High Fidelity Records – 141 Merrick Rd., Amityville, (Long Island) New York 11701
Open – Updated March 19, 2024
When I originally posted this article in May 2013, the store was located at 59b Merrick Rd., Amityville, (Long Island) New York 11701. Since then, I’ve happily been back a number of times. Always find good records reasonably priced.
As record stores are wont to do, High Fidelity has sinced moved down the road, to 141 Merrick Road. You’ll find pictures of the new location below. Bigger digs, still worthy of a visit.
Wanna go? You can find High Fidelity Records at its new location on our Record Stores Map.
Here is my original post, when the store was at its 59b Merrick Rd. address.
On the recommendation of a couple of well-informed fellows, I took a trip to the South Shore to visit High Fidelity Records. The trip was well worth it, as the store, opened in August 2005, is well-stocked with used and new vinyl of all genres. Prices were reasonable, and the staff friendly. Highly recommended for an excellent record shopping experience. It has a listening station so you can try before you buy.
As I’m interested at present in buying records that have come out in the last 20 years that was my focus – during my first visit I bought first presses of Neutral Milk Hotel’s In An Aeroplane Over the Sea, Yo La Tengo’s I Can Hear The Heart Beat As One, Alabama Shakes Boys & Girls, and the Strokes Room On Fire. Also got some old stuff, including a blues comp Copulatin Blues. I’ve been a number of times, and always found good records.
You’ll find some pictures of the store at its old 59b Merrick Rd. location below, as well as of Marc Sendik the owner/manager.
New location – 141 Merrick Rd.
At its new digs, High Fidelity continues to offer a wide variety of reasonably priced used records in many genres. Theres just more to dig, as the new space is bigger than the old. The store also features cassettes, for which demand is reportedly booming as well as new vinyl. Alas, the ‘Free Air Guitars’ signage didn’t make the new digs. Nor did the listening station, but the clerks were happy to play my used record so I could decide if I wanted to purchase it. (I did).
These are pictures of the High Fidelity Record’s present location at 141 Merrick Rd. The store had moved here by 2020 (when I took these pictures).
What the Press is Saying
A great article appeared on VM Music Rocks.com, titled An Interview with Marc Sendik of High Fidelity Records & CDs In it, Andrew Daly interviews Marc about his store, and the travels that led him to run it. From January 17, 2021.
And Greater Long Island.com had a feature on High Fidelity in its June 12, 2021 piece Take a Tour of All the Record Stores in Suffolk County describing the store and its offerings.
Cool Finds
As usual, on my latest trip happily bought a number of records. My two favorites were Les Calamites – A Bride Abattue and Bob Dylan’s Positively 4th Street (no not that rare one with the wrong song on the A side but still pretty rare).
Plucked from the New Arrivals bin, Les Calamites is why you go to record stores and hunt thru the stacks. No, not to find the rare one for a buck, but to find a new sound you wouldn’t have been exposed to if you didn’t do the dig.
Les Calamites were a French band from the 80s. This is their sole full length, not counting comps, singles or eps. The group was founded in Beaune, Côte-d’Or in the early 1980s, and featured Caroline Augier (bass, vocals), Isabelle Petit (guitar, vocals), Odile Repolt (guitar, vocals) and Mike Stephens (drums). Often compared to the Go-Gos, they mixed power pop, 60s girl group harmonies and mod garage, as evidenced by their cover of the Who’s The Kids are Alright. Their version is sped up, and properly adjusted for the gender of the singers. My favorite track on the album is Toutes les Nuits, which sounds most like the Go-Gos. But there are many other worthy songs to be found. Try Malhabile next.
