Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Features

Media Credit: Alex Reside Co-Owner Rob Streibich writes down the names of used CDs to prepare them for sale on Wednesday morning.

Media Credit: Alex Reside Senior education major, Ryan Carlson, looks through used CDs at North Street Records.

Media Credit: Alex Reside North Street Records has been open for over three years and is located across from the Normal Theater in Downtown Normal.

For the past 3 years, brothers Jim Wilson, Jeff Wilson and friend Rob Striebich have run a small record shop in Uptown Normal. In recent years vinyls have been growing in popularity, and North Street Records just might be the hiding of that precious favorite record.

"I'm always in here," Adam Johnson, senior English major, said. "Sunday, Monday and Tuesday are my regular days, but if I have extra money to spare, I come in."

Co-owner Jim Wilson and Johnson chatted like old friends as Johnson picked over the newly stocked old CDs.

"I come for the large selection of vinyl records and modestly priced CDs," Johnson said.

Stacks of records, CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes fill the store shelves while record sleeves fill the walls. Wilson explained that they stock their shelves from a variety of sources.

"Most [records] walk through the door," Jim Wilson said. Explaining that patrons are welcome to bring in their records and North Street may buy it off them for resale. "Sometimes people call with a collection and we'll go and look at it."

Wilson added that record collectors across the country hold shows to sell records to suppliers. Typically, these gatherings are set up at conference centers across the country and are popular with record storeowners like Wilson.

While records come from private collections and records sales, Wilson said that students frequent the store to sell their CDs.

"When money gets tight and you know you're not going to see mom and dad for a while, selling CDs is really easy," Jim Wilson said.

"People come in here with anywhere from 10 to 1,000 CDs to sell," Jim Wilson said.

Unlike pawnshops, Wilson tries to give fair prices when buying used CDs.

"Most get $3 a disc, the really common ones," Jim Wilson said. "But if it's rare or in really good condition, we might pay more."

Condition is very important in the used record and CD business. Wilson spoke of a continuum that merchandise is ranked on in order to determine price.

"It's called the gold mine standard," Jim Wilson said. "At the top are the mint ones, all the way down to 'very good minus.'"

In between "mint" and "very good minus" lay "near mint," "very good plus" and "very good." Prices for "very good minus" are half that of "very good plus," which are half the price of "mint."

While the ranking system may seem confusing and too much for many to handle, Jim Wilson said that most of the goods are in "very good plus" condition.

Most records run between $3 and $10, though there are exceptions.

"We have more expensive albums, but we sell those on the Internet," Jim Wilson said. "You're going to sell something for $500 a lot quicker online than you would in the store."

Some might question if there are many students frequenting the store, as it is not exactly common to have a record player in college. Jim Wilson said that at least half of his business comes from ISU students, many of who have their own record player.

"A lot of guys have consuls from their grandmas or something like that," Jim Wilson said. "But you can also buy them at places like Best Buy."

Johnson vouched for this, explained that he recently purchased such a console.

"I got mine from Best Buy," Johnson said. "It plays records, tapes and CDs and also has a radio."

Sometimes North Street Records will have a few turntables to sell, but this is more rare than anything. Wilson said that one of his brothers will fix one up once in a while. Wilson also sends customers looking to buy a record player to local pawnshops.

"I'm always sending people to Monster Pawn and Midwest Exchange," Wilson said.

Monster Pawn in Normal confirmed that they receive record players every 4-8 weeks, but that there is never a guarantee.

"I have turntables, but they're more for DJs," Mark Pierce, manager of Monster Pawn, said.

In an increasingly digital age, though, how can a small record shop exist? Wilson explained that they have yet to see a problem.

"It's a whole different group of people that come here," Jim Wilson said. "Some went to high tech and try new things every month, but a lot stayed [with records]."

Wilson feels that the sound of records can never be duplicated on a CD. He explained that the sound of a record is much more fluid, and often sounds very different when put onto a CD.

"A lot of records will never come out on CD," Jim Wilson said. "They were recorded to be played on records."

Keeping North Street Records running for the past years has kept the brother busy, but they never really think of it as work.

"I never say I'm going to work," Jim Wilson said. "It's always, 'I'm going to the record store,'"

Surviving in their Uptown Normal location has not proved difficult, as business is steady. Wilson gave way to the idea that North Street Records will be around for quite some time.

"It's either this or get a job," Jim Wilson said.

North Street Records in located in Uptown Normal on North Street. Their hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

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