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22 Jones St.,
New York, NY 10014
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A sign in the front window optimistically heralds the world’s largest selection of old rock’n’roll records, but this small shop—staffed by owner Bob Noguera—also offers a wide selection of jazz, soul, country and even comedy discs. Since 1979, Noguera has amassed an enormous stock of original and reissued records, mainly from the ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s; what he doesn’t carry are CDs, concentrating instead on collectible vinyl. Serious collectors can drop hundreds on the shop’s rarest items, like Yesterday...and Today, the Beatles album that was recalled in 1966 because of a gory cover photo, then reissued with a new cover pasted right over the original. There’s plenty for the casual fan, too, with most 45s selling for about as much as a movie ticket, and myriad, reasonably-priced LPs. Casual browsers, beware: The selection can be intimidating. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves behind the counter hold thousands of 45s in yellowing paper sleeves, while boxes of LPs, 78s and still more 45s encroach on the already narrow aisle. Although the merchandise is well-organized, with hand-lettered dividers separating the Mothers of Invention from Mott the Hoople, only a few album covers are visible to spark a browser’s random interest. If you’re after something specific, call ahead, or send your wish list by email. If Noguera doesn’t have the items you crave, he’ll gladly attempt to track them down.
ExtraThe rarest album ever sold here was a stereo version of The Freewheeling Bob Dylan that had mistakenly been pressed with four alternate tracks. It sold for $12,345.67. Coincidentally, the album cover was shot on Jones St., where the shop is located today.