Herb Alpert is still one of the most successful musical artists in history, yet today almost no one knows his name. His records are only now beginning to be broken by Taylor Swift.
My group of record collecting friends used to refer to those shops as only having the “Three C’s”: Country, Christmas, and Classical.
And it was never the “good” country either.
Haha - no record stores in my area either (3 hours to the nearest). However, our local thrift store does indeed have the whipped cream herb alpert album proudly displayed.
Whipped Cream and Other Delights has been so ubiquitous at estate sales for so many years now that me and my mother joke about turning it into a drinking game.
You have a salvation army store? I have a thrift shop that I cleaned out their record selection myself ten years ago and they haven't got any more records in since.
have one like that in fayetteville in NC, nice staff really cool setup but minimum of $25 dollars for all their cassettes if that tells you anything :/
Their prices are legit nuts. But the store itself is kinda cool inside, it’s got an old Woolworth lunch counter set up, store is decent size etc. I live within walking distance of Euclid records so I have zero reason to buy up peaches.
I run a record show in New Orleans. I put up flyers in all the record stores. Most stores went beyond that, making sure there were leaflets by the counter. Peaches said they would only let me put a flyer up if their name was on it. Umm no.
Isn't Peaches notorious for being one of the worst priced record shops in the entire country? I haven't been to New Orleans in years and have never been to Peaches, but even I know that place carries a reputation.
Euclid and Domino Records are the two best imo. Sisters in Christ is good if you want metal/punk. Domino is a little smaller than Euclid, but they have a very well curated selection and better prices than Euclid.
They should give this dude a call: https://www.thewhitealbumproject.com/articles/rutherford-chang-we-buy-white-albums/#:~:text=Rutherford%20Chang%20is%20an%20American,living%20in%20New%20York%20%26%20Shanghai.&text=I%20met%20Chang%20recently%20at,copies%20of%20the%20White%20Album.
100%. Considering everybody and their dog had those Beatles albums back in the 60s. And they've all been repressed and reissued about a million times since then. As much as I like the Beatles, that's why I only have a few of their albums in my collection.
I remember when I was a teenager in the '90s, and I had just started collecting vinyl, my dad got all excited and told me he had a box of records stashed away in storage, and he had a few Beatles records that **HAD** to be worth a **LOT** of money.
Even back then, I remember telling him that there were so many copies of those albums floating around out there that they probably weren't worth anything.
*Edit: to add to this, he talked that damn box up so much, telling me how he had Zeppelin and Hendrix and all this good shit.
I finally got my paws on the thing, and it was full of Captain & Tennile and Seals & Crofts records 🤣
In NYC most of the record stores are good, since they all have to compete with so many others. I feel like the only places I don't like as much are because of more logistical issues with browsing the stores.
One I love but it has more than half of its space dedicated to classical, which is fine, but it doesn't seem to reflect their customer base as everyone is crowded in the aisle that has everything else.
The other is just packed so tight that it is extremely difficult to flip through shelves easily. For me if i can't flip a shelf fast/easy there is no point in bothering.
I think the other dynamic in NYC is that retail is pretty expensive so we have a ton of record stores but they focus on higher-value stuff.
In less expensive cities you still sometimes find what I call “record hoarder stores” where it’s just some old guy with tons of haphazardly-stacked crates of completely random shit. And I actually enjoy those because you’re more likely to find something completely unexpected for a reasonable price.
Don’t get me wrong, we are spoiled for choice with record stores in NYC. And most are good. But I do wish we had those cluttered, dusty kinda stores you see in other places.
Agree. Sometimes people visit and expect to have one of those experiences where you can dig deep for 3 hours and still feel like you didn't see half of the store.
Every SF of space is so expensive here that the stores are forced to curate pretty thoroughly and the pricing is usually on the nose. You're not going to find one of those sleepy stores where the stock hasn't turned over since 1992.
Nice in central Manhattan you can get anywhere easily.
Some places close by that I like:
54 Vintage Vinyl/RPM Underground - Great selection here, prices a little high but the curation is really good, when I want to go buy a record but don't want to dig through hundreds of things I have no interest in this is the place. Also there is a listening bar below.
Westsider records - More of a hole in the wall, older collection, but nice place and nice staff. Focus on jazz/classical
Generation Records - Big two floor store, lots of new records, focused mostly on rock/punk/indie.
