[78-L] Record shop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

[Mark Bardenwerper]

I know we have made comment on the lack of record buying opportunities 
while traveling, so to keep up with my meager contributions to this 
list, I will report when I find one.

Today I was in Milwaukee on business and I took my lunch break hunting 
down a shop I used to frequent on the 7100 block of Greenfield. It was 
gone. I then recalled a very decrepit looking book store up a ways. 
Every time I was down there, it was closed. But of course, I was always 
there on weekend afternoons. Weathered, faded books of any description 
crowded the full height windows of the run down corner store front.

The water stained, hand scrawled piece of notebook paper taped to the 
window said more. "We are not closed. Call this number and I will open 
the door." Knocking brought no response, so I called. A wee small 
quavery voice answered and in a few moments I was in.

There was a tiny disfigured woman with an ill fitting black wig looking 
the part of a bag lady to serve me. She sweetly and excitedly told me 
that she had many 78 RPM records, loved them and was delighted that I 
did too.

The once adequately wide aisles were made shoulder wide by piles and 
stacks of tapes, records, books of every description and condition. The 
78's held forth in cubbies; a full corner, nearly to the ceiling, both 
sides. The majority of their bulk was hidden by the piles of 
indescribable materials. It would have taken me several afternoons to 
look at them all. From all appearances, no one had looked at them in a 
very long time, if at all.

I went through 2 cubbies in about a half hour. I found 2 of 3 records 
from the Decca "Snow White" set, a Paramount in fairly decent condition, 
an Illinois Jacquet Merc in not so good condition, and a Billy Holiday 
in similar shape. There were many broken. All were very dirty. But down 
a bit were some generic albums full of nice, clean ones, some in 
excellent shape. Variety: old, newer,pop, jazz, swing, ethnic and polka 
(this is Milwaukee, ja know).

But if you are of the patient sort and don't mind some dust and crude 
conditions, you might find something here if not just to meet this 
wonderful old woman in the twilight of her years. Her husband, now in 
his late 80's sleeps in the van out front, too tired to come in.

She told me of their heyday, when they owned a great store down on 
Capital right in the original bug business district. Eighteen years in 
the present store and quite possibly, some of those records had not 
stirred since then.

77th and Greenfield. Call the number on the door and be prepared for a 
surprise.

-- 
Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr.

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