For Milwaukee-ites: The Record Head Beast is Dead

[Retro Rogue]

Went by there a few weeks ago on a lark to see what they still had sitting around overpriced, and to my surprise almost the entire "retro" stock was down to just one rack of mixed system carts (all commons for 2600, 5200, INTV, and Colecovision). I mean all the overpriced dust covered (but shrinkwrapped) hardware was gone as well. With the exception of an NES cart section, everything appears to have moved to Genesis and later.

 

Asked the sales guy what happened and he said they weren't selling anything so they put everything together in ebay lots. I almost died laughing on the spot, but resisted the urge to throw back at him their excuse for being overpriced all this time: "Well, we'd rather sell one thing a year at this price than clear out of everything for a lower price."

 

Picked up INTV Pac-Man and 2600 Fantastic Voyage carts (no, these weren't shrinkwrapped). Did one final sweep and saw a CV turbo controller (with half of the original styrofoam, but shrinkwrapped!) shoved underneath a rack and marked down to $9.95. Remembering this being around $60 for a long long time, I picked it up. Upon approaching the checkout I hear one checkout guy say to the other "See, I told you it would sell if we marked it down." Resisting the urge to beat them both silly with a dipstick, I purchased it and left (luckily I made it out the door without being shrinkwrapped as well).

[marcfrick2112]

Went by there a few weeks ago on a lark to see what they still had sitting around overpriced, and to my surprise almost the entire "retro" stock was down to just one rack of mixed system carts (all commons for 2600, 5200, INTV, and Colecovision). I mean all the overpriced dust covered (but shrinkwrapped) hardware was gone as well. With the exception of an NES cart section, everything appears to have moved to Genesis and later.

 

Asked the sales guy what happened and he said they weren't selling anything so they put everything together in ebay lots. I almost died laughing on the spot, but resisted the urge to throw back at him their excuse for being overpriced all this time: "Well, we'd rather sell one thing a year at this price than clear out of everything for a lower price."

 

Picked up INTV Pac-Man and 2600 Fantastic Voyage carts (no, these weren't shrinkwrapped). Did one final sweep and saw a CV turbo controller (with half of the original styrofoam, but shrinkwrapped!) shoved underneath a rack and marked down to $9.95. Remembering this being around $60 for a long long time, I picked it up. Upon approaching the checkout I hear one checkout guy say to the other "See, I told you it would sell if we marked it down." Resisting the urge to beat them both silly with a dipstick, I purchased it and left (luckily I made it out the door without being shrinkwrapped as well).

 

Ah, so very sad really...I had a feeling that Record Head's retro stuff

was on the way out last time I was there. Funny thing is, they weren't

always so overpriced, the last year or two prices on the consoles went

up terribly. What did they want for a SNES? $70.00!!

 

I doubt I'll be buying any of thier EBay items....kinda bitter about it.

[8th lutz]

I had a bad feeling about Record head based on the last few time I went there. Record head Was great to my sms collection. My biggest gripe was they were way out of price when first went there in 1997. There were even more overpriced on 2600 games then. They had been of a rare stuff and was a gamers paradise before they mored in 2001.

[Retro Rogue]

Lutz - Probably even before that. Years ago (back when they were at their other location down the street) they basicly had everything in boxes in a room for people to pick through, no different than an east side record store. Then they got a "some guy" working for them that convinced them everything was worth a lot of money and the display cases and such suddenly appeared along with the high prices (it wasn't the last two years marc, it had been going on ever since then). For the longest time they had that B&C repro cart sitting in a case listed as a proto I remember. And just about everything that wasn't NES and later or was foreign, became rediculously over priced.

[jbanes]

For those of you unfamiliar with the place, take a trip to Chicago sometime, and visit Videogames, Etc.. They have stuff for just about every system in existence (including the systems themselves!) all at a reasonable price. You won't find too much rare stuff there, but they do better than all commons. Sean Kelly (the owner) apparently bought off a few warehouses of unsold games, so he's also got plenty of shrinkwrapped stuff.

 

While you're there, you can hit the Taco Burrito King next door for an excellent lunch. Just awesome food at an amazing price. (Assuming you like Tacos, Burritos, or Nachos.) Then you can either go back to Videogames, Etc. and spend some time PC Deathmatching in the back, or you can hit the nearby theaters and stuff. Nothing like making a fun day out of a trip to another city.

[8th lutz]

Thanks for giving me that info and explains how they got their prices like something you expect from toy trains from the 1950's and 60's except cheaper in most cases with the same idea in value due to age or rarity. They did have a good deal on Snow Bros. for nes in 1997 when It was $30.00 loose at the time. It cheap compared to a store called Video game exchange, as I think it was called. Video game Exchange had Snow Bros. for $90.00 at the time boxed and Tengren Tetris for $90.00 loose a in 1995. It think that was the spelling of the store before it closed in late 2004.

 

As far as Record Head, their sms games weren't cheap like having a boxed Phantasy star for $35.00 in 1999. Most of the sms was in the $15 to $30.00 range and was not foriegn for the most part. The loose sms cartridges were.

 

The last few times in the past in there, I saw them having an attitude for people who bought old games like for the 2600. They made a statement you should gradurate to a ps 2 for gaming.

[Retro Rogue]

I just stick to the thrifts now anyways. I have the few that I visit one the west and north sides and I've always had great luck.