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The Chicago Store, Tucson Arizona

Posts: 712 Threads: 24

I went to UA in the 70's and Tucson's The Chicago Store was one of the most incredible, and surely the strangest, music store I've been in.

You'd trip over something, and look to see it was a vintage Gretsch snare, next to it a stuffed gila monster and an old typewriter.

I remember looking at a set of probably 40's Radio Kings with a guy's address from Brooklyn N.Y. written on the inside. They wouldn't let you upstairs but one time I snuck up there and there were tons of drumsets just piled on top of each other. Completely dysfunctional and amazing.

I know it's still there and it's been a few weeks but I was wondering if anybody'd been there and could give me an update on what it's like.

thanx

[IMG]http://i415.photobucket.com/albums/pp231/kaaawa2000/cs.jpg[/IMG]

Their website

http://www.chicagomusicstore.com/

says "The web site is getting bigger, and the store is getting organized!"

bummer

Posted on 15 years ago
#1
Posts: 255 Threads: 45

Hey,

So glad I just happened to stumble on this post. I did a lot of deals there with old Joe in the late 80's and maybe into the 90's. That guy was a TRIP! What a haggler. :rolleyes:

They still had a virtual Armory of vintage stuff upstairs. We even conned him once into letting us do some straightening upstairs and I think he gave us a little credit in return. We were blown away by the stock that had built up for years! i currently am in Sierra Vista and plan to head over to the shop real soon actually! I'll send you an update when I do that. Jumping2

I didn't go to U of A but I've been going to Wildcat Football games for 10 yrs!

Soon to be a season ticket holder!

Currently working on a 7 piece virgin double bass 3 ply early 70's Ludwig kit to be wearing....MOD ORANGE.
Posted on 14 years ago
#2
Posts: 4715 Threads: 299

My wife is from Tucson, and I lived there for a few years in the 90s. My brother played in MuddShark. We used to do a lot of dealing there, and had a really good friend in the store. My brothers name was Dan, he died just over 10 years ago. He was also a drummer. We used to get upstairs quite often and man, if I knew then what I know now....it was always so stuffy and utterly overwhelming up there, but it was so cool to see some of the kits he had hidden away...Chicago Store..what a place.

"Ignorance may be overcome through education. Stupidity, however, is a lifelong endeavor." So, educate me, I don't likes bein' ignant...
"I enjoy restoring 60s Japanese "stencil" drums...I can actually afford them..."I rescue the worst of the old valueless drums for disadvantaged Children and gladly accept donations of parts, pieces and orphans, No cockroaches, please...
http://www.youtube.com/user/karstenboy
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coffee...16613138379603
Posted on 14 years ago
#3
Posts: 712 Threads: 24

It's funny but everyone seems to have had the same experience there - vintage drums thrown in heaps with a stuffed gila monster on top of that. There's a scene in the 70's movie "Alice's Restaurant", which was filmed in Tucson, where they go to the Chicago Store. I remember laughing because they just show a sales counter and everything is completely tidy!

One time I was waiting in line in a Greek take out, remembered I had no cash, and Joe cashed a check I wrote to him right there so I could eat!

It was for sure the coolest music store I've ever been in. Harry's Music in Honolulu is fun too.

Here's the Chicago Store's website, they have a few stores now: http://www.chicagomusicstore.com/

A bit of bad news though, on the website it states:

"The web site is getting bigger, and the store is getting organized! :mad:"

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Posted on 14 years ago
#4
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