Assuming that your new music acquisitions extend beyond your computer’s mp3 player (and any self-respecting music lover should support his or her favorite artists), you have no doubt explored the music retailers Evanston offers its many shoppers. Perhaps you’ve also ventured downtown, into Lakeview, Andersonville and Wicker Park to sample Chicago’s version of the same thing.

But if you, like so many of us, have yet to find a vendor worthy of the obscene percentage of your income you piss away on music every month, take heart. What follows was set forth with you in mind:

The Mission

Two nyou reporters, troubled by their own lack of a music haven, took to the streets of Chicago and Evanston on a beautiful Monday afternoon to compare seven stores – from two-bit storefronts to the most thuggish of chain empires – in search of the perfect music store.

The stores were compared on four criteria: availability of five CDs in different genres, price offered for four used CDs in different genres, friendliness of service and general atmosphere of the store. All stores were located near El stations; in fact we reached all of them by bike.

The five CDs we tried to locate were the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Axis: Bold As Love, the Dismemberment Plan’s Change, Outkast’s Stankonia, Thelonious Monk’s Brilliant Corners and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring (any version). The CDs we tried to sell were The Shins’ Oh, Inverted World, John Coltrane’s Giant Steps, Nick Drake’s Pink Moon and some album by Whitesnake.

The Stores

Our quest began at Reckless Records, located just south of Broadway Street and Belmont Avenue in the Lakeview neighborhood. Reckless is a large store that houses almost as many hipsters as it does music genres. There’s a shock of pink hair browsing the punk section and a pair of black-framed glasses perusing the indie stacks at almost any time of day. Colored glass lights and 45s on strings hang from the ceiling. Evanston once had its own Reckless, but poor sales forced its closure two years ago. Here is how the store scored:

CD Availability: CD Availability: Axis, Brillant Corners and Rite of Spring were all available used for $8.99 while Stankonia was priced at $9.99. Change was not in stock, and only The Dismemberment Plan’s first album was in the bin. While Reckless can special order items, both new and used, they could not tell us how long it would them to get Change.

Buyback prices: Reckless offered $14.50 in cash or $17.50 in store credit for our CDs. The employee who waited on us refused to break down these prices by individual CDs. This was the only store to refuse this request.

friendliness: Reckless disappointed here. The 30-something employee who waited on us became angered when we passed on his prices for trade, telling us, “Reckless does not appraise CDs, so don’t come back expecting to sell these!” He also talked on the phone the entire time he waited on us and dropped Pink Moon on the floor, shiny side down.

miscellaneous: The store boasts a large selection of records, cheap movies and TV series box sets, as well as some tapes and DVDs. Coupled with its great decor, Reckless’ two “employee picks” listening stations and two listening stations for any CD in the store set it apart from its peers.

Next up was Discus Exchange at 2935 Broadway St., two blocks south of Reckless. This was the smallest store we visited, both in size and breadth of selection. Unlike Reckless, Discus kept few decorations on the walls, opting for posters that were also conveniently for sale. Also unlike Reckless, there weren’t any other customers in the store. The store was bright and welcoming but also a bit sad. We’d have felt guilty walking away without making a purchase.

CD Availability: Discus only sells used CDs, which cost $7.95 each or $19.95 for any three. Because Discus’ selection depends on what CDs they buy back, and because all the hipsters seem to congregate down the street at Reckless, the selection here was hit-or-miss. Axis was the only item available from our shopping list. They carried some Monk CDs but not the one we wanted. In general, Discus specializes in classic rock and mid-’90s alternative.

buyback prices: Discus offered $3 for Oh, Inverted World and Pink Moon and $2 for Giant Steps. As sad as the storefront may have looked, desperation hadn’t totally set in – they wouldn’t take the Whitesnake.

friendliness: The lone employee, in his mid-30s and not at all a scenester, was extremely courteous. We could only wish him better business.

miscellaneous: Some great cheap posters decorate the walls. A mess of free weeklies (both new and very old) at the front of the store was oddly charming but not very useful. Aside from a handful of DVDs, the store sells no other media. Discus got bonus points for its sunny interior and for playing The Who on the loudspeakers.

