A few weeks ago, spent some time scouting out used CDs in Bellingham, something I haven't done in way too long. (Spent more money than I should have, which is probably why it's been a while...)
First stop, The Archives in Fairhaven, which has an 'eclectic mix' (or just random, depending on your point of view...). Picked up "Birth of the Cool" by Miles Davis (finally), the latest Wilco, a double-disc import of Al Green producer Willie Mitchell, a disc featuring "Children's Corner Suite" by Debussy, Beethoven's Third Symphony in a fine original-instrument recording, and the first India Arie disc for my wife.
Then on to Henderson's Books while my wife scavenged in Michael's Books. (Neither store has a website, though there is a Michael's Books site that had a big red warning banner.) My wife likes the ramshackle, funky nature of Michael's, but I prefer Henderson's because it's well-stocked, well-organized, and well-lit (do I sound like a geezer?)
Yes, Henderson's carries used CDs, but previously, they were in a locked cabinet and really hard to look at, but now that CDs appear to be losing their value (!), the cabinet is open for browsing.
Struck gold there -- found 3 John Renbourn imports!
His first & second LPs from the mid-60s, and "Faro Annie" from about 5 years later. The first is mostly guitar instrumentals, with a few rough vocals, more vocals on the second "Another Monday", and mostly vocals on "Faro Annie". I was never much of a fan of John's singing, probably because I always heard it in context with Bert Jansch in Pentangle, and I always preferred Bert's voice. But the John discs really opened my ears to what he was trying to put across, almost like 'chamber blues', very soft-spoken and subtle. We're all familiar with the British blooze singers that try to out-Ray-Charles each other, but John took the opposite approach, and now after hearing the CDs, I'm a big fan. Just because he performs from a different aspect of the blues doesn't mean his style is invalid, and I for one am glad I finally figured that out!
Also snagged the two-disc Time-Life bluegrass collection (great, basic classic bluegrass, and a bargain used; I used to buy Time-Life CDs for the library because they were good anthologies with fine liner notes, but they charged way too much -- this bluegrass collection only had 20 songs on 2 CDs -- could have fit almost 40 -- and new it would have been $24.95 or higher from Time-Life. Get it used if you can, otherwise, don't bother.) Also picked up a nice Strauss waltz collection, and some Vivaldi flute concertos.
Topped it off with pizza at Cicchitti's, a nice family run business that we've been going to since college. Heck, by now, the original owner's grandkids are working shifts there! It's East Coast style pizza, and sadly, consistency has been a problem lately, but when they're good, there's nobody better. Ciao!
