Our family began the Thanksgiving holidays visiting my wife's parents. We spent one night there and then headed to Dallas, Tx to visit our son, his wife, their dog, her parents and assorted relatives, as well as other folks who showed up. It was a "more is merrier" kind of holiday.
We spent Thanksgiving Day feasting on a very fine meal. For dessert (We were in Dallas!) it was the Cowboys football game. It was hard to get off the perch to do more than visit the restroom and get some more dessert, and get some more dessert, and get some more dessert.
Bright and early on Black Friday -for me, approximately 10:30 am- I visited one of my favorite places. In my way of thinking, it is like entering another world. This store is huge. Out back, vehicles laden with used books, tapes, CD's, and assorted media steadily come and go. This is a store that is constantly changing. Like the old proverb that says you never put your hand twice in the same stream, you will never visit the same bookstore there twice. New arrivals are constantly coming in. Aisles are lined with mobile carts filled with books that are yet to be shelved. They even have a section filled with vinyl records! You know- the way we listened to music at home before tapes, cd's, and mp3's.
There are several bargain areas where I found a few jewels. I found a book on tape for my son- $1! I also found a cassette(!) series of tapes on priorities and time management that still had the shrink wrap on it. I got it for a song. Then there was a stack of CD's that claimed to be "radio serials" for $1! Add to that couple of "best of" cassettes on personal motivation and book about the song "Louie, Louie," and I can honestly say it was Christmas for me. You can have your crowded malls and stampedes at the discount stores. Just drop me off at Half Price books.
I enjoy visiting family and friends in Dallas. They provide a good reason for me to visit what has become my favorite used book store. I'm already looking forward to our next visit.
Quiet browsing among books. What a way to spend Black Friday.
I was in Houston during Thanksgiving and came upon a record store. It had stacks of CDs, cassettes and vinyl records, in no particular order. Could have spent hours browsing. My son came across a used record, The Temptations, Greatest Hits. I bought it for him hoping he would learn to appreciate the way we listened to music. It became my favorite record store in Houston.
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested in the name of this store. I am not far from Houston. I agree with you and author Dave Thompson who wrote the book, "I Hate New Music." His thesis that since about 1980, very little good music has been produced.
ReplyDeleteAllRecords
ReplyDelete1955 West Gray
Houston
http://tinyurl.com/5jogwn
Thanks! I'll check this out.
ReplyDelete