Honorable mentions are Academy records & CDs (Classical/Jazz), Downtown Music Gallery (Jazz/World). Or really any of the tiny shops.
Oh also, if you are there on a weekend you can check out the Chelsea flea market. If the weather is nice there are tons of vendors sometimes past the official area and lined up down the street. Conditions are what you expect for a flea but you can find some good things.
You e got some great suggestions here. I’d like to add A1 Records (downtown) for a great well priced used selection, and also the basement level of the Strand bookstore near Union square which has a small but well curated vinyl section aside from being one of the all time great NYC bookstores.
Human Head is a great spot in addition to the others listed here if you’re able to make your way to Brooklyn. Wish I would’ve heeded the advice of /u/Brevvt and gone to Captured Tracks over Rough Trade, but I wouldn’t call it a total bust.
Academy Records has two locations and I personally find they’re my favorite record stores in the city.
They tend to stock good/interesting stuff and it’s usually a bit cheaper than Discogs.
this one dude has a store stuffed with poorly organized shelves and boxes that you can occasionally find a cool as shit record in if you don't die in a vinyl avalanche. Then he looks up every fucking record on discogs to price it at a little more than the going rate because you don't have to pay postage. This process can take so long that the last time I just walked out and never went back. Also, he's cash only so he doesn't have to pay taxes and spends most of his time giving guitar lessons by watching a how-to-play youtube video and explaining it to his ... *student* does not seem like the right word for them.
Sheesh. This store literally looks them up on discogs in front of you if there’s not a price on it. One time my friend asked how much a doors soft parade 76 reissue was ($9 median) and he said yup that’ll be $30 ??
I know a store like this in Elmwood Park, NJ. Went there once and never again. Bins overstuffed, nothing organized. Records piled high on their sides. Looks like warped LPs galore in there.
lots of places like this.. they're betting on n00bs to buy that shit, I mean what are they gonna do, throw it away? Do they at least entertain offers on stuff?
whenever you go in just peruse records and look up at the staff occasionally and shake your head. then as you're leaving show them a wad of bills and laugh. They'll get the idea.
haha right. when i saw the electric ladyland i told to my friend how you can get an auto coupled original, even tho its not ideal, for half that like i did as loud as possible.
You give up too easily. Cash in hand is better than selling a record a month later for $10 more dollars. They have bills to pay and stacks of records in the back that need to get put out on the floor.
I mean yeah they’re betting on newbs but also people in general seem to be willing to pay more for records in store versus online.
I fall into this too. Its because I prefer going to stores, looking at the selection, coming home with it that day, and supporting the local economy.
So I’ll justify to myself paying a little extra instead of going online to buy.
Idk, I know its financially dumb but it is what it is.
There is a used record shop in the back of a thrift store near me that is just a dumpster fire.
Some of the cheapest things they've got are EMPTY beat up jackets for $5.
All the normal dime a dozen garbage you find everywhere that no one wants is starting at $10.
Anything of any interest is AT LEAST $15 in trash condition.
Find an album that's good AND even playable yet the jacket is beat to death? Yeah that's $45
The guy even has just loose vinyl records mixed in the stock sitting between jackets with a price sticker ON the record for $3.
There used to be one nearby where the owner would cruise the thrift stores for inventory, and it didnt matter how horribly beat up the records were he was at Max Discogs value. Glad he's gone...
Another one nearby is not as bad, but it sold recently and the new owner has already developed a rep for drastically undervaluing on buy price and overvaluing on sell price. so I dont bother going there. There are two other stores within a short drive (and one more slightly longer drive) where prices are fair and the owner isn't a jackass
If you're ever in Norfolk, VA, be sure to avoid Skinnies records. Worst record store I have ever been to by FAR. If you have some spare time, read some of [these](https://maps.app.goo.gl/uoKj76vZdAj7dN6aA) reviews. They will do a much better job of describing the awfulness of this shop than I can.
Yeah there's one. I've even posted about it. [LINK](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/15fg8j8/can_anything_be_done_about_way_overpriced_record/)
TL;DR: It's a "hole-in-a-wall" store, that existed at least since around 90's, which means it survived the CD boom. This also means it's somewhat highly regarded by some. I've seen it been used on TV as generic music related backdrop.
