Memorable names

Last week I was in Stockholm, Sweden where I delivered the keynote at the Email Marketing Evolved event #eme2011 sponsored by my friends at Apsis.

As I was wondering through Gamla stan in the old town of Stockholm prior to my gig, I ran across this record store called Sound Pollution.

Love the name!!

I had to tweet the pic and post it on Facebook and G+. I was surprised at how many people jumped in to let us know of their favorite record store names. Here are some:

Steven Keith - Magnolia Thunderpussy in Columbus, OH

Shel Holtz and Doug Jackson - Licorice Pizza in Van Nuys, CA

Laura Bergells - Flat, Black, and Circular in East Lansing. MI

Joseph Kalinowski - Flipside Records in Hermitage, PA

David Curle and Tonia Ries - Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, MN

Michael Salerno - Nuggets in Boston, MA

Nathan Dube - Turn It Up in North Hampton MA

Memorable names

Isn't it interesting how these record store names are so memorable to people that they were compelled to talk about them based on my posting of a photo? Some of these stores closed down decades ago.

Yet so often when people name companies and products, they go for the boring and mundane.

Naming gives you an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Heck, that’s the reason why I use my middle name professionally – there are many thousands of David Scotts who turn up on Google search yet I am the only “David Meerman Scott” in the entire world.

We’d love to hear some more memorable record store names. Please leave in the comments. Especially looking for some from outside the USA.

Comments

[Ricardo (a.k.a. Ribeezie) Bueno]

I can't think of any awesome record store names David, but on the subject of naming things... Part of the reason I started out as "Ribeezie" instead of just Ricardo Bueno. It's different, young, hip, memorable (I think) - though tough to spell at times, heh.

[David Meerman Scott]

Ribeezie -- Awesome example! Yes, your name is certainly memorable. Thanks for jumping in.

[Norma R. Goldsmith]

There's a record store in Montreal called Phantasmagoria. It's a name that just rolls off the tongue.

[David Meerman Scott]

Thanks Norma! Awesome name!

[carolyn winter]

The ghost of Sam The Record Man still lives on Toronto's Yonge St. as far a i am concerned. I can't believe the store went out of business in 2001 and the store itself finally closed in 2007. Still expect to see it when I drive by.

It wasn't a great name but certainly one I will always remember. It makes me think that all aspects of the music industry runs on the very principle of resonance. We just resonate with our fav music stores.

Love the Sound Pollution pic!

Carolyn Winter

[John Pohl]

Dead-on as always, David. Your name is arguably the single most important attribute of your brand, and it's amazing how little thought seems to go into the naming process. Ironically, some of the least memorable, most boring brand names are for marketing agencies. That's why I named mine "14th Floor Solutions", and why my title is "Chief Elevator Operator." While not everyone likes those names, I can't tell you how many unsolicited compliments I've received on both. And if someone doesn't like those names, I probably wouldn't like them as a client anyway!

[Debra Helwig]

Two of my favorites - both around since the mid-70s - in Athens, GA, Wuxtry (http://www.wuxtry-records.com/), and in Atlanta, Wax n' Facts (http://www.waxnfacts.com/). Great stores, great names!

[David Meerman Scott]

Carolyn, John, & Debra - awesome names! Thanks!

[Aluminium kozijnen]

Sound Pollution is a very nice name and the shop lokes reallly cool!

[Chris Barry]

Those are great record store names and I wish I would have had them in the town where I grew up - which was Geneva, IL. - and record shopping was a transformative activity.

Geneva did have Music, Ltd. Great records but the name of the store was, well, uninspiring. I would make the trek to Aurora's Stereo Place because their collection was absolutely mind blowing but the name of the joint fell flat.

Then there was Elgin's Appletree Records, which invoked a spot of whimsy yet housed some of the best punk records this side of Chicago's Wax Trax circa 1980 - a truly inspired name for a record store if ever there was one.

[Jessica Davenport- Barnes]

What do you think of the name My Flunkie (Flunky) for a personal assistant or concierge service.