic, a debut in fact.  The jacket is a bit beat but the vinyl is very clean which is odd given the condition of its wrapper.  No matter to me, I've already given it a spin and enjoyed even the songs I never heard before.  I hesitated for just a few seconds and I'm glad I didn't hesitate for too long to add this to my collection.

West Virginia makes 23 states now - very thrilling to check it off the list! Stay tuned, loyal readers......