VINYL COUNTDOWN: Rarities rule at Beautiful World Syndicate

Beautiful World Syndicate in Passyunk Square has all the essentials, but their strength lies in a collection of super rare LPs.

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VINYL COUNTDOWN: Rarities rule at Beautiful World Syndicate

POSTED: Friday, July 22, 2011, 12:00 PM

Beautiful World Syndicate (1619 E. Passyunk Ave.) has been serving P'yunkers with a high-quality vinyl selection for the last six years. Their collection of over 20,000 records covers their impressive space with new and used reggae, soul, jazz, soundtracks, world, folk, blues, rock and hip-hop releases. The albums are divided between new arrivals and their main stock, so regulars should have an easy time finding out what’s just come in. Additionally, they have a big collection of 45s to choose from and a plethora of DVDs, as well. Their strength probably lies in their rare LPs that sit behind the counter and along the walls. They’ve got some that are rare simply for being old, famous and in good condition — such as a mint Sgt. Pepper press — but they’ve also got very rare records that are almost impossible to find anywhere else, including a Perry Leopold Acid Folk record valued at $500.

The store has a great vibe, with multi-colored vinyls coating the walls and the prices for the non-collectibles are some of the lowest I’ve seen anywhere in the city. In addition, BWS has managed to supply two listening stations in the front of the store, a fading trend that shouldn’t be overlooked. As usual, I was told that all types of vinyl fans, from young hip kids to old jazz guys, are served at Beautiful World Syndicate and I believe it. Their selection is diverse and strong in all the main categories and it’s easy to see why they consider themselves a neighborhood favorite. Anybody who wants to bring home a wax record should pop into Beautiful World Syndicate.

(peter.chawaga@citypaper.net)

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