One of the great small, independently-owned record/CD stores in Seattle - you'll find an unbelievable selection of real treasures for such a small location. There are a number of reasons for this:
One great dynamic of this store is their customers - people who actively participate in, and support the real live music scene. While there is no anti-pop snobbery here, it's not uncommon to meet both casual parents or gift buyers as well as collectors there with thousands of titles in their own library of music. I've met collectors of world music, classic rock, jazz, local-music scene, music historians, academics, music-reviewers, editors and quite a few musicians of varying celebrity browsing through the bins. This makes a huge difference in the quality of used music inventory - enthusiasts have eclectic taste and provide a regular supply of great trade-ins!
The nature of the small store is also such that strangers often find themselves in conversation with each other, talking about shared interests in music, while they search for things they haven't heard.
It's a great place to be a customer, as of course you can listen to stuff before you buy it, but you can find well organized selection of stuff you have never heard of, and the owners will certainly help you hunt down hard to find selections. The nature of their customers makes it possible to network your way into finding a particularly rare recording or release.
While I've found most of Seattle's other independent music stores are staffed primarily with kids who have a prejudice toward new, hip music and pop culture - at the Landing you'll find a more relaxed, open-minded environment that welcomes toddlers, teens, parents and grandparents equally.
Disclaimer - I used to moonlight here back in 1994, before the current owners bought this cool little store on Roosevelt and 64th by Whole Foods. Today, I am still a regular customer. So, if you still like to touch your music before you buy it, and have something to show for your purchase other than a playlist, stop by The Landing and check it out!
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