At the corner of Clark Street and Wrightwood Avenue (2570 N. Clark, near the Diversey El stop) we stopped at Hi-Fi Records, a medium-sized store with cool black-and-white tiles and a vintage-looking sound system positioned to catch the eye of everyone walking through the door. The forgettable late-’70s funk band Shotgun blared through the speakers as we entered the store. In general, there seemed to be quite a reverence for the ’70s.

Cd availability: Hi-Fi stocked Rite of Spring used for $8.99 and Stankonia new for $11.99. There were no Dismemberment Plan CDs and no Monk CDs at all. The store carried lots of Hendrix but no Axis, aside from a $27.99 mint reissue on vinyl.

buyback prices: Hi-Fi dominated this category, offering $20 in cash or $27 in credit for our used CDs. The employee helping us particularly liked the Coltrane and told us he rounded up the price of everything else (even the Whitesnake) because of it.

friendliness: The staff was pleasant and unpretentious – reminiscent of the good guys in “High Fidelity.c Perhaps there’s a link in the name. (Vintage Vinyl, an Evanston music retailer that didn’t make the survey, was mentioned in the film.)

miscellaneous: The store is divided into two sides: one for CDs and one for vinyl. The vinyl was reasonably priced and well-endowed in the retro department. Hi-Fi also offered a large budget bin of obscure LPs as well as some lousy 10-cent 45s, some cheap videos and a few campy LaserDiscs. Their affinity for retro-kitsch aside, Hi-Fi is a laid-back, enjoyable place to shop.

Our last stop in Chicago returned us to the world of chain commerce (Chicago, unlike Evanston, still maintains a few non-chain retailers). In this case, we hit that most mammoth of chains, the venerable Tower Records at 2305 N. Clark Street. With locations in New York, LA and Dublin, Tower doesn’t need your patronage, but here is what we found:

cd availability: True to form, Tower had every CD on our list, often in abundant quantities. Also true to form, the prices were awful. Change came in at $16.99, Stankonia and Axis cost $18.99, and they practically gave Giant Steps away at $15.99. Only Rite of Spring was actually well-priced: A budget version cost $7.99.

buyback prices: Tower has recently begun buying used CDs, much like the auto industry is exploring clean-air alternatives. The Clark Street store only had one row of them. We soon figured out why they carried so few.

Having asked for an appraisal of our discs, we were told only the manager could quote us a price. But after waiting for nine minutes, we were still seeking even a glimpse of a manager. With three more stores to cover, we left.

friendliness: All the employees were kind, excluding the negligent manager. You wouldn’t think major chains would draw the most knowledgeable employees, yet the clerk in the classical room was well-informed and particularly gregarious as he worked a small crowd of customers around the counter.

miscellaneous: Tower’s selection is truly awesome, particularly in classical and jazz where they blew everyone else away. They also have a full store selling videos and DVDs, a large book selection and tons of music accessories. Their used department, on the other hand, might as
well not exist.

Enlightened but not finished, we returned to Evanston and 2nd Hand Tunes at 800 Dempster St. 2nd Hand Tunes is part of a national chain called Djangos that has locations in Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego (the company is actually based in Florida).

cd availability: Change was available new for $12.95, while Stankonia cost $14.95 new. Rite of Spring was available used for $8.99. Two of Jimi Hendrix’s three proper albums were in stock, but Axis was the one missing. 2nd Hand Tunes is best for unexpected finds; the used prices are often quite good. Don’t count on any new album being in stock, even new releases.

buyback prices: The computer offered $3 cash or $4 credit for Giant Steps and Pink Moon, $2 cash or $3 credit for Oh, Inverted World and wanted nothing to do with the Whitesnake.

friendliness: The staff at 2nd Hand Tunes looks like the staff at Reckless, but the employees aren’t nearly as knowledgeable. The Dempster Street workers seem to put more thought into hair design than new releases, but their presence is neutral. The lone clerk on duty did not wait on us until he had finished a phone conversation but was nice enough after he hung up. The store’s obnoxiously high counter separating clerk and customer isn’t intimidating anyone.

miscellaneous: 2nd Hand Tunes is bright and well-decorated and has a great selection of vinyl, tapes, posters and used movies. You can listen to any CD in the store on the one personal headset. The jazz selection is nothing short of anemic, but the indie bin is well-stocked. There is a chair by the door for perusing The Onion while you take a load off.

