For the serious music collector, a quality mom-and-pop record store is almost a kind of temple, a calm sanctuary where the patient and persistent seeker reaps the greater reward. Cheapo Records, on Central Square in Cambridge, is among those few places that sell long-playing records and even 45's.

Mr. Day is as much a fixture among local audiophiles as his store is. One half expects the owner to resemble Jack Black's character in "High Fidelity," kicking out customers for daring to buy records they aren't deemed worthy of. But Mr. Day is as affable as one could hope for in a place with such a collection, treating customers to anecdotes and h... See more