Seems I recall the Warehouse in the Orange County, CA area. Bought Bic Venturi speakers there in he 70's - unless my memory is totally shot. Just put them up for sale this week at $100 for the pair. (not on Audiogon) Puerto |
I bought my first-ever stereo there when I was 15 or 16 years old. Paid about $250, and owned it for almost 10 years until I hopped onto the audiophile bandwagon with a system that included my first set of Vandersteens (Model 1s that I still own today). |
And he is still at Sound Factor
|
I remembered my dad took me around to purchase his first CD player..The 2 stores I can remember are LEO's stereo and Federated...remember FRED? |
Is that weirdo Dr. Jack still around? I'll never forget walking into his store in the early 80's and he takes out the reviews and tells me what to buy without listening to it. I think his store is called the Sound Factor located in Southern California. |
In the LA area there used to Cal Stereo (and their fast talking radio ads with Tom Campbell) pushing low budget gear, Leo's Stereo (also low budget gear), Rogers Sound Labs (good mid fi), Paris Audio (Nak, KEF, B&K, etc), Dow Sound, Federated (with Shadoe Stevens as "Fred Rated").
Someone at Pacific Stereo tried "bait and switch" on me in the 70's. They had an advertised system with a Kenwood receiver that they were sold out of and he tried to push the "house brand" receiver in it's place saying "it had the same number of buttons on the front" as the Kenwood. No thanks. |
Pacific Stereo was a subsidary of CBS,Inc. in the late 70s,plans called for expansion, that never happen. Corporate environment at CBS then, just could not come to grips with a retail market. |
Warehouse Sound was in San Luis Obispo, CA and they had great prices and wonderfull service. Yes, I remember Pacific Stereo. What about DB Audio and The Sounding Board in Berkeley, CA? |
I've spent most of my life in Ohio, but I lived in LA for a couple years in the early 80's and remember Pacific Stereo too. It seems Californa had plenty to offer with mid fi gear and stereo equipment in general in the 70's and 80's. |
And chicken tasted better back then too! |
Yes, I remember Pacific Stereo. They had their own "house" brands like "Quadraflex" spks. Remember Henry's in downtown L.A? (Bought my Kenwood seperates there.) I loved reading the L.A. Times Sunday classified ads for stereo gear! Lots of little stereo places which were wonderful to visit. You've brought back a whole lot of memories! Bill. |
Now you folks lossened some old neurons. I purchased my Sansui 8080 from Pacific Stereo in the mid 70's. Played the daylights out of it until about five years ago. Now my daughter has it and is still jammin' in her apt. while she attends her 2nd year at Chico State. That behemoth is still rockin hard after 30 years. |
I lived in Michigan at the time and I remember there catalogue. Jesus, I'm getting old! |
Any Southern California people remember Pacific Stereo? Showing my age. |
Bdgregory: Yes, San Luis Obispo. I couldn't think of the city in California. I believe you're right, it was called Warehouse Sound. I really loved their assembled systems concept and components. It was the only store I knew of that carried such a variety of gear. It brings back memories. I could barely afford mid-fi in those days. |
I think you're referring to Warehouse Sound - they were in San Luis Obispo, Ca. They had great prices, and a better range of gear than some of the chain outlets (ie the Circuit Cities of the day). I bought my Infinity Monitor IIa speakers there - still have them today.
I agree with you - they were cool, and it's too bad someone like them doesn't exist today. Crutchfield is the closest I've seen to applying their business model, but they don't have the range of home audio Warehouse had - rather they emphasize car gear. |
That concept is still very much alive in Europe. I suppose it didn't hold up in the US market. Hard to say why.
Arthur |
