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New York City has more stores than anyone could physically tackle, but somehow we always keep returning to the usual suspects. To break out of the rut, we've asked some local shopping and fashion gurus to provide their hidden retail gems—those unique stores around our fantastic city that we might not all know about. Cue the Beatles: We're about to get a little help from our friends.
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Image via Yelp
The eldest of four siblings, Josh Madden worked behind the scenes with his brothers' band Good Charlotte, helping them style their shoots and music videos. From there, he developed a clothing line called MADE before becoming a DJ, but throughout his career, he's also styled campaigns for clients like Ben Sherman, Kangol, and Timberland. Here, Madden shows us his favorite record store on Thompson Street.
When I moved to New York almost ten years ago, my friend Toby from a band called H20 took me to Generation Records, and I felt like I was back home in DC. I've purchased a lot of t-shirts and DVDs there that I couldn't find anywhere else—shirts I had when I was young and lost to a lifestyle of travel. My favorite is a Youth Of Today hoodie I bought a couple of years ago.
It may seem odd to suggest a record store, but this is the best record store in the city. Upstairs there are records and DVDs of live performances and music documentaries you won't find anywhere. Downstairs hangs the biggest assortment of music t-shirts I've ever seen in one place. Why wear the same band t-shirt everyone else has? Generation has the entire dozen t-shirt designs your favorite band ever made. Tip: In the corner downstairs there is an incredible collection of huge posters like nothing you've ever seen, and they're cheap!· Josh Madden [Official Site]
· Generation Records [Official Site]
· All Shopping Confidential Posts [Racked NY]