First off: this is the review of a fairly devoted record digger. I probably have emphysema from inhaling the dust from forgotten record sleeves. If you're just casually strolling by Encore for a few CDs, this review may not be for you.
I write this as a displaced UM alum, subjected to the harsh and cold hands of the "world" and the murkey swamp that is big-city record digging. I've been through some of the "best" record stores in NY and DC, but I won't stutter when I say this: Encore beats em all.
Believe it or not, I haven't gone stupid with dementia. Big city record stores aren't all they're cracked up to be. They might have great selection....if you're lucky. More likely than not, they've been picked dry, since after all, the world's greatest DJs and record collectors don't exactly go to suburbia to satisfy their record needs. And when the selection is good, and you've found that treasured loft-jazz session, your eyes start to tear up a bit when you see the price tag. Overpriced, plain and simple. These places are full of record store owners who know that wide-eyed small town hopefuls and long-standing techno DJs come to their store with wads of cash in tow in search of that perfect piece of plastic...and they make you pay for it. Don't get me wrong, I'm more than aware that sometimes, a record might actually be worth $100. These places will make you pay $200 for that same record.
But this is about praising Encore, not dissing on the other guys, right?
There's plenty to love about Encore. It has the perfect balance of selection and price. I ALWAYS found something I wanted in Encore, even if it wasn't the rarest record I've ever seen (though they still get pretty good stuff). And it was priced accordingly. Most records are $5-$15. I've never paid more than $40 for the pretty rare stuff. The staff knows their stuff, but they don't kill your wallet because of it. I used to spend 3-4 hrs at a time digging through their jazz section (to this day one of the best I've ever seen), Latin section, rock section, etc. And if you're looking for something in particular...just ask. They're all good people. Such good people, that they don't do something that I've seen a lot of other record stores do: sell shady vinyl. If the condition of the record is unplayable, there's a good chance they won't bother to sell it at all. Compare this to some places in Chicago I've been to, where they have original presses of Pharoah Sanders records that have been scratched to hell and back, so you look at the $8 price tag and think that g-d himself is giving you a very pleasurable reach-around.
I went out of my way to write this review because I appreciated Encore too late. Now I'm shuffling through record stores that either have nothing worth looking at, or have records so expensive that you need to pay to take a look at it. On the rare occasion that I do stop by Ann Arbor these days, my friends in the area know what's up: give me a few hours to spend at Encore. If you're a lover of a vinyl and a transient in the area (perhaps a student), I'd suggest you spend those extra few hours with Encore before you're gone. read more
