Bleecker Bob's

Bleecker Bob's Golden Oldies at 118 West 3rd Street in the Village is a destination for buyers and sellers of vinyl LPs. Click here for more photos. It has had several different shop locations in the immediate neighborhood. Bob Plotnik (still the current owner) opened the original store on Bleecker Street in 1967. I have no real opinion of this shop regarding pricing, inventory or service - I am not a current buyer or seller of vinyl LPs and my visits there are few. But it is a landmark with its distinctive, homey, funky New York style decor and ambiance. With vinyl experiencing a niche renaissance and the decline of physical CDs due to digital downloads, I believe their chances of survival are much better than stores selling CDs, many of which have closed. While CDs are in decline and catering more and more to a graying market, the market for new vinyl is actually growing. DJs in electronic dance or hip hop music prefer LPs for the direct manipulation of the disc (slip-cueing, beatmatching and scratching). In the used market, many covet vinyl LPs for their cover art. And there are still some audiophiles who prefer vinyl and claim a sonic superiority over the CD - this is a debate that has raged since the beginning of CD production. There are also nostalgia and cult factors at work here. In the case of Bleecker Bob's, I'm sure all of these factors drive customers to them and I would imagine many of their customers are looking for music which is not available on CD and perhaps never will be ...