The "Stan's Record Bar: A Music Icon" Story

Stan' Record Bar

It was an ordinary day.  Leaving Stan's Record Bar in downtown Lancaster, PA.  Haven't been to this really cool record store since the mid-60s.  Used to make a monthly stop during the late 50s to mid-60s to see what new vinyl records he may have that I could add to my collection.  Didn't have much money to spend, since I was in high school and later college at the time, but it was just fun to see all the 45s and LP vinyl records that he had lining the walls of the narrow store at 48 North Prince St.  The downtown store was founded in 1953 when Andy Kerner opened the record store.  He operated the store until 1955 when he sold it to Stan Selfon.  Stan was a band leader who eventually tired of the grind of constant touring and decided to give the record store a try.  He ran Stan's Record Bar until 1980 when he sold it to the current owner, Mark Glessner.  

Lancaster's own Crystalaires

 I can still remember back in 1959 when a local group, "The Crystalaires" were in an auto accident while returning from a show and most in the group were killed.  Stan released a version of a song that they were going to record for King Records a year later and had it for sale at his store.  He was trying to raise money for the families of the group who had died.  For the last 33 years Mark has run the store that offers classic 45 vinyl records of just about any artist who ever recorded a song on vinyl.  He has thousands of vinyls and 

LPs as well as a selection of cassette tapes and CDs.  If you can't find what you're after at Stan's, you probably didn't look in the right pile of vinyls.  As for me, I checked to see if Mark had "Green Stamps" by the T-Birds, but couldn't locate it.  It was this 45 that led me to sell my collection many years ago.  A good friend saw that I had the tune and after looking at my collection of a couple of hundred 45s, offered to buy the entire collection from me.  Needed the money at the time so I sold it to him.  Often wonder what would have happened if I hadn't sold the collection.  Probably would be one more thing that my kids would have to get rid of when I checked-out.  Today when I entered the store I saw Mark on the phone and walked his way.  Wasn't sure who he was so I asked him, "Are you Stan?"  Hadn't seen Stan for many years and wasn't sure if I would remember what he looked like if I saw him again.  He replied, "I can be Stan if you want!"  We talked for some time about the record business and I learned that there are approximately 75,000 new releases every year with about 3,000-5,000 being vinyl pressings.  

Mark checking out a selection from his racks of 45s.

Over the last few years the sale of music, such as CDs, vinyl, etc. has decreased about 75%.  Reason: people stealing the music from websites.  But, the quality of the pilfered songs doesn't compare to the recorded original.  On a scale of 1-10 with the top quality being the #10, artists recording on vinyl yields a #10, artists recording on a CD yields a #4 1/2, while stolen songs yield a quality of #3.  You may have a free recording, but it may be hard to listen to it.  Stop in some time and visit with Mark at Stan's and you'll probably find something that you just must have.  I know I did.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.