I love record stores - not that we actually have any where I live, unless you count the FYE that used to be in our mall but has since been replaced by The Children's Place. But the idea of them is pretty awesome, and I love visiting them when I travel. I also like when record stores are featured in movies, since in my mind music shops are the cooler version of the traditional coffee shop and book store local hangouts. I thought I'd be able to find a ton of films that feature record shops, but for some unknown reason that isn't the case! So I modified my list to include some memorable shops from both movies and television. These are my top 5 most memorable music stores, are there any great ones I've missed?
5. Vinyl Crocodile in American Dreams
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Meg and her friend Sam. I couldn't find a photo of Luke or
the record store he worked at. |
I really enjoyed this show when it was on TV back in the early 2000s. It was set in the 60s and featured Brittany Snow as a teenage girl who danced on American Bandstand. They had lots of current musicians perform as 60s pop stars (Third Eye Blind as The Kinks! Usher as Marvin Gaye! Kelly Clarkson as Brenda Lee! Hawk Nelson as The Who!) and featured a character named Luke who ran a small record shop called the Vinyl Crocodile. The show was cancelled after only three seasons and full of historical inacuracies but was fun while it lasted.
4. Grooves Record Store in That 70s Show
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| Donna broadcasting from Grooves when she worked for WFPP |
This is sort of a minor part of the show, and not as prominent as the restaurant or the water tower, but is a record store nonetheless. I think the group was more excited to have somewhere to hang out besides the Foreman's that it didn't matter much where it was.
3. Championship Vinyl in High Fidelity
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| Rob, Dick and Barry |
Of course I have to include this shop, as it was the inspiration of the Top 5 lists in the first place. Plus it's awesome, as Rob and the Musical Moron Twins work there. How can you not want to hang out at a place with 90s hipster music snobs? You know you'd only buy things with good taste as Barry wouldn't sell you crap.
2. Empire Record in Empire Records
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| What's with today today? |
It's Rex Manning Day! This movie takes place almost entirely in a music store and revolves around the teenage kids who work there and the fact that one of them steals money from the store in hopes of winning enough at gambling to keep it from being bought by a megastore. There's angst, love, drugs, sex, creepy washed-up performers, and lots of music.
1. TRAX in Pretty in Pink
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| Annie Potts as the awesome Iona |
Okay, who in their right mind would NOT want to work at Iona's music store? Why does Andie always treat it like such a chore? I mean, Iona chases away shoplifters with a staple gun. And then there is the scene where Jon Cryer lip syncs to "Try a Little Tenderness" which is amazing. I know I want to work there. I need a crazy fantastic mentor/friend like Iona. But I promise not to chop up her cute 60s prom dress into a lame potato sack outfit.
