Record Store Review - Kantar Cafe - Internet Service DVD CD Players - Nassau, Bahamas

The start of a new occaisional column today.  We spend so much time writing about the great bands and labels out there, how about some love for the record stores that keep the flame alive?   Despite decreasing sales and uncertain times, this column will shed light on some of the best purveyors of vinyl, CD's, merch from around the world.

And when we say around the world, we mean it!  Let's start with the Bahamas and Plague Rat's visit to Kantar Cafe.

Recently my spouse and I went on a music and comedy cruise to the Bahamas. It was an interesting trip to say the least. One stop was in Nassau, the capitol, so we took the opportunity to find the record store. After Disembarking the ship we started asking people we saw on the street. It didn’t take long to find, it was just a few blocks away. I realized pretty quickly that this store dealt strictly in bootlegs but, they had a good selection of decent stereo equipment and headphones. They had many c.d. compilations mostly dance hall and rock steady. Reggae d.v.d.’s, American films and adult were a few of the categories you could browse. We bought Rockers and Smile Orange.

At first the few people in Kantar Cafe seemed a little put off by us, especially when I started snapping pictures. After I had, I asked if it was o.k. and I was promptly told “no”. Before leaving we asked if there was a store on the island that sold vinyl records. The man behind the counter seemed confused a little when a little old lady piped up from her chair. “Oh no, that’s from the waaay past, from my time”.  A man tells us there is one on the other side of the island but unfortunately it was closed.
On the way back through customs we were picked for further investigation. As our bags were rifled through indiscriminately, we both cringed when they got to the d.v.d.’s. Were they contraband?  We both sighed relief when they were ignored and the officer moved on to the naked lady salt and pepper shakers we bought for our pet sitter.

If you are ever in Nassau I would suggest going to the The Kantar Cafe. They had the freshest reggae, and it’s just two blocks from the Dunkin Donuts.

--Plague Rat