Used/cheap J-pop store in Los Angeles or San Francisco?

Ayumi27 · #1 24th June 2009, 09:13 PM

I'm leaving to Cali in a few weeks time and I wondered if there were stores there that sold new j-pop CD's at a moderate price, or second-hand if the price-tag was crazy, and in which neighbourhoods of LA or SFO are they?

Thanks in advance

emi♡ · #2 24th June 2009, 09:52 PM

uh, how far are you willing to drive?

Well, the one my friend always goes to in socal is the Book-Off here: http://www.bookoff.co.jp/en/info/kaigai03.html

He's had some good finds at that store...like the Hamasaki Republic Mag for 3.00 in New Condition. But I think it was more luck because he goes all the time and checks to see what they have.

In SF...i think there's only the Kinokuniya...and that's not cheap/used...It's in Japantown...but I haven't gone there yet.

You're gonna be in both LA and SF? That's quite a trip!

ll moments ll · #3 25th June 2009, 12:32 AM

i highly recommend BOOK-OFF as well.

i don't go to the Los Angeles one, but from my experience at the Costa Mesa/Orange County one, you should DEFINITELY go. it's very cheap for used CDs. i even got some new, un-opened ones for less than $10.

i've seen CD albums go as low as $3 (i got Hikki's "First Love" album for that price). and singles as low as $1.

RikkuChii · #4 25th June 2009, 12:32 AM

In SF, J-Pop stuff is too expensive.

In LA, I've heard of a store called Book-Off where J-Pop stuff's cheaper.

Oh! emiko pretty said the same thing I said.

Ayumi27 · #5 25th June 2009, 01:53 AM

Thanks so much guys! I'm definitely driving to any of those BOOK-OFF stores (even the San Diego one to get to know the city as well)... If not, I'll try SF's Japantown and spend some dollars

emi♡ · #6 25th June 2009, 02:00 AM

omg are you gonna be driving all over california?

You're crazy! lol Should be fun though

@moments: I knew there was another one in the area, but I couldn't remember where it was at. I think the Costa Mesa one might be better than the one in Gardena.

Ayumi27 · #7 25th June 2009, 02:19 AM

Yep, I'm crazy when its about travelling (I did Uruguay-Tahiti-Sydney-Beijing-San Francisco-Uruguay in 20 days). This time I'll land in Vegas, see some shows, then drive all the way to Yosemite, from then to SF, drive down to L.A., then San Diego & crossing the border to Baja California for a few days beach getaway, only stopping for sleep in L.V., S.F., L.A. & Mexico! I'll spend my whole paycheck in fuel alone

mcluva420 · #8 25th June 2009, 02:42 AM

Lols, SF chinatown has some, but they're sorta expensive like kinokuniya. There's a store that's on sale for like 20% off..
Go for kinokuniya if u don't mind spending a bunch xD

emi♡ · #9 25th June 2009, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayumi27

Yep, I'm crazy when its about travelling (I did Uruguay-Tahiti-Sydney-Beijing-San Francisco-Uruguay in 20 days). This time I'll land in Vegas, see some shows, then drive all the way to Yosemite, from then to SF, drive down to L.A., then San Diego & crossing the border to Baja California for a few days beach getaway, only stopping for sleep in L.V., S.F., L.A. & Mexico! I'll spend my whole paycheck in fuel alone

omg you ARE crazy!

LV - SF is about 8 hours...SF-LA is about 6-7 hours...then to SD another hour

lol well...at least you'll get to see our scenery! lol word of advice...if you want a nice beach scenery...drive down the coastline to LA...don't go through the central valley

unless you want to see 7 hours of grass and crops lol

Ayumi27 · #10 25th June 2009, 03:09 AM

Thanks for the advise! I tried the amazing coastline road (101 if i'm not wrong) but this time I gotta cross the boring-as-hell Route 5 if wanna arrive to Santa Monica by sunset

By the way... is there a wide variety of items in these stores? And what's the average price of an Ayu studio album, for example?

AND, are the SF stores WAY MORE expensive or just a few dollars more?

emi♡ · #11 25th June 2009, 03:20 AM

EW. I HATE Interstate 5 with such passion...

you could also try going down the 99...just take the 101 out from SF all the way to gilroy, and then take the 152 over to the 99 and go down from there. The 99 and the 5 merge together down when you get closer to LA.

It takes like half an hour more...but I dont know, when I'm traveling from here to the bay area, it's about 3 hours, I always take the 99 because I can not stand driving on the 5. It's SO BORING. And the 99 isn't THAT much better...but it goes through the cities.

Anyway...I think the Kinokuniya in SF sells them at regular price...I'm not sure about the ones in Chinatown, I haven't searched for CDs there since I was like 12 lol

RikkuChii · #12 25th June 2009, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ayumi27

By the way... is there a wide variety of items in these stores? And what's the average price of an Ayu studio album, for example?

AND, are the SF stores WAY MORE expensive or just a few dollars more?

Well, in SF the price for an album is $40+.

mcluva420 · #13 25th June 2009, 04:25 AM

^only for cd+DVD, I believe. cd-only is thirty some. singles..around 10 depending on cd-only or cd+DVD

Polyrhythm · #14 25th June 2009, 04:32 AM

Has anyone gone to the kinokuniya in little tokyo? Is it worth the trip? I'm planning to take a trip to either that one or the kinokuniya in Costa Mesa (close to bookoff)

ll moments ll · #15 25th June 2009, 04:54 AM

^ i've been to the Costa Mesa Kinokuniya and it's pretty neat. great for magazines/photobooks. there's also Mitsuwa Marketplace nearby.

Kino overprices their concert DVDs a lot though (i rather get those online). CDs are regularly priced for Japanese releases.

but yeah, you'll forget everything else after BOOK-OFF though. LOL.

RikkuChii · #16 27th June 2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcluva420

^only for cd+DVD, I believe. cd-only is thirty some. singles..around 10 depending on cd-only or cd+DVD

Oh right..I think it's like $35 for CD only.

mcluva420 · #17 27th June 2009, 10:22 AM

^i just checked..
CD+DVD is $49. _ _
and CD only is either $39 or $37. _ _ depending on stuff