Circa 1974, when in high school, I was putting together my first good stereo system. In those days, the classified ads in the back of the stereo magazines were full of audio wholesalers, with "low, low, prices!" So, I drove from Pennsylvania to northern New Jersey to buy my first receiver and turntable from one of these wholesalers. The store was in a seedy section of town, full of old run-down warehouses and abandoned storefronts. I found a parking spot about a block away and ran to the store (since I had a pocket full of cash). When I got to the store, the tiny windows were protected by steel bars, and the front door was armored. I rang the bell, and a slot in the door opened and I was greeted with a pair of eyeballs that let me in. Once inside, the guy asked me where I parked my car. When I told him, he joked "I hope it's still there when you leave!" I handed over my cash, got my equipment, and ran back to my car and drove away as fast as I could.
