It has been nearly two and a half years since I first visited Cheap Kiss records inside Cornerstone Books. I have been back at least once since to keep and eye on the bins. This time, I was there to buy books, not records. I had a bunch of gifts for an Christmas party and opted to get all my friends books. I ended up having trouble with the last one and could not find anything suitable for the host so I started looking at the vinyl as she is a vinyl collector also. I was becoming quickly reminded how crappy the selection is here and how overpriced it is. Then I struck gold and found a record I knew she would love (this has since been proven true). My work completed, I figured I’d glance around just in case I found something wild for myself.
I headed over to the ‘miscellaneous’ section because that is where the barbershop would be if they had any. And guess what – they did! I found not one but two vinyls, neither of which I have. I passed on the Suntones album, I currently have 5 of their 9 LPs, this would be six but I couldn’t live with the $8 price tag unless it was autographed which obviously it was not. But the real reason I was able to exercise such discretion is that I found a record I’d much rather have and for only $3! I wonder what the criteria for pricing these was – I could ask that same question about much of the inventory in general. A tiny address label on the Suntones record states that it was once owned by an “E. B. Rhea Jr.” of nearby Mt. Prospect. I assume both were that persons – glad to have one of their pieces in the collection (and I now only need one more Grandma’s Boys LP).
