Unlike the other stores that I have covered so far, all of which no longer exist, Fantasyland is still open for business and operating quite successfully.
At this point in my record collecting timeline, we arrive at the period when I first discovered Fantasyland Records. Unlike the other stores that I have covered so far, all of which no longer exist, Fantasyland is still open for business and operating quite successfully.
Once inside, my mother discreetly let me know that the man behind the counter was Mr. Salle, the same gentleman who had sold her the hit records that she had listened to as a swinging teen.
In the summer of 1979, my mother, who lived out of state, came to visit my father and me. At some point she noticed my stereo and collection of records. She was planning to visit Lennox Mall during her stay and said, “I should take you to the place where I bought my records when I was your age.”
Although it was part of a small chain, Chapter 3 undeniably had the atmosphere of an independent store.
In the spring of 1979, a new record store entered into my record collecting universe. It was called Chapter 3 Records and was located in the new Cedar Ridge shopping center on Roswell Road, just north of the Dalrymple intersection in North Springs.
My hunt for records did not always take place in a record store.
My hunt for records did not always take place in a record store. Like most music collectors, I discovered other places that happened to sell records and tapes. Sometimes it might be a place that provides a one-time shopping opportunity like a garage sale or a monthly flea market. Then there are other places that a music collector can return to as many times as they choose, to see the latest merchandise that has been added to the inventory. This would be places like a Goodwill store or a used bookstore. One such place for me was Peachtree Quality Salvage #5 in Roswell.
Even though the stores were uniform in their fixtures, decor, advertising and product line, each Turtle’s store still somehow managed to have a little bit of its own personality.
My entry into the world of record collecting began as chain record stores were successfully expanding throughout the Atlanta area. The Philadelphia-based Franklin Music had arrived in 1971, opening in Perimeter Mall. In 1975, the California-based Peaches Records opened their first Atlanta store on Peachtree Street. 1976 saw the very first location of Oz Records open in Buckhead. However, none of those chains could claim the impressive success that Turtle’s Records & Tapes experienced in Atlanta’s music retail scene.
How Kiss and Coca-Cola bottles led me to discover my first independent record store.
When I reached the age of fourteen, I was beginning to purchase some full-length albums as well as the more budget-friendly 45’s. I had to do more planning and saving to purchase a full album, even more so if the album was a two-record set. The first of these double albums to appear on my wish list was a brand-new release from the band Kiss, “Kiss Alive II.”
Oz was a unique experience, and truly something special.
“If you like records, you’ve got to go to Oz!” That was the phrase that I began to hear from people when they heard of my record collecting aspirations.
Franklin Music was my first encounter with a full-line record store.
During the spring of 1977, I was 13, and my father had turned me loose in Perimeter Mall, with a time set to meet back up with him after he shopped in whatever store he was headed to. Somehow, I stumbled upon Franklin Music.
The roofs were built with giant, almost pyramid-like skylights in which you could look up to see the weather while you were shopping.
Richway in Roswell, Georgia was a central and important location in my early record universe. My Father shopped there, and it was fairly close to my school. They also had a well-stocked and interesting record department for someone who was new to the vinyl collecting hobby like me.
The idea that I could actually own the current hits that I was hearing on “American Top 40” was new to me.
I purchased my last model airplane kit the same day I purchased my first Rock 45. I was 13, and I was at the Sears store in Cumberland Mall. After paying for my new model plane, I had two dollars and some coins left over. I could have gone over to the wonderful Sears candy counter but before I made any decisions, I happened past the stereo and record department.
