Model a "Functioning" American Record / Music Store

[fec153]

Model subways? " Take The 'A' Train.
Midnight Special . Mountain pike?- "She'll Be Comin "Round The Mountain".
Brio-? " I Think I Can"

[fec153]

Hey, how about Glenn Miller's Chattanouga Choo Choo.

[AntonioFP45]

Hey Jetrock,

I remember the flourescent posters. One thing though, there were "flower power" and "hippies" here and there, but not really in great concentrations as many people today speculate due to "Woodstock". It was more of mostly typical young people dressed casually (jeans, tee shirts, and leather vests). Every now and then you'd see the "extreme" ones with the full flower decals on their cars,  giant bell bottoms jeans, psychedelic colors, and either the stringy long hair or huge afros! Saying "yeah" to an adult was considered very rude. Just typical youth in that time period. For me, it does seem like yesterday!

[Jetrock]

With 1965-71 as a project period, certain things come to mind--you'll certainly want to have a couple flower children hanging out at the record store, and might consider doing a couple of the "posters" in the store in fluorescent paint (maybe just make a B&W poster and dab it with a Hi-Liter pen.)

I don't think brick & mortar music stores are going anywhere soon. In addition to providing the physical product, they also function as meeting spaces, where folks can discuss music and otherwise exchange information. Used record stores also serve a purpose, and while profit margins aren't as high it's easier to sell your records at a used-music store than on eBay or something. Independent record stores also tend to function as public bulletin boards, too--every indie record store I know has a bulletin board, information kiosk or shelf dedicated to flyers for local music shows, whereas many chain music stores do not.

They mutate a bit--during the Nineties one saw a lot of techno record stores open up (specializing in the myriad styles of house, rave, jungle, drum & bass, etc.) and then close once the fad starts to fade. But small stores still open and close--and, even though some folks don't believe it, records (the vinyl ones) are still being made! I worked for a music distributor last year and packed and shipped plenty of them.

[AntonioFP45]

Interesting to know that there are still some stores around. But it's worth notiicing which word our younger members are using here. "Music Store" instead of "Record Store" which is what they used to be known as, even though Reel-to-Reel and 8-Track tapes were also sold.

http://www.uncamarvy.com/Teenchords/teenchords15.jpg

NOT a Criticism....Just shows how time and technology have gradually changed this industry since my teen years. We now have CDs, Mini-Discs, MP3s, and other storage devices that I have to ask my students how they work!

I had thought that with this technology, "music" type stores would have fewer customers as so much is available on-line. Looks like they're changing but surviving; just like our model railroad hobby stores.

I am planning modeling a record store, but the theme will be 1965-71, my layout's time period. The DPM store kits are excellent for the typical record stores seen in the eastern U.S of that time period. For flourescent lighting, the "Blue White" L.E.Ds look like they would work well (same type of light like in BLI's early GG1s and J1 Hudson).

Hope that some of you with layouts and basic electrical knowledge try this! Seems like it's not a very difficult project. If you plan to, or get it done, please post it!

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Two I can think of in the Milwaukee area are Rushmor [sic] Records and Recordhead.

How about a music store that promotes all kinds of music, say "Guiness' Store of World Records"?

[Anonymous]

Cool idea, Antonio! I may not be from the 50s, 60s, or 70s, but I listen to oldies all the time. Imagine running your layout jamming to The Beach Boys![8D]

[lupo]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock


lupo: Normally, at least in my experience, record stores and music stores are two separate things--record stores sell recorded music, and music stores sell instruments and sheet music.

Overhere the musical instrument and record stores are seperate as well nowadays, the kind of store I refered to was around here untill the mid 60's, specially in smaller towns.

[Jetrock]

There are still record stores like that around today!! Despite the encroachment of chain record stores in malls, you can still find the genuine article--and most of them still actually sell vinyl records!

They were in all sorts of buildings--Tower Records got its start in a drugstore attached to a fancy art-deco movie theater in Sacramento, California, but they could be in any sort of building. Record stores can have any sort of name--there is even one in my town just called RECORDS. Take a look in the local yellow pages for some ideas for record store names, but you could just call it JOE'S RECORD SHOP and not be too far off the mark.

Some decor suggestions: Find some show posters appropriate to your era (or reproductions in a book), and scan them at fairly low resolution. Using a decent graphics program, print them out at a size appropriate for your scale (in HO, maybe 1/2"x3/8" would look about right.)

