freebird records (1 Viewer)

[the departed]

okay,
so given the current state of things and the amount of threads on the topic, i thought id post something about freebird records.

i must first state my involvement and position in freebird records. i work and have worked there for the last 6 years but in the last few years i only work on sundays or at busy times like xmas or when other staff are on holidays.
also, this post is completely off my own back.

i have always wanted to give the shop a push/try new things but felt i couldnt as i wasnt in there myself enough to see my ideas through etc. but now i feel like something needs to be done/said. i cant dedicate too much time to the cause personally due to my working hours, but believe me when i say im dedicated to helping the scene as much as i can.


firstly, i am wondering what people's thoughts are on the shop?
i.e do some of you even realise that we have a store in the secret book and record store on wicklow st?
also, we have long since moved from eden quay and we now have a 2nd store on cope street where comet records used to be, but again people dont realise its freebird.

when im in there i tend not to see thumped folk too often. thats not a stab, but it leaves to question you guys as to what is lacking with us that maybe we could provide you?

between us and sound cellar we are the longest running independent shops in the country and the whole time it has been ran by the same dedicated guy.
a lot a changed over the last 25-30 years and to be honest he has done an amazing job to keep it going so long. however, the last 5 years has seen the industry go through some significant changes, and evidently its still quite turbulent. so, i feel that we, as a shop, need input from you guys as customers.

i personally would like to hear what you guys like and dont like about the shop. i would like to know what you think we should do to make you guys want to come in and buy records in our store. i will then present these thoughts to the boss and staff for consideration and i will push them as much as i can.

for instance, being a musician myself, i have particular interesting in stocking irish indy releases. we stock irish and independent releases but we only see people giving us stuff to sell very rarely. one of the things i would like to suggest is that we have a whole shelf dedicated to irish releases. but, then we'll need you guys to bring us in the records to sell etc..
i cant remember how many copies of the jimmy cake, crayonsmith, delorentos, jape, thingumajigsaw, etc etc etc i have sold just from playing the records instore, so its in both our interests that we push that.

i am also not trying to capitalise on road's closure as i feel they are leaving a gap that we cannot fill, but we can do our best to ease the blow. we are different in the sense that we are staffed by very people with very different tastes so its not as 'concentrated' as road. for example, our cope street store would sell a lot of dubstep and hiphop as the main guy down there is passionate about that. whereas, the wicklow street store would sell a lot of alternative and country releases for example.

so, is our 2nd vinyl priced too high?
do we have a decent selection of new music?
etc etc

also, please dont post about particular staff members. yes, ill admit that we had some difficult members of staff but please make than an issue.

and also please be aware that one of the reasons we are able to stay open is that we sell a lot of country etc and the big albums, dylan, beatles, waits etc so our stock will never quite compare to that of road etc. certain things you just gotta have.


i am also very interested in people's thoughts on having a website, in the same manner that road did as it is something the boss has been interested in, but wouldnt know where to start. so if its something i should address, please say so.


lastly, i am in work in the secret book and record store most sundays if anyone wants to pop in and have a chat or if anyone does have any personal issues then they can PM me at any time.

constructive criticism please.
thanks for reading.

G

 

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[Wobbler]

I like it. I think the Cope St shop is really well stocked. A bit cramped mind. Not sure what you can do about that.

I'll have a think about other stuff.

 

[Froog]

do you have any ragga jungle records circa 92 - 95?

 

[Cryptid]

okay...
G

Excellent. I was in the Secret Store on Sunday and I got the Animal Collective album. The one criticism I have of the place is that I couldn't find a section for local self-released records or zines. Possibly I didn't look hard enough.

I think the website is a great idea. Especially considering Road's is now kaput. I'd try to get this done as cheaply as posssible. This might be a good area for people to volunteer their skills if they wanted to.

Do you have or feel the need to have a standing order type facility? Do you think it would be useful for yourselves?

 

[the departed]

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[nlgbbbblth]

I haven't been in the Cope St shop yet but do go into the SBR premises.
The section that primarily interests me is second hand vinyl and like everywhere else in the city, I feel that it's priced too high.

I've no problem paying €20 for a record if that's what it's worth / book value but there's too many average / mediocre / common records at highish prices.

You should have a €1 - €2 - €3 box.

 

[the departed]

The one criticism I have of the place is that I couldn't find a section for local self-released records or zines. Possibly I didn't look hard enough.

yeah there is a section for indie releases but i want to make it more prominent and include all irish releases in the same section. and usually we have zines on the counter but we have got the new loserdom etc yet.

 

[BonsaiSuperstar]

I've no problem paying €20 for a record if that's what it's worth / book value but there's too many average / mediocre / common records at highish prices.

i agree here.

your second hand cd prices are fine though - mostly around 5 euro.

