Music Millennium — Local services in Portland

I have really mixed feelings about this store. The staff are hit or miss (they're mostly great, one or two pretentious morons too good to work in a record store). The prices are meh. The selection is just OK. The layout and website are where this place really falls apart. Honestly, the layout of the store is the biggest area where I dock points. Yes it is annoying being bothered by their staff because they're so worried people are going to steal, but that is not an accessibility issue.

Layout - I am an average sized person and the aisles are way too small. I often find myself asking, "How does a person in a wheelchair get around in here?" and the answer is likely, "You don't really." Whoever has designed this place has decided it is more important to stuff as much as they possibly can into the space without any consideration whatsoever for the comfort of the people browsing. Also worth noting, there's stairs with no ramps. Personally, I'd take a step back and rethink the design of the place, because there's definitely enough space to make it accessible and enjoyable to be in.

Website - I go on the website, look up an album, make sure "Local Stock Only" is selected, and (as far as I can tell they have the vinyl). I go to the store, look for Charlie Megira and there's nothing. OK, go to the desk, explain that the website says they have it and I am told, "Yeah, that doesn't really mean anything." This also applies to the selection bit above. Out of the 100 or so albums on my Discogs wishlist, they have maybe 10% (according to their website), and probably closer to 2-5% in the store.

Selection - The thing I love about going to the record store is finding those great $10 finds. For example, I was recently visiting Missoula, Montana and stopped into Ear Candy Music. I managed to leave that store with a huge stack of amazing records (way smaller selection, way better imo). Music Millennium does not feel like that kind of record store. It seems to be more focused on people who want a brand new copy of Dinosaur Jr or T. Swift, as opposed to someone looking for Japanese City Pop (they have a few albums), bands like Rudimentary Peni, etc. Maybe these are the shoppers of yesteryear, and from a business perspective MM is doing what makes sense. If that's the case, I can't really fault them for it, it just means I am not their target audience.

Anyway, here's the list of albums they had vs. did not have on my recent trip. (Side note: They may have had Lucinda Williams but I don't know where the hell they keep things. I looked everywhere in the country/folk section upstairs and didn't find it; after going up/down so many times trying to figure out where crap was at, I was done).

Here's the list of albums they had:

Kate Bush - The Dreaming (New only) Joanna Sternberg - Then I Try Some More (New only) The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (New only) Elliott Smith - Elliott Smith (New only)

And this is the list of albums they did not have:

Eddie Marcon = ゑでぃまぁこん* - Miira To Ka = ミイラと蚊 Raymond Scott - Three Willow Park: Electronic Music From Inner Space, 1961–1971 Broadcast - Tender Buttons Julee Cruise - Floating Into The Night Françoise Hardy - Françoise Hardy Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II Clinic - Fantasy Island Charlie Megira - Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow / Tomorrow's Gone Camera Obscura - Let's Get Out Of This Country Rudimentary Peni - Death Church The Antlers - Hospice Swans - Soundtracks For The Blind Adam Green - Friends of Mine Steph Green - Thanks For That Duff...

Unfortunately I am writing in a much angrier note today.I am very livid. My first experience here at your store was yesterday and to sum it up it was nothing short of wonderful. The selection was very wide, and I found more than copious amounts of music I enjoy. Today I decided to give it a second go due to the amount of enjoyment I had looking through the large collection of vinyls and collectible items. In total I've spent $287.91 on a total of 11 vinyls in the past two days. With more than clear intention to continue to spend more at your store. However today left me with an experience quite frustrating upon arriving to my home to get a listen at the treasures I've found. To shorten and make my frustrations much more concise; two of the vinyls I've purchased at what is considered to be full price of $30 and $36. I am frustrated due to the fact that the vinyls quality was so poor that my expensive record player's arm was practically jumping. My expensive needle is now slightly bent. Not to mention I reside across the bridge. It is a 30 minute trip for me when I would like to go to this store. I would've had a much different attitude over this transaction if I were given any indication that the vinyls being sold to me were bootlegs. I think this is poor business practice. Even though I am more than sure not all of the vinyls sold to me are fake; the credibility of this shop is now ruined with me and I will attempt to return all of them. I, personally as a small business owner cannot continue to support a business that operates under any single amount of dishonest/disreputable conditIons. I am a firm believer in good consumerism; I hope this review reaches someone in the idea of aiding this long-standing store...

It's wonderful to know that places like this still exist. I was helping my other in law clean out some things which included a large amount of old records, 45s, cds and more. In Los Angeles, where I currently reside, it's a whole big to-do to try and sell media like this and rarely do they take anything. So I wasn't sure if the effort would be worth it, but I was very pleasantly surprised!

Call ahead and make sure there is a buyer in-store that day before lugging all your stuff. The buyer on duty was very friendly and took care in assessing what I had brought. In the end I was able to walk away with almost $100 for my mother in law which leads me to really trust the store. Sure, you'd make (much) more if you took the time to sell everything yourself... but who has time for that??? I walked away feeling positive and not like I was getting hosed. Not only that, but I asked the buyer if the rest (that he didn't take) was goodwill material or if he had any suggestions, and he was honest with me and said to try Everyday Music, which I did and made another $7! So I really respect their honesty here.

While I waited, I wandered around the LARGE store and it's amazing what they have! Records, 45s, CDs, Dvds... even cassette tapes!!! They had some really rare stuff too. I almost walked away with a Beatles bootleg of Yellow Matter Custard, but this particular trip was about selling... not buying... But in the future, I know where to go! They had some pretty rare vinyl as well.

All around very fun and brought me back to a nostalgic time when you could go into a record store and really explore and find some gems. There's PLENTY to...