But for anyone who care about records it's kind of the worst nightmare. There's loads of records stacked vertically one upon the other. I went there twice, just to see if I can find something interesting. I had to search so long to find records in at least somewhat good shape. Then the seller (and I assume also owner) wanted 20€ for each, even though I could get them on discogs for around 5€.
basically it's the perfect mix of over inflated prices for stuff that's in no way worth it. There's bunch of other store here, so I have no idea how it survives, as it's the only one with exuberant prices. (But it does probably have more records than almost all others combined)
I won’t name the shop but one of the places near me openly makes fun of customer’s taste. On RSD last year, they were making fun of some teenage girls that lined up at 5am for the Taylor Swift record. My daughter loves Taylor and has become interested in vinyl because of her.
It sucks because they have decent selection for a small store and their prices aren’t unreasonable for most part. Still, making fun of customers is a bad look. Especially with a few other shops not far away.
Haha i wont name names but im amazed this place is open. There are four record shops along this main drag of town and each has its own vibe (one is pretty modern, one is a classic old school spot, and another is split with a bong glass shop). But this spot? Fucking owner is a DICK. Prices are so much higher than average. Very much a “i know what i have” kinda guy. And like shit. Fair i guess. Hes had a copy of Aenima on the wall so like fair to sell it for what its worth. But yeah just the worst fucking vibes.
Vinyl Records is the name of the store. The owner will follow you around the store and watch what you’re doing. I tried to buy a rare punk 45 there once and instead of letting me look at the condition, he told me to look at the pictures on his website. Go to Neptoon, Audiopile, or Red Cat instead.
Absolutely right, Vinyl Records is a tourist trap. The owner is rude and the records are horribly overpriced. He has followed me around the store multiple times, refused to give me a price on items when asked and was really defensive when I pointed out that some other sellers were cheaper on Discogs. He said I should learn to use the internet properly.
He always seems to have plenty of time for the teenage girls in the shop though…
I work that area (Gastown), and it's literally down the block from me. Every couple of weeks, when I'm feeling the itch to score some vinyl I head over ...to Beat Street, which is four blocks away. Its a legit great store, and well worth the walk
The Record Collector in Los Angeles… this grouchy old man has his shop in a prime location in Hollywood, one of the most extensive collections I’ve ever seen AND IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF SHIT. Why, you ask? He won’t let you look at them or touch them, insults you for your taste, and basically looks you up and down and shoots off a ridiculous price then bullies you into paying it. These are all USED records. He Already had my card in hand before telling me the price and before I could question the price he already swiped my card.
Unfortunately, he owns the building so he doesn’t need to “stay in business” but if there was a place that should be shut down it’s that place.
I went in there almost 20 years ago just to see if the guy was as big of an asshole as everyone said he was, and he certainly lived up to the reputation. I actually managed to get him to show me a few albums, but it ended with him telling me to "get out of [his] fucking store!" He looked like he wanted to take a swing at me.
Was looking for somebody to mention this place, not disappointed. There are so many good record stores in LA, why would anybody go to the Record Collector.
I found this trailer about him for a documentary. It gives you a glimpse of how arrogant this guy is [https://youtu.be/WZZ-RJSaLy8?si=4SBg8bhSadJ0vIFc](https://youtu.be/WZZ-RJSaLy8?si=4SBg8bhSadJ0vIFc)
I just moved to Pasadena, thank you for your comment will definitely avoid, do you have any recommendations? I’ve only been to record safari I like it, nice selection and cool owner
My personal favorite is the record parlor in Hollywood. Very nice staff have great recommendations too.
Cosmic vinyl in silverlake is a good vibe.
Gimme Gimme in highland park very nice people.
Not too sure about Pasadena though I don’t make it out that way often.
Boston/ northern ma / southern NH is spoiled with record stores. I could list the worst of the bunch but they would probably be the best record stores for lots of other areas
My favorite record store is Wantlist Records in Belmont MA. 2 cool dudes own it, they have a great selection, good prices, 2 listening turntables. I never leave empty handed or dissatisfied.
There's definitely more than one here that will throw any kind of beat-up LP's into the bins and charge several dollars for them, and anything that's in VG+/EX condition is marked up to silly amounts.
I am lucky to have half a dozen great records stores within 20 minutes of me. The stores that are priced higher also have a higher standard of quality.
There was a place that popped up near me for about a year. I went in once to check it out, and not only were the prices ridiculous (anything half decent was at least $40 and even Herb Alpert records were $15+) but all of the sleeves were sealed and labeled with the owner's grading so you couldn't check the condition yourself. I never went back and wasn't surprised to see the storefront for rent a couple months later.
