Anyone who knows me will recognize my Frank Frazetta, AC/DC back patch. For the past nine years, it's my most worn and valued possession and I got it at Luke's Record Exchange in Pawtucket. The ram-shackled store was filled with original goodies like pins, patches, tees, and of course records and for years I have been meaning to make my way back there.
When I heard from my friend Luke (not related to the store) that it had closed, I thought I had missed my chance and the chance to tell you all about it. But, old Luke and his musty store have been standing for 29 years, and after a brief try at becoming an online business only, he missed the shop and for the past five weeks has been moving all the stuff back in. That's the good news.
The bad news is that that old adage is true “you can never go home again”, too much changes and while some changes I can live with, like Luke cutting off his long hair, which he told us was done for his daughter's wedding the other change was heart sickening. He had sold all his vintage back patches on ebay! Oh sadness. Visions of walking out with a Judas Priest or Accept patch faded.
But at least the store was still standing, and while the place is a bit chaotic while they resettle, we did, after lots of digging, manage to find the heavy metal shelf and walked out with some exquisite album art, a heaping hand full of buttons including this beautiful Megadeath one, and a Motley Crue bandanna that I hope Jim will take to wearing at dinner time like he did a red bandanna as a kid “David Foster Wallace style”?because his dad couldn't stand his hair in his eyes.
I also got a couple Kris Kristofferson records for less than 2 dollars each and Coal Miner's Daughter. I think this place is still a gold mine for record collectors, and it seemed like he had quite a collection particularly of old blues stuff. Luke's working on building back up his collections and will take advice, questions, requests, or ideas from you, just contact him at his website.
Now, as for that other great oldie, the vintage denim warehouse that we used to go to in Pawtucket – I had no luck on my last visit finding it but I am determined to go there again if it still exists and, of course, I will keep you updated and informed.
But what do you think?