More Wattage For Yo Yos

Much-Missed Athens Record Shop Finds Elbow Room In The ATL

originally published July 18, 2007

I'm a record geek, always have been. Although the Internet and MP3s have cold-bloodedly murdered the aesthetics of my passion, I still live for the dying art of Going To A Record Store. Whenever I watch High Fidelity for the [insert large number]th time, I feel mixed emotions: a small measure of grief for the neighborhood haven, the true indie record shop; nostalgia; fear that I am becoming a blend of all the film's male characters (except Tim Robbins - yuck).

Having lived in Atlanta my entire life, I'm a foreigner every time I'm in Athens. But on my frequent visits, I always visit the record stores, because frankly, unless you're a vinyl junkie (a vice I proudly eschew), the shops in Atlanta could never hold a candle to SchoolKids, Wuxtry or Low Yo Yo Stuff; the ATL Wuxtry here lost its way long ago.

So forgive me if I break out a little "nah-nah-nah-nah-boo-boo." I can't help but benefit from your loss.

Low Yo Yo Stuff no longer carries on its quiet eccentric life abutting the fabulous 40 Watt. The record store lived there for years, typically opening its door to correspond with concerts and often closing only after the sweaty indie kids flushed out into the Athens early morning. Though severely hindered by space restraints, the shop always had something you couldn't find anywhere else, on occasion even trumping the mighty World Wide Web.

---

But last April, that little door closed for good as Low Yo Yo slipped ninja-like out of town. A few weeks ago, I realized I still hadn't visited the new location. Due to the above lament for Atlanta's record stores, I've been jaded in the last couple of years, but I must share the blame because my tastes have grown increasingly "obscure." In other words, I'm way too cool. There's nothing like browsing racks of CDs when you never know what you'll find, so I finally motivated myself to drive the 18 miles up to Chamblee. Yes, glamorous Chamblee! I was initially shocked that the move wasn't made to East Atlanta or some other trendy neighborhood close to hipster haven MJQ. Chamblee is half-suburbs, half-industrial wasteland, and the latter half is evoked more strongly when one sees the charmingly slummy tiny strip mall in which Low Yo Yo is now situated. The nearest thing to a record store in the immediate area is probably the rack of cassettes at the QuikTrip down the street.

It's all smiles inside, however. Owner Todd Ploharski is even more a bundle of energy than he was on the other end of 316. And seriously, you really could yo-yo inside now. The previous incarnation of Low Yo Yo demanded that you orchestrate an awkward choreography just to get from the H section to the Ks or pull out a shockingly long file-cabinet door to look at German experimental music while causing a traffic pileup. Nestled in this quiet fringe of the city, however, the store now has ample space in which to breathe. Todd, partner Jeramy Lamanno, and I chatted for a short while I browsed and tried to pay attention.

"The No. 1 and most obvious reason we moved was space," says Ploharski. "The difficulty of just moving around in the store kept a lot of people from bothering to come in. Here you can walk in and see everything." Another major plus for the new location is the simple availability of Low Yo Yo's considerable stock. "In Athens, we just couldn't keep everything in the store. A lot of our records were sold in the consignment shop around the corner, but a huge amount had to be kept at home. It was really frustrating when someone would come in and ask if we had something, and I'd have to say, 'Yes… but it's not here.'"

---

A further significant difference between the two shops are the business hours. In Athens, "we'd open whenever and stay open until two in the morning," says Lamanno. "We had no regular schedule, which was definitely not good for business." The Chamblee location operates more like a warehouse or antique shop, with the doors officially open Friday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. and closed the remainder of the week. Those wishing to scour the shelves otherwise may make appointments by phone. The outlet similarity enables Ploharski to deal with overseas importers and thus stock particularly geeky items. But make no mistake: Low Yo Yo Stuff adamantly caters to all music lovers. Virtually every genre is amply represented. The hip-hop section alone is bursting, and it's only one corner of the store. Like Wax n' Facts in Little 5 Points, the ratio of vinyl to CD certainly favors the former, but Low Yo Yo features far more discs than your usual haunt.

"The clientele here is far less pretentious and seem to be more just music lovers," Ploharski says. "In Athens, hipsters would come in and ask for things they knew we couldn't have, like out-of-print industrial cassettes from the late '80s. There was also an enormous amount of theft there. But that's just life in a college town." To say Ploharski is relieved and optimistic to start anew in calmer environs is an understatement. It's the kind of place that will thrive on word of mouth and record geeks, no matter how much of an effort is made to appeal to the general public. The hours are minimal, the rent cheap, and there hasn't yet been an official grand opening, although it is imminent.

---

If you avidly love music, these are kindred spirits. In the end, it's the sheer joy of tracing your finger along the spines of records that matters. No matter your tastes, Ploharski and Lamanno aim to provide something for you. And if you're headed to Atlanta for a weekend or just for a show, it's right on your way. Directions from Athens are available on the store's MySpace page.

It will never be the same not being attached to the 40 Watt, but Low Yo Yo brought a little wattage down Highway 316, making Atlanta a little brighter.

Michael Wehunt

Low Yo Yo Stuff Records is located at 3854 N. Peachtree Rd in Atlanta. The store is online at www.lowyoyostuff.com and www.myspace.com/lowyoyostuff.