Stores in Mongkok offer a vast variety of second-hand albums at half-price
WHERE can you get an original copy of Radiohead's Kid A for only $60? Or Japanese pop (J-pop) CDs like Glay's Glay Drive for roughly the same price?
Just name your favourite album and if you are lucky enough to find it, you can probably get it at half-price at the 10 second-hand CD shops in the basement of the notoriously crammed, messy but trendy Sino Centre in Mongkok.
Some of the shops have been running for more than 10 years. You can find almost all categories of music there, including Canto-pop, Western pop, rock, alternative, J-pop, jazz and classical.
The second-hand CDs often offer a snapshot of the latest pop trends among local teenagers.
Frequent customer Joe Ng Yue-yan, 17, says: 'I bought CDs of sentimental value, such as the first limited edition of some of my favourite Japanese albums. I bought most of my J-pop albums here because a new imported copy can cost about $200 elsewhere. Here I can get it for about $60.'
The fifth former had just bought a second-hand copy of Ryoko Hirosue's Private for $48.
Yue-yan says some of his friends also regularly visit the stores to find rare CDs, but most who like pop hits prefer to buy new copies because they 'do not lack pocket money'.
Western rock, alternative and classical music CDs make up the majority of the stocks at the stores. You can find many used but well-preserved copies of rare or all-time hit albums. Some regular customers call the stores a 'sacred place' for rock lovers.
Another young customer, Forrest Gum Chi-man, 19, says: 'I have been going to the stores for a long time. I have made friends with some of the shop owners. I come two or three times a week to hang out and look for things that I want.'
The seventh former and amateur guitarist had just purchased a copy of Head Over Heels Of The '50s, a collection featuring oldies by Elvis Presley and Danny & the Juniors, for only $28.
Not only can you buy CDs at the stores, but you can also sell them. If you have CDs in good condition that you want to get rid of, you can get money for them there. But you might get a cold reception if you try to sell your Aaron Kwok Fu-shing or Leon Lai Ming albums there.
'We welcome all Western rock, alternative, J-pop, classical and jazz. But please don't bother bringing poppy Canto stuff,' says shop owner George Au Chi-hong, 39.
'Hong Kong people are notorious for their short attention span. Even a smash hit will hardly survive one season. A hit local album will become completely worthless just a few months after its release.'
Mr Au told Young Post that classical and jazz CDs were worth the most because they were timeless and had lasting value.
The following is an unofficial list of best-selling singers/groups at the second-hand CD shops at Sino Centre:
1. Eminem $70 to $75
2. Nirvana (for example, Never Mind $70)
3. Marilyn Manson (for example, AntiChrist Superstar $70 to $75)
4. Radiohead (for example, The Bends/OK Computer $75)
5. Suede (for example, Dog Man Star $70)
6. Blur (for eaxmple, Blur $70)
7. Koji Tamaki $50 to $60
8. SMAP $50 to $60
9. Utada Hikaru $40 to $50
10. Ayumi Hamasaki $40 to $50
