December 2000

Two Record Stores and a Hooker

Music is an ever-present part of my life - it goes where I goes. And having lived in a town where the local music store sucked, I am glad to be in DC- a city where music, and music stores, are top notch. I have even been lucky enough to witness a growth in acceptance of the music I listen to, from the days when punk rock was considered nearly unlistenable - but that is another story.

The first record store I can remember going to is Smash! in Georgetown. An unlikely location, as the tony streets of Georgetown are far more apt to play host to a socialite dinner or frat-boy puke-fest courtesy of the nearby university, than a hardscrabble punk record store. However, the location has thrived, and they have even moved and been able to expand over the years, proving that if the product is good, the people will come.

Smash will always have a soft spot in my heart, because it was, for the longest time, one of only two places where one could purchase Doc Martens. Now every store carries them, but once upon a time, there were only two in DC, and they had only two colors. Black and Oxblood. "You can have any color you want, just so long as its black like my heart." Also, for a while they actually had a tape of a band I was in for sale, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Recently my trips to Smash have been few and far between. The downward trend is not due to deafness, or a sudden loss of musical taste - mine is still better than yours. Nor is it because of a surge in online purchasing. My infrequent visits are due to a new resource that has become a favorite of mine, which also happens to be about 5 minutes away from my house.

DCCD, is a Mecca for music. This store has one of the best selections in the city, and they also carry a slew of obscure titles, which is a huge plus. Let's say you wanted a copy of The Shags 'The Philosophy of the World" chances are you will not find it most places, however I happen to know that there is a copy at DCCD right now. Plus, their friendly staff who are more than willing to answer any and all questions, get into debates about music, and even head down to the local bar for a beer or 8 - would you want to hang out with some khaki-clad jerk from Best Buy? Probably not. And most importantly, it is right down the street I can walk there in my sleep if need be.

No need to suck out to Best Buy, which I cannot even find on a map. No need to give all my hard earned cash to those bastards at Tower, or some huge bookstore chain. I can buy it all right down the street. From a friend - can you do that? Not damn likely. Plus, I never have to wait for the online retailer to send it to me, which usually means waiting two weeks, or spending $20 on priority shipping. I cannot remember a time where I have not been shopping at DCCD and not spent less than $20.

All of this is not due to an intractable attitude about 'fighting corporate America' it is all about convenience and supporting my local retailer. I can get anything I want there, and a ton of stuff that I cannot get anywhere else, why would I try to go elsewhere?

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A note from the Editorial Staff: Lucky is our newest staff member here at Evil Robots. This is the first of what we are sure will be many more contributions. We are happy to welcome him to the Evil Robots Family.  His turn-ons include beer, punk rock, and burritos. His turn-offs are the exact opposite of his turn-ons. Bats: Righty. Throws: Righty.