Living in a Post-Tower Boston

In moments of stress or sadness, I like to use record shopping as a means of consolation. On-line shopping just doesn't do it in that situation; there's something about flipping through CD's, accumulating a huge pile, sorting through them to whittle it down to a reasonable amount, and then immediately being able to open them, listen to them, read the liner notes, catalogue them, and clear a place on the shelf for them.

I thought about this earlier this week. I was running errands in a mall, and popped into FYE to see what they had. I did end up getting something, though that was in spite of the selection. (There was a used copy of the concept cd "Ricecar," at half of what they probably should have charged for it.)

So, then, where to go for a brick-and-mortar record store in the Boston area? (Digression: William Safire's Language column today discusses retronyms, of which "brick-and-mortar" is an excellent example. They're adjectives that become necessary when a variant becomes common. For hundreds of years, there were just stores; only in the last decade have we had to distinguish "brick-and-mortar" stores from the on-line variety.)

There are a handful of used record stores, but none boast an extensive classical section. With used stores, it's all a matter of luck; maybe they have some gems, maybe they don't. I don't know of any used stores in the area that warrant special mention.

Tower's traditional rival has been Barnes & Noble (in the Prudential Center, as well as various locations in the suburbs). Unfortunately, the selection is whithering away, seemingly getting smaller every day. While there is some variety, it is mostly vanilla. The prices also aren't great, unless you buy the discount card. If you want to choose from 12 different recordings of a Beethoven symphony, it is a good bet. If you want to get outside "the box" of the 1700-1900 WCRB playlist, the choices are more limited.

Then there's Newbury Comics. As of two weeks ago, the Harvard Square location had more than doubled its classical section, although it remained quite spotty. The Newbury Street location, however, has shown a new commitment to classical music. They have taken on classical staff and set aside a sizable section (given the very real contraints of their footprint). While they don't have as many units as Barnes & Nobel, the selection is richer and more varied. There's a decent selection of opera and a small but interesting new music section. What I find particularly promising is the fact that the staff is still working to develop the section further. I look forward to seeing the results.

Unfortunately, in the immmediate future, it will be impossible to replace the two Tower locations. Let's just hope that some day there will be a store that specializes in classical music.



Digression 2: I was always fond of Newbury Pizza. Every time I stopped in, I always wondered how it survived. Surely, in that gentrified street, the landlord would prefer a high-end restaurant to classic greasy-spoon pizza place. I was very sad today to discover that it finally has closed. It's a real shame.

Digression 3: As I walked by Fenway today, it was perfect weather for a ballgame. Yet my calendar says January 6. I can't figure it out. (84 days until opening day!)