Returning to the immediate Northwestern vicinity, we visited Dr. Wax, named – as a sign proudly trumpets – the best CD store in Chicago five years ago. Dr. Wax also sports locations in Andersonville, Old Town and Hyde Park. Unlike other local chains, Dr. Wax does not price items via a central computer. Prices are set by employees based on what they think they can get.

cd availability: Brilliant Corners was $14.99 new, Change was $11.99 new, Rite of Spring was $8.99 used and Stankonia was either $7.49 new without curse words or $16.99 with them. Apparently those four-letter words are worth as much as everything else on the album – and then some. Axis was out of stock.

buyback prices: The middle-aged man who seems to run the place quickly glanced at our CDs and offered us $5 for Giant Steps, $3 for Pink Moon, nothing for Oh, Inverted World and not even a can of hairspray for Whitesnake.

friendliness: Four years in Evanston has taught us that Dr. Wax can be hit-or-miss. The clerk we dealt with is typically pleasant, if a bit curt. Other employees vary based on moods, particularly one current worker who once happily declared, “We are NOT a nice store!”

miscellaneous: The high countertops rival 2nd Hand Tunes for sheer anachronistic hubris. The store is covered in great promo posters, which they will usually sell to you if you ask (Reckless used to give them away). The store has an “employee picks” listening booth but no station for listening to your own selections. The vinyl stock is only decent, and tapes are all but gone. Hip-hop is well-stocked, and the jazz selection is decent, although for some reason the latter section houses the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies collection.

At the end of the day, we found ourselves at the emporium of choice for the lazy NU student, Wherehouse Music, the place”where the buzz begins,” according to an informative plastic bag we saw. As part of a large chain, the Wherehouse of Evanston looks like the Wherehouse along the beach in Southern California, but no matter where you are you can count on sales tax vaulting new releases over the $20 mark.

cd availability: Stankonia retailed for $17.99 new. The store computer claimed to locate a used copy for $8.79 on sale but the CD was not visible on any of the shelves. While Axis was also $17.99, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring was available new on a budget label for $6.99 or on a regular label for $11.99.

buyback prices: The imposing Wherehouse computer offered $3 in cash or $3.75 in credit for Drake’s and Coltrane’s albums, $2 or $2.50 in credit for Oh, Inverted World and one red cent for Whitesnake.

friendliness: We were waited on by NU senior Alex Cappelletti, who helped us at every step. Despite its location, Wherehouse employs few students. Most employees are older and work there full-time. Wherehouse workers are encouraged to make suggestive sales; if you buy one CD, their manual tells them to suggest another one. Not all employees obey, but when one does, watch out!

miscellaneous: Like Tower, Wherehouse carries some tapes, many accessories, a few electronics but no vinyl. They also sell soda and candy as well as a few magazines, only a few of which relate to music and at least one (Playboy) that relates to naked women. The music playing in Wherehouse as we walked in was “Weird Al” Yankovic.

Conclusions

As we searched for unifying trends in our music store experiences, we could glean but a few common truths:

1. We expected the worst from our clerks’ personalities. At times our fears were confirmed (Reckless) while at others we were pleasantly surprised (Hi-Fi and the big chains).

2. Selection (Tower) can rival friendliness (Discus Exchange), but friendliness (Hi-Fi) will often beat out coolness (Reckless). Then again, being cool and well-stocked (Reckless) can beat out being cool and friendly (Hi-Fi). Or perhaps convenience (all Evanston stores) beats all other categories (all Chicago stores).

Make your own judgment.

3. The going sale rate for Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is $8.99 used. The going purchase rate for Whitesnake is a condescending smirk.

4. Wherehouse was playing “Weird Al” Yankovic. nyou