Interesting news in Toronto recently.
The best punk/hardcore/garage/psych/crust record shop in town, Hits and Misses, has moved to 799 Queen Street West, right next to Rotate This! In addition, Frantic City (formerly on Ossington, a few blocks north of Queen Street West) has moved its vinyl to the storefront above the new Hits and Misses.
I dropped by this weekend to check out the new digs. The new Hits and Misses is very much like the old shop (i.e. narrow and long) but, from what I can tell, it’s generating a lot more foot traffic than the old store at Bloor/Ossington ever did, certainly on a Saturday afternoon. The storefront is undoubtedly more inviting and attractive, with a much better opportunity to set up a display of records in the window. For these reasons, I think it’s clear that the new location will be a well deserved boon for the proprietors.
I have to admit though, I’ll miss my regular weekly adventures travelling around the west end hitting up my favourite shops (Sonic Boom, Hits and Misses, Frantic City, Rotate and Criminal Records). I’ve settled into a comfortable groove of starting out at Criminal (I come in on the Queen street car from Leslieville), making my way along Queen West to Ossington, heading up to Bloor (stopping at Frantic City along the way), stopping in at Hits and Misses and then concluding my journey at Sonic Boom at Bathurst and Bloor. Apart from the record shopping, it makes for an enjoyable walkabout.
Alas, the consequences of convenience. At least I can take solace in the fact that Hits and Misses and Frantic City will expose some of the people in the neighbourhood to another world of music beyond Pitchfork-approved indie rock.
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