Music in streetwear shops

[Kent Wang]

What do you think is the best kind of music for a streetwear shop? Upbeat is a must, heavy metal is probably not a good idea.

For some shops, music is an essential part of their image. Factory People in Austin, for example, has weekly DJ events.

 

[Aureus]

none.....

 

[Wade M]

Depends on the etho of the shop, and how they want to portray the clothing.....

Place where I get the Imperials from ooozes Hip Hop/Dub...it's that kind of shop...The places looks hip hop, sounds hip hop, stocks hip hop (they've had b-boy comps there).

--Wade

 

[Nick M]

I was in a streetwear-type store the other day, and I'm not overly knowledgeable about drum n' bass tracks, but one they were playing over the PA sounded kind of familiar to me.

Took me a minute or two to realize that it was a drum n' bass instrumental version of "My Favorite Things" from the Sound of Music.

I like any store music that is picked by the people that actually work in a place, as opposed to music that is mandated by corporate - I'd rather get an insight into the personalities of the salespeople than have my eardrums assaulted by some drivel that a district manager thinks will convince me to spend.

 

[Kent Wang]

My friend who was a manager at a Gap told me that they get their music from Muzak. I've always associated Muzak with slow, boring music but I guess they have upbeat dance music, too. Better than elevator music but still very corporate.

 

[Lysol]

just like the essence of streetwear itself, there shouldn't be any rules. it's best left up to the discretion of the employees working at the time. chances are if you're in your mid-20's and working a $10/hr job selling denim and tee's to japanese tourists, the one thing you have going for you is impeccible taste in music. the best stores are the ones that you walk in and the employee is slumped over the register, reading a book and listening to later-era bob dylan and the stooges. nothing turns me off more than when i walk into a store and am assaulted by some 19 year old girl wearing the store's latest stock and they have a live dj spinning dreck like bloc party remixes. it instantly makes me feel like a "target demographic."

 

[Kent Wang]

I have several friends that spin, mostly house parties, very few paying gigs. It seems like it would be good for the local music scene to ask local DJs for mixes. Many would jump at the chance and would be willing to do it for free in exchange for the exposure.

 

[Flame]

Originally Posted by Lysol

just like the essence of streetwear itself, there shouldn't be any rules. it's best left up to the discretion of the employees working at the time. chances are if you're in your mid-20's and working a $10/hr job selling denim and tee's to japanese tourists, the one thing you have going for you is impeccible taste in music. the best stores are the ones that you walk in and the employee is slumped over the register, reading a book and listening to later-era bob dylan and the stooges. nothing turns me off more than when i walk into a store and am assaulted by some 19 year old girl wearing the store's latest stock and they have a live dj spinning dreck like bloc party remixes. it instantly makes me feel like a "target demographic."
hear, hear!

Shops where employees look like they actually know what they are selling are welcome breath of fresh air. Nothing worse that some salegirl "Oh you should buy that, it looks good and my b/f has it too!"

 

[weirdnjfan1]

I spend a lot of time in Red Bank, NJ and there's a couple of stores that sell not really street wear, but current fashion. The first is a Saks style department store called Garmany. The people who work there are all about classical music and wouldn't really know anything about the jeans they sell in the Saloon. The other one is called Nirvana. I guess that this store would be more of hipster clothing spot than a street wear store. I like the store becasue of the fact that it carries some decent clothing, including brands like Earnest Sewn and various other big name denim makers (no Nudie yet). The one thing that I don't like is that they play crappy techno or crappy mainstream alt. I would shop there if I had the money, but the music would drive me in sane.