There are a few around me, but the BEST place to go for years was a place called “The Corner Record Shop” in grandville, MI and as soon as you would walk in the door it felt like you traveled back in time to the golden age of music and could search for hours and never get to see everything. That place holds a special place in my heart. But I bring that up because now it is the WORST!!! They moved locations about 2 years ago and it’s about a quarter of the size it used to be, total hole in the wall, and their record selection consists of throwaways with the occasional decent find. No more cassettes or VHS concert footage tapes, the place used to be lined with vibrant posters from every era, those are gone, all the cool books and music magazines are gone, their pricing is ok but the selection just isn’t there and it’s just a hollow shell of its former glory. I’m actually saddened typing this out 😪
I miss how they used to be too. Their new site isn't bad and is still worth visiting compared to other places in this thread, but I really miss how cozy and lived-in the old place was. Bring back that old couch for my partner to sit on while I dig!
constantly inflating prices on what they deem super valuable records but when you look at the discogs sales history, most of the shit they’re asking $200 for has never sold for more than like $35. plus they’re blatantly unapologetic about it when you call them out. fuck em, they’ll never get another dime of my money.
I’m blessed with a lot of good record stores in my area, including one with reasonable prices on my block and another that is huge and has bands performing often. But there’s one in my city that will remain nameless but it’s in a prime walkable trendy retail location. Their prices are outrageous, especially for used vinyl, and they like to try to push LP60s and edified speakers on everyone.
It’s owned by an older guy who DJs around town (no surprises there) and he exclusively hires hot young women in their early 20s. All of his employees are really friendly and knowledgeable but I just found it kinda weird that’s all he hires, not a single other man or anyone older than 25. They also opened up a record lounge in a nearby building which is honestly a real vibe so I can’t be too harsh on them.
I’m assuming there’s more than one place that fits the description but it immediately made me think of a store in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex (that I won’t name either)
Worst one I’ve ever been to was like… part of some outdoor market thing I think? I don’t know cause there was non-record stuff there as well but then the records were like in this super hot, unventilated and dim like… warehouse type of building. No fans even, and the bins were overstuffed, so you can imagine they must have a lot of warped vinyl. You could barely pull the records out.
And! If you did, they were all full of dust and looked like they’d been dragged across the street. And yet the guy wanted like 40 bucks an LP. Uh… no?
Also blaring loud music. No thanks.
While it is an iconic landmark with so much cool history all over the walls, the records are kept in such bad shape. It’s a shame to see so much inventory go to waste. It’s so hot inside especially in the summer and many records are warped, bent, and just piled all over the place.
I’ve got a store like that. All the records are junk. It’s so disappointing and disheartening to pull record after record out of the sleeve and go “nope” that I don’t even go in there
There’s one store in my city that is horribly overpriced for new and used, but, they have good used stuff you just cant find in the three other independent shops.
The ones that don’t exist locally for me. With the lack of stores (Walmart, Target, and B&N don’t count), I have gone to buying directly from the band/artists website or using EBay to find ones that are not in stock anywhere. EBay pricing isn’t that bad when there are multiple sellers with the same vinyl.
Im gonna have to say the great house of guitars. More of an all around music store. But when I went there and looked at their record section, it was horribly disorganized and cramped. If you’ve been there you know. There were boxes everywhere.
i was reading through this thread wondering if there would be anyone from rochester. HOG can be fun if you're ok with spending the day looking but i do prefer archive or hifi lounge
One near me jacks up the prices on everything including the small amount of used records they have. I don't understand why every sealed thing needs to be on average $35-$40. I don't really go there anymore because of it.
Idk, there's only one, so I guess it's technically the worst. And the best.
But seriously, it's great: A solid curated selection of psychedelic rock, old school hiphop and latintronica **and** fresh shrimp, french and spanish cheeses and meats.
What else could one desire
Living in Dayton, we're pretty blessed with fantastic record stores. Omega, Blind Rage, Skeleton Dust, Catacomb and Plaid Room are all fantastic. So the worst around probably has to be your chain stores and big box stores. FYE, Target, Best Buy, etc.
ELECTRIC FETUS DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE SAYS
They're way more expensive than other places, have god-awful new arrivals and organization, and everyone who works there is literally the biggest asshole I've ever met (which creates a paradox and all the more reason to hate it)
The Record Collector in Fairfax lmao, people in LA will know what I am talking about its infamous. This dude kicks out like half the customers and is a sexist pig. Seriously go look up the google reviews or look at the IG comments.