 

[Anthony]

Top of my head....

Cope st. store will always be Comet. Freebird needs to "own" the shop. Not sure how but you know what i mean. Go back to the original logo.

I haven't been in the Wicklow street shop since it became Freebird but I always liked it when it was Mero's. Huge potential for that place.

 

[the departed]

I've no problem paying €20 for a record if that's what it's worth / book value but there's too many average / mediocre / common records at highish prices.

You should have a €1 - €2 - €3 box.

i think this is a very important issue. the problem is that depending on who is marking the vinyl, to be honest sometimes it can be a bit of guess work so ill defo bring up the issue of vinyl prices as i believe some of it to be overpriced myself.

also, we tried to bargain box thing and we rarely sold anything and dont really have the space for it. i might suggest a bargain section however.

 

[Anthony]

I think there's a fine line between treating Irish stuff as a cute novelty (boxing it off in it's own section, tucked away) and treating it as just more good music that people should buy. Road managed this well.

 

[the departed]

Cope st. store will always be Comet. Freebird needs to "own" the shop. Not sure how but you know what i mean. Go back to the original logo.

I haven't been in the Wicklow street shop since it became Freebird but I always liked it when it was Mero's. Huge potential for that place.

you are BANG right there dude. problem is, and not knocking comet, but most people just walk by it without batting an eyelid as they think its just comet. and lets face it, comet wasnt the best.

also, on that note, comet may be reopening upstairs to sell purely cheap 2nd hand vinyl but dont quote me on that.


and yes, the secret book & record store could be great..
ideally we'd love to take control of the whole store but realistically the books are there to stay.

 

[Cryptid]

yeah there is a section for indie releases but i want to make it more prominent and include all irish releases in the same section. and usually we have zines on the counter but we have got the new loserdom etc yet.

So if I have something I would like each individual store in the Freebird Megacorp to stock, I would approach each one separately? Just clarifying.

Is there not a danger of scratches with 2nd hand vinyl? Do you notice the difference in quality with unopened?

 

[the departed]

I think there's a fine line between treating Irish stuff as a cute novelty (boxing it off in it's own section, tucked away) and treating it as just more good music that people should buy. Road managed this well.

again i think you are right anthony. at the minute, our irish section is comprised of very very very small releases and demos and what not.
for example, id put large mound under L, jimmy cake under J etc etc. because usually people come looking for those albums and we dont want to cheapen it.

and i also fully agree about road. i wish we could do the same(do little write-ups on the covers), but to be honest, id be the only person up to that. id be perfectly happy to do that.

in relation to that, i also thought itd be cool to do a mailing list that outlines certain releases, mainly irish as well as a gig guide.

 

[Dktr. Faustus]

i think this is a very important issue. the problem is that depending on who is marking the vinyl, to be honest sometimes it can be a bit of guess work so ill defo bring up the issue of vinyl prices as i believe some of it to be overpriced myself.

also, we tried to bargain box thing and we rarely sold anything and dont really have the space for it. i might suggest a bargain section however.

the cope st 2nd hand stuff pricing is really strange. seven inches that i've never seen over 1€ for over a fiver, a lot of records with easily twice the price that is usually asked for them in DUBLIN, never mind elsewhere/the internet. it's not just a select few records there, but a great portion. stuff for 30€ or something that's just standard shit.

 

[the departed]

So if I have something I would like each individual store in the Freebird Megacorp to stock, I would approach each one separately? Just clarifying.

Is there not a danger of scratches with 2nd hand vinyl? Do you notice the difference in quality with unopened?

well, id say for the minute just approach the wicklow street one as usually we take in copies there and send them to the other store.


and in regards vinyl, of course it can be marked. we try to have a very strict policy of only selling vinyl in good nick. if a record doesnt play, we take returns. and likewise, if theres something rare or good, we''ll put it out with 'slightly marked' written on it and sell it cheaper.
we also encourage customers to look at the vinyl before sale.

 

[the departed]

okay, so the 2nd hand pricing is an issue. i will certainly have this investigated.
cheers.

 

[Cryptid]

I think there's a fine line between treating Irish stuff as a cute novelty (boxing it off in it's own section, tucked away) and treating it as just more good music that people should buy. Road managed this well.

Definitely. I like the Citydiscs approach mentioned by JohnnyRaz on the other thread, where it is mixed in with the normal music.

 

[Anthony]

and yes, the secret book & record store could be great..
ideally we'd love to take control of the whole store but realistically the books are there to stay.

no way, the books add to the place. (I repeat I haven't even been there since FB took it over... also trying to support the local record shop in Navan as much as I can.)