Indianapolis’ Luna Records (5202 North College Avenue) was recommended to me by a friend who lives there. He and I love wrecka stows, so I trusted his judgment. He was spot-on with it, as it’s a fun store with hip employees who spin cool jazz / funk records. The content is about 60% vinyl and 40% CD’s.
The selection is large, varied, and good. Their “Buy 4 used CDs, get a fifth free” deal was too good to pass up, so I walked out with stuff from the Crystal Method, The Heavy, Kasabian, Beck, and Black Mountain.
One of my favorite parts of the store was their rack of music and art zines. I’m always happy to see indie stores supporting indie zine and comic creators.
They have a lot of stuff, but the aisles aren’t cramped. Whoever crafts their displays has a nice aesthetic.
This alone should earn someone a raise.
It’s a great place. Check it out if you’re in Indy.
Keep your mind open.
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Located at 1808 South Allport Street in Chicago, Illinois, 606 Records is a nice vinyl and cassette store (as well as books and magazines devoted to music) conveniently located across from Thalia Halland in a booming part of the city. There’s a large Hispanic community in the area, so there are some good Mexican restaurants nearby as well.
606 Records has neat art inside and a wide selection of good vinyl ranging from gospel and world music to rock and rap.
They were playing some neat psychedelic rock when I arrived there on March 10, 2016. I was tempted to flip through the rock records while I was there, but I was running short on time and wanted to get to the Levitation Chicago festival at Thalia Hall before the first band started. I spotted this groovy graffiti art as I left.
It’s a neat store with a slick look. I recommend it for vinyl lovers and for anyone checking out a show at Thalia Hall.
I was hungry while on my way back from Chattanooga a couple weeks ago and discovered The Smoke House Restaurant and Trading Post in Monteagle, Tennessee. It’s an impressive place with enough cured meats, spice rubs, barbecue sauces, and jams and jellies for an army. I opted for the smoked turkey open-faced sandwich with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.
Good grief, it was delicious. The smoked turkey was the best I’d eaten in years. I’m sure the rest of the menu is just as delicious, and I’ll probably try the fried chicken and / or frog legs if I ever get back there.
You pay for your meal in the gift shop on the way out. As I walked through their expansive gift shop, I twice passed a room that appeared to be another alcove full of knick-knacks for sale before I noticed the sign above the entryway.
Yes, tucked along one back wall of this place, with a light-up reindeer atop it, is a museum dedicated to country music legends Ira and Charlie Louvin.
It’s full of plaques, photos, and memorabilia from the duo who popularized country harmony music and were well-known for their gospel songs.
There is so much here that I couldn’t photograph all of it without burning up more time on my trip home. There are display cases full of show tickets, recording notes, family photos, and personal effects. The number of photos and commendations from various music venues, writers, and associations is staggering.
There’s also a display case dedicated to the car crash death of Ira Louvin and his fourth wife, Anne Young.
That photo was taken three days before their car was struck by a drunk driver on June 20, 1965. In a weird twist, a DUI warrant had been issued for Ira’s arrest around the same time.
The museum also has a complete collection of the Louvin Brothers’ records, so many that I couldn’t get them all into one shot.
It’s a cool place that is easy to miss, but you owe it to yourself to see it if you’re a fan of classic country or gospel music. There’s a lot of neat stuff in there. Like this, a laminated picture of Grandpa Jones on a piece of wood.
