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I was thinking the other day about all the audio stores that were around when I was a kid

I know we all grew up in different places so the experience shared here all will not relate to. Though I am sure there will be stories that some can relate to. I grew up,in Detroit Michigan and starting going to Audio stores at the ripe old age of 14 years old. Of course I didn't drive at the time so my father would take me. He loved music but wasn't really into audio equipment. Here are some of the stores I used to go to.

1. Tech hi-fi in Royal Oak
2. Audioland In Roseville
3. Audio Dimensions in birmingham
4. Absolute Sound in Royal Oak
5.Stereoland in Detroit

Of course there were other stores but my father would only take me so far. Everything was so new to me and fresh at the time it was really exciting. I still go to audiophile shows today and some audiophile meetings. And though I still enjoy it I had the most excitement when I was a kid.


taters
xti16
1,495 posts
 
Victors which was down the street from Musicraft is now Quintessence and Mick is the only owner now. He also has the BIG rooms at Axpona. Simply Stereo in Hoffman estates is still there too.
minorl
740 posts
 

From the Los Angeles area and I remember just about all of the stores mentioned above from LA.  wow!  all gone.

Christopher Hansen also.

I started out thinking that Yamaha was the best with KEF speakers.

Most of the high end stores ran into the same problem that dealers are experiencing today.  Most people really don't have discretionary funds lying around to justify spending on "audio equipment".  At least in their minds.

So, they would by lower end stereo equipment.  Well, most times they listened as background music anyway, so most didn't notice it anyway.  But, interestingly enough when higher end cd players came out or the magic Sony upper end TVs came out, they had to have them. 

Unless the stores sold lower end equipment along with high end equipment, or were thoughtful enough to transition over to home theater in addition to stereo, they went out of business.  Especially when Circuit City, Sam's club, Costco came along with lower equipment prices that these other stores couldn't compete with. 

Funny, sort of, that Circuit City put Pacific Stereo and many other stores out of business and Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, etc. put Circuit City out of business.

I do like the occasional discussion and list of stereo stores in various locations posted here on Audiogon. it is good information to have.

enjoy

jerry_gt3rs
57 posts
 
The Music Box in Wellesley Ma. Bill Bell was the owner.. Kind of a crotchety old New Englander but he always has the best you could buy. I spent many hours and many, many dollars there.. Great memories.

tonykay
856 posts
 
needfreestuff,

Walt sold me an early pair of Infinity Servo-Statik 1's in the early 70's. The crossover developed a buzz and quickly failed, so I took it in to Walt and he sent it to Infinity in Chatsworth. After waiting about four months and complaining to Walt, he offered to take them back. So I returned them to the store and Walt gave me my money back. They were Mediterranean-looking and Walt admitted to me later that Infinity had eventually given him a brand new crossover and he took that pair home as his personal speakers. I was sad to read in the audio press (Stereophile or Absolute Sound) that he passed away some time ago. Also, a profile of Arnie Nudell in a later issue mentioned Walt and his early involvement selling early versions of Infinity Servo-Statiks and I realized that I had owned a piece of audio history.
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
1,076 posts
 
Anyone remember Manufacturer's Marketplace in West Roxbury  Mass ?    
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