I understand that attitude intimately and, in the past, I would reluctantly share information of certain stores but usually keep another couple up my sleeve, just to "protect" my secrets. But as I've become a patron at these stores more and more, I realize that secrecy might help me, but it's not doing the stores any big favors. Mega-giants like Tower and even an independent like Amoeba can afford to blow thousands of dollars on marketing and promotion, thereby guaranteeing to attract a flood of costumers, all too willing to drop money into their needy coffers.
But for the smaller, specialty shops, they can't take out full-page ads in the local weekly - they depend on word of mouth for their patrons. And if we - as the music aficiandos who benefit from these stores - can't help spread the gospel, then we're not doing anyone any favors. We might be able to get all we can out of a particular store but once it's dried up and there's no new customers, watch the store go bye-bye. And who does that help?
So, in the interests of opening up this crazy game of crate diggin' to a larger audience, at least in my corner of the world, I've prepared a list of stores to shop at for those in or coming to the our beautiful Bay Area.
To those who think I'm blowing up your spot, my sincerest apologies. But in the long run, I think everybody wins.
--Oliver aka DJ O-Dub