Double Decker Records in Allentown, PA

[erickelric]

Honestly I just enjoyed spending time with some of my favorite record weirdos. I was just along for the ride. Sorta like Nicholson in Easy Rider. First time I ever got high.

Last time I ever got high.

[hillside wrangler]

Making the trip on Saturday. This'll be my second time. The first time yielded some great finds, but I didn't have much dough to spend. I'm gonna give myself a few hours to browse, which'll leave another few for exploring town or hitting up some worthwhile spots on the way there/back from NYC (short detours are also OK). Bookstores, places to eat, cool things to look at, etc.? Jersey City and Hoboken look to be on (or near) the proscribed route, so I'm including those too.

I remember stopping at a cool little hot dog joint somewhere in the Lehigh Valley a couple years ago -- Yocco's? Is that place still around?

[nickg]

it might be in bethlehem, PA, but there is a diner owned by the cousin of celebrity magician chris angel where you can see many, many pictures of the famed illusionist. i believe the overall theme of the restaurant is chris angel and his magic. a must on any trip to the allentown area.

[davemartin]

Making the trip on Saturday. This'll be my second time. The first time yielded some great finds, but I didn't have much dough to spend. I'm gonna give myself a few hours to browse, which'll leave another few for exploring town or hitting up some worthwhile spots on the way there/back from NYC (short detours are also OK). Bookstores, places to eat, cool things to look at, etc.? Jersey City and Hoboken look to be on (or near) the proscribed route, so I'm including those too.

I remember stopping at a cool little hot dog joint somewhere in the Lehigh Valley a couple years ago -- Yocco's? Is that place still around?

Yocco's is still around, there are a bunch of them.  A big one on Route 100 just off of 78 (pretty far West as far as Allentown is concerned.)  A smaller one one on Route 29 and like three others (or more?).  I thought it was fine, but I don't know if anything could actually live up to their amazing Cannibal Hot Dog King billboards.  Did they ever make shirts with that image on it?  For my hot dog money I'd wait until the ride home and make a detour to Rutt's Hut in Clifton NJ.  Fucking weird and disgustingly good.

[hillside wrangler]

Good call on Rutt's, Dave! I'd forgotten about that place. Daniel D. and I hit up Rutt's 3 or 4 years ago during an afternoon of mutual post-Super Bowl convalescence (oof) and I made the rookie mistake of ordering a single "hot dog" at the register. The guy behind the counter smiled at me patiently until I corrected myself: "I mean... one ripper!" It was delicious and the yellow homemade relish stuff really killed. We ate inside at the standing counter, but discovered later that there's a taproom abutting the back of the establishment where one could order dogs through an adjoining window while having beers. May go this route next time!

[littledana]

a bunch of the baltimore nerds go up to DD (and the awesome nearby burrito joint) like once a month . celebratedsummer goes a lot, i used to when i had $$$. place is the best

[Joshua]

it might be in bethlehem, PA, but there is a diner owned by the cousin of celebrity magician chris angel where you can see many, many pictures of the famed illusionist. i believe the overall theme of the restaurant is chris angel and his magic. a must on any trip to the allentown area.

Yeah, that is Billy's Downtown Diner.  It's pretty decent, they have a burger called the mindfreak burger, I have always wanted to try it.

[Joshua]

Making the trip on Saturday. This'll be my second time. The first time yielded some great finds, but I didn't have much dough to spend. I'm gonna give myself a few hours to browse, which'll leave another few for exploring town or hitting up some worthwhile spots on the way there/back from NYC (short detours are also OK). Bookstores, places to eat, cool things to look at, etc.? Jersey City and Hoboken look to be on (or near) the proscribed route, so I'm including those too.

I remember stopping at a cool little hot dog joint somewhere in the Lehigh Valley a couple years ago -- Yocco's? Is that place still around?

Yocco's is still around, there are a bunch of them.  A big one on Route 100 just off of 78 (pretty far West as far as Allentown is concerned.)  A smaller one one on Route 29 and like three others (or more?).  I thought it was fine, but I don't know if anything could actually live up to their amazing Cannibal Hot Dog King billboards.  Did they ever make shirts with that image on it?  For my hot dog money I'd wait until the ride home and make a detour to Rutt's Hut in Clifton NJ.  Fucking weird and disgustingly good.

They do sell shirts of the cannibal hotdog, I have thought about purchasing one numerous times.

[davemartin]

Making the trip on Saturday. This'll be my second time. The first time yielded some great finds, but I didn't have much dough to spend. I'm gonna give myself a few hours to browse, which'll leave another few for exploring town or hitting up some worthwhile spots on the way there/back from NYC (short detours are also OK). Bookstores, places to eat, cool things to look at, etc.? Jersey City and Hoboken look to be on (or near) the proscribed route, so I'm including those too.

I remember stopping at a cool little hot dog joint somewhere in the Lehigh Valley a couple years ago -- Yocco's? Is that place still around?

Yocco's is still around, there are a bunch of them.  A big one on Route 100 just off of 78 (pretty far West as far as Allentown is concerned.)  A smaller one one on Route 29 and like three others (or more?).  I thought it was fine, but I don't know if anything could actually live up to their amazing Cannibal Hot Dog King billboards.  Did they ever make shirts with that image on it?  For my hot dog money I'd wait until the ride home and make a detour to Rutt's Hut in Clifton NJ.  Fucking weird and disgustingly good.

They do sell shirts of the cannibal hotdog, I have thought about purchasing one numerous times.

I've never seen them in the ones I have been in.  Gotta look again.

[DaveK]

I've been trying to find time to drive down to this store for a while. Now that I have an automobile this is absolutely going to happen.

I'm consistently impressed with their instagram posts - there, I said it. Seems like an endless stream of quality stuff.

[CollectorScum]

Great instagram feed and I respect that they won't mailorder anything posted there, but a friend of mine who went recently reports that the days of going in there and finding heavy records available are largely over because it all sells so much faster thanks to instagram.

I'd still go. Most of what I've bought there is sub-$10 singles anyway.

[erickelric]

I got an armful of cool shit that one time we went and I had like 20 bucks.

[hillside wrangler]

Great instagram feed and I respect that they won't mailorder anything posted there, but a friend of mine who went recently reports that the days of going in there and finding heavy records available are largely over because it all sells so much faster thanks to instagram.

I'd still go. Most of what I've bought there is sub-$10 singles anyway.

The singles game is tight, no doubt. I came away with a good handful, all 10 bux or less. Found two (two!) copies of the Christ Child LP for eight bones apiece -- so, an extra for myself, and one for a pal. Also picked out a nice cheap copy of Entwistle's Smash Your Head Against The Wall so now I can play "My Size" at my next DJ night 5 years from now. A nice discovery, not yet on my radar -- and unfortunately for me not in the stacks either -- was an elpee that one of the staff threw on while I browsed: Epitaph - Outside The Law which sounded a bit like early Scorps with plenty of double-axe "action" a la Thin Liz or ya know, whoever. It sounded perfect to these ears. Also: memorably eye-fucked a copy of Tied Down tacked up on the wall for a cool hundred. Hope to make a return trip this summer!

[I Am Not Marty Feldman]

Epitaph was a Chicago staple when I lived there.  Not horrible; not great.  Kinda like those HP Lovecraft recs.

[hillside wrangler]

Sounds like it's easy to find, then. Also picked up a copy of Froese's Aqua, which is great.