[78-L] Record Stores

[Michael Biel]

Steven C. Barr wrote:
 > I've e-mailed "George's;" their web site suggests they deal in used, 
not new,
 > records. I think "used record stores" probably go back as far as do
 > phonograph records; there were always folks with records who were either
 > "tired of them" or otherwise no longer wanted them...as well as folks 
whose
 > copies of favourite discs were wearing/worn out and who thus 
needed/wanted
 > replacement copies...?!   Steven C. Barr

We do know about "collectors" shops, but not much earlier than in the 
30s.  I'm not so sure about second-hand record shops during the era of 
the exclusive franchise, especially pre-1920.  These agreements had 
STRICT pricing controls, and dealers were not allowed to discount, even 
for used machines or obsolete machines unless it was factory 
authorized.   I think the Fair Trade Pricing laws in some states 
supported the price notices on record labels even if the record was used 
being sold in a non-franchise store.  While junk stores could do it, I 
don't think the record companies would have allowed the establishment of 
a store exclusively dealing openly with used cut-price records.  There 
are many notices in publications like Edison Phonograph Monthly 
discussing the litigations they have undertaken against non-franchised 
stores selling their products, and warning franchise stores not to 
discount.  Has anybody ever found out where the yellow  "Retired Record" 
stickers on Columbia records came from?  We've discussed that before.  
It would be good to research the early used record stores.  It's how 
Julian Morton Moses and Sam Goody both started.  Once Goody became 
exclusively a new record store specializing only in microgroove -- no 
78s!!! -- he could only discount by issuing "membership" cards.  New 
York was a Fair Trade state, and the Fair Trade List Prices of records 
could not be discounted.  Record companies sued him even after the 
membership card scheme, and he WON!  He is credited with starting the 
ending of the the Fair Trade laws in New York. 

Your mentioning of the need of replacement copies of worn or broken 
records (especially from sets) leads me to another idea to research.  
Did the record company practice of making request pressings come as a 
way to stop the sale of second-hand records of this type?  Of course 
HRS, IRCC, UHCA and others was a legit means to get rare records 
repressed for sale, and this is noted as showing the companies that 
there was a market for re-pressings, but did the sale of used records 
also influence them?  And by the way, I found an article announcing the 
opening of the famous "back room" at H. Royer Smith in Philadelphia 
where they sold collectors items -- even up to the years I was in 
college in Phila in the 60s.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com