Co-Op Tapes & Records
Anyone recognize this? I was told many years ago that it was just laying on the sidewalk. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now, but it sure looks cool in my workshop!
Anyone recognize this? I was told many years ago that it was just laying on the sidewalk. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now, but it sure looks cool in my workshop!
February 22nd, 2006 at 9:55 pm
First “Love Over Gold” makes your essential albums list, then you have this Co-Op sign. Truly I must bow in respect and solidarity.
I spent many early days of MTV walking around the shop at Main & Bourland or scrounging posters from the help at the store on North University. I was young and innocent and had no idea what those things were in the glass case at the counter.
Greatest record store ever, or at least my sentimental favorite. Close second: Record Service on Green Street in Champaign, Urbana.
m.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:00 am
Sentimental favorites for central illinois:
The original co-op on Main street
Record Swap in Champaign
Mother Murphys, Normal
February 23rd, 2006 at 5:41 pm
Very cool.
February 23rd, 2006 at 5:45 pm
You know what would be even more odd about this photo if it was taken at my house? That I would have a drill press, not the Co-Op sign.
February 27th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
I’d forgotten all about Co-op.
I do remember the day I was driving around Peoria and saw a sign in a window that should have said “RECORDS AND TAPES,” but the T had fallen off, and I was just in the right mood that it really struck me as funny.
March 1st, 2006 at 12:35 am
Speaking of cool signs being found, at my old place I had that sign for the Jackpot drawing at Thompsons. I want to say it was Rollie Keith who spun the big plexiglass drum with all the names in it. The sign that was over the big tub used to hang above my doorway to the bathroom.
May 5th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Sure,I recognize it-I used to frequent all three “Co-op Tapes and Records” locations in Des Moines,Iowa several years ago.In fact,the chain was based in Illinois,probably out of Peoria.Yep,bought alot of cassettes and records from them-pretty cool shop!
Mick Polich
Polich Electronics
Alpharetta,GA.
January 11th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
i went to isu in the mid to late 70’s, so of course i remember co-op…but my fondest memories take me north to rockford and a couple different incarnations of co-op. Both managed by a hipster…or hippy named jim. my musical tastes grew out the cut out bins of those great shops. thanks to jim and his sidekick mark.
February 20th, 2007 at 2:27 am
I used to work for them, in Des Mones, from 1977 to 1980.
Dave Craft, of Ames,was regional manager. You can look him up.
We published a music newspaper–the Prairie Sun–and I interviewed bands like McGuinn Clark & Hillman for the publication!
I still have tons of inner bags on my LP’s that carry that logo!
Doug Jones
San Francisco
CA
March 26th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Doug Jones,
My name is Mick Polich,and freqeunted Peeples(all Des Moines locations) quite a bit back in the day,so I probably bought some records and cassettes from you. Are or were you a musician? Your name sounds familiar from the music circles ala central Iowa back in the late ” 70’s (and not just from working at Peeple’s).I started playing around town at that point in time. I foyu get a chance,my family just moved outside of Fort Worth,Texas;my e-mail is polich07@charter.net.
Thanks!
Mick Polich
January 23rd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Yeah, I sure do know that logo. I handpainted many signs like the one shown, back in the mid 1970s. At their height Co-op had about 35 (I think) stores, in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
Co-op Tapes and Records was based out of Peoria, the main store was on the corner of Sheridan and Main street. I also designed almost all the local concert posters from 1975-1981, for Springfield’s Len Trumper (Whatever Productions) and Peoria’s Jay Goldberg (Progressive Innovations)…
John McNally
johnmcnally55@hotmail.com
October 29th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
I remember Co op in Rockford as that’s where I spent much of my misbegotten youth. I used to hang around with Bob who was Jim’s assistant…when Jim was sober enough to have an assistant. Bob was high school buddies with Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick and that’s where I met Rick and many other fun artists like the Ramones. I worked at a hospital and when I got off from work at 2:30 I’d get a bite to eat and head to Co op and stay ’til closing. That was alot of fun!