Moodies Record and Tape

I had heard about this record store and was excited to check out their unique selection of reggae music, how we I ended up being quite disappointed. The store itself is small, maybe 300 sq feet? The records occupy a small part of this real estate in the back. They are not displayed well. Everything is either on the floor, not in crates, just stacked. –In some cases they are even stacked horizontally, which can cause warping. The rest of the records are affixed to the walls in small baskets, and are packed too tightly to properly thumb through. The store is quite dirty. While I do not expect record stores to be the cleanest places to shop, I had to wash my hands several times, simply because my hands were getting so dirty touching the records, I was making records filthy when I would pull them out of sleeves.
Kudos to them for having a restroom in the store though, it made it easy to keep washing my hands.
There is no listening station in the shop. There is a big turntable hooked up to the store’s sound system, and they will play a record for you on it if you ask. There was one employee who was very nice about moving records around so I could peruse, and would answer questions. He is the one who tried to play the record for me on their turntable. However, I do not think he had much experience with something like that as I told him it was playing on the wrong speed (obviously), and had to keep telling him until finally he said he didn’t know how to change the speed and would have to have someone else adjust it. Also during this time, another employee kept playing something off YouTube on the store’s sound system the entire time, making it difficult to really listen for quality on the record playing simultaneously, in the first place.
I ended up deciding to purchase 2 records but they were unmarked with prices. The guy at the register said he couldn’t cash me out and I would have to wait for the owner, who he tried to flag by the door. However, the owner looked at me, and went outside. I was told I would have to wait for him to come back. At that point, I thought that behavior was rude enough not to purchase anything at all, but I had made the long trek to the Bronx and decided to wait.
He (the owner) came back a few minutes later, and told me one record would be $ 25 dollars and the other would be $ 10. Insanity, as both were used, missing inner sleeves, in filthy damaged outer sleeves and not in great condition (scratched). The $ 25 record they also had several copies of that were marked $ 13 and $ 18. I refused to pay $ 25 and they countered with $ 13. I offered the 2 for $ 20, as the second record I had seen for $ 3 – 5 previously at Human Head, Academy and A1. The owner refused the deal. I didn’t buy the second record. I’m not the only person shocked by the prices for their mediocre product. While browsing, several other customers came in, were shocked at prices and complained before leaving.
I’m not sure this store really understands their market, or has very viable business strategies. They had already downsized from a larger location and I can’t see this store, with its employee attitudes, lack of quality and uncompetitive pricing lasting much longer.
Not worth the trip, even if you live in the North Bronx.

Update — so apparently, they have moved (in Dec 2013) to 3777 White Plains Road @ E. 219^th St. — looking fwd to checking out the new location

There’s not many places in NYC where you can still buy reggae vinyl but Moodies is one of the last and ergo… best. I made a visit this past weekend. Took the 2 up to White Plains Rd in The Bronx to pay my respects after hearing a good word about the place. Shopping around the stacks and stacks of mostly repress 45s, LPs and CDs is a unique experience. The staff were very friendly. They asked me what I liked and started spinning record after record, playing a minute or two before moving on. I ended up walking out with a stack of 45s. The prices are competitive as well. I don’t live in NYC but if I did, I’d be spending a lot of $$ here.