Doing the same with record covers could be done, although it would be a bit more delicate--an LP cover would be a bit more than 1/8" square. Rather than print out a bunch of 1 HO foot square bits, one might print out a strip of them in a row and glue them onto a "display rack" in the store, or make a whole grid of record album covers and glue them to an interior wall--many record stores will cover a wall or two with records, either on display for sale or old/interesting covers separated from their records and attached permanently to the walls.

lupo: Normally, at least in my experience, record stores and music stores are two separate things--record stores sell recorded music, and music stores sell instruments and sheet music.

[Anonymous]

I always fancied the idea of building a record store, only that from 1941! Does anyone know if record stores from that period had fancy art-deco fronts? I think I saw one on a WWII documentary. And, what kind of name does a record store have?

[chutton01]

Around Long Island, there are (and were) several used CD/DVD stores and chains such as Empire Disk, Mr. Cheapo's, CD Warehouse, Music Arcade, etc.
A number of these (in particular, Mr. Cheapo's in Mineola, 2 blocks from Willis Hobbies) are housed in buildings similar to the more generic DPM/City Classics 2 story brick buildings (others are in strip malls and the ilk). There are probably quite a few more in New York City itself, and north Jersey, but the previous ones are ones I've been too.
So you need not limit yourself to Record and Music stores of the past...

[lupo]

That is a [8D] cool [8D] idea, !
btw: overhere in Holland lots of these oldtime record stores were more music stores, selling records, sheet music and musical instruments ranging from flutes-organs to electric-guitars and drum kits as well. I looked at those instruments fantasizing being able to play the records i bought on those instruments ![8D][8D]

Did similar businesses were around in the US?

modeling opp.: every thursday at 12 noon a que of eager teens formed outside as the new charts ( dutch equivalent of the billboard hot 100 ) were handed out by the owner .

[AntonioFP45]

To those of you that grew up in large and mid-sized cities or towns  - How many of you remember those good ol' fashionRecord stores?

http://talkinaboutmygeneration.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/image010.png

As as a kid, how well I remember seeing these stores "all over" New York City, Connecticut, and Florida!

They often:
(1) Were small, cramped and housed in older brick buildings (like a Walthers Cornerstone kit)
(2) Had bright flourescent lights. One or two small house fans blowing.
(3) Display table rows packed with records and 8 Track Tapes. (Cassettes by the mid 70s).
(4) Posters all over the windows of popular singers and groups.
(5) In some, there seemed to be a "Stereotype cool guy" behind the counter with a big smile and wisecracks. For some reason they often wore sunglasses indoors! 

One neat (or annoying) aspect I remember: There would be a small horn or PA speaker mounted near or outside the doorway and the latest hits would be blasting loud enough that persons within a 30ft radius could hear it. However, in urban areas you could often hear the music from across the street since the sound bounced off of buildings.

I remember: The Jackson Five, Credence Clearwater, Aretha Franklin, Seals & Croftt, Mamas and the Papas, and other hit groups back in the early 70s. Customers went in, often purchasing the latest "singles" on 45 records. Sometimes though, Latino, Jazz, Classical, and Country music would also be "pumped up". Managers usually paid attention and tried to attract a wide customer base.

Modeling potential:
These stores very much resembled the buildings offered in the DPM kits and Cornerstone series. Using cutouts and small pictures of singers a record store is easy to model. Window signs were often oversized and flashy with

"BUY 2 ALBUMS, GET A SINGLE FREE!!    or  

 "CHEAPEST PRICES IN TOWN!"

For the ultimate realism
A friend suggested mounting a portable CD unit underneath the layout and have one small "2 to "3 speaker inside the store, flush mounted on the floor. The music playing out of record stores was usually in "mono". Stereo was available but many people owned record players or "Vitrolas" that played in mono, anyway.

When you're running your railroad, you can have music for the time period that you're modeling playing from inside the store. Should be slightly audible. The idea is to keep the volume low to make it believable that the record store's open for business as your railroad and town goes on about its business. At the same time, you get to relax with music from your youth (especially those of us over 40!).

Regardless of your age, this would be a neat project to do as it adds another realistic dimension to our hobby and many of us are always looking for that "special extra" that makes our railroad's theme and time period believable.