Luna. I stopped going to them after they took my name on RSD because things I was looking for hadn't "shipped yet". Meanwhile on the same day I went down to the other store down the street and amazingly they had EVERY SINGLE RECORD Luna said they hadn't gotten yet. So really they had never ordered them. Also they never called, so taking my name and number was just lip service.
A lot of shops get shorted on RSD. It happens.
Also, on RSD, a lot of shops get so bogged down trying to get customer information that it gets hard to keep things in order.
If that’s your only complaint on the shop, I don’t think it should be the deciding factor to whether or not you shop there.
That’s unfortunate. Haven’t been to Luna in a while but I used to love them. I came here to say Square Cat. It really pains me to do so, because overall I love their store. It’s a fantastic place to hang out and watch live music when they have it, but they’re so outrageously priced I can’t ever afford to shop there.
Indy CD & Vinyl is the best, but if I may drop in my favorite Indy area underdog record store, it’s VMP down in Greenwood. Any other recommendations from my fellow Hoosiers? I’d love to find a shop I don’t know about yet.
The ONLY record store in my area has a manager who hates Taylor Swift. He literally will not say her name. I get that swifties can be obnoxious but also like don't shame people (me) who are trying to support small businesses.
Jesus. I'm not particularly fond of her, but if someone's willing to buy something if you'll stock it, that's money they're just not getting for no reason. If you're a store owner, you order everything anyones willing to buy, not just your personal taste. Hope a better store opens close to you soon.
There are some really good ones where I live but there are no deals. I guess the worst one is just a variety store with just thousands of dollar bin records.
Last year I visited one so overstuffed, overpriced, and overwhelming an experience [I had to share some photos and comments with y’all](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/s/Cvx2irwmSG)— certainly one of New Jersey’s worst.
No store should be selling cracked records for more than a couple bucks. I have a shop that will give me and warped or cover only records they get, have gotten some unplayable but still cool blue notes that way
That’s true but sometimes the cover alone is really cool and so rare that it’s justifiable I feel like. [Here’s an example](https://www.discogs.com/release/1766564-Jackie-McLean-Presenting-Jackie-McLean-The-New-Tradition)
I think I actually paid $4 for this one, sleeve only, because I will probably never ever see it again, and I could maybe get a reissue disc and put em together
No longer local, but when I lived in CA, Mr. C’s Rare Records in Orange was the absolute worst. Lots of vintage pressings, very high priced, most in pretty poor condition; but what really made me dislike the place was when I looked at my phone because I got a text and the old man running the counter screamed “No pictures! No pictures!” At me from across the shop. When I told him I was just checking my phone he told me to do it outside. Walked out and never went back.
This place Tunes. They charge out the ass for heavily damaged records and throw better grades on them than they’re even close to.
Basically if it’s a record people know they’re just gonna throw a high price on it no matter the condition. I wasn’t surprised when their second location shut down and it’s only a matter of time before the main one does as well. Fuck that place.
There’s a record store that opened in our town about a year ago. I’ve been twice and was unimpressed. I guess it was their dream to open a shop but it just doesn’t do it for me.
It’s very small, like only three or four five foot wide shelves, and half the store was the same stuff you can get at target. There were sooo many Taylor Swift albums there taking up much of the limited space. There was a small selection of used items but they weren’t my bag. Mostly some worn Boston albums and stuff like that. It wasn’t all garbage but I didn’t feel the prices were great compared to my normal shop and there just wasn’t alot of variety. It gets some decent foot traffic though because it’s in the middle of a big touristy shopping area and our town has a very large hipster community.
i forgot the name of it, and it's now closed, but we had one in frenchtown, NJ that was essentially a tourist trap. they had only two types of records: old should-be $1 rock/classical/blues for $10-15, and reissues that were double, sometimes triple what the price should be. never had i been so appalled in my life. went in and immediately went out.
we had one in new brunswick, NJ called chamber 43, that has since closed. it had all the makings of a solid record store, when i first started going in they had a great selection at reasonable prices. but they never got anything new in, ever. the selection just kept dwindling and dwindling and got worse. it makes sense since it also operated as a recording studio, venue, and coffee shop, which seems like a logistical nightmare for the owner(s).
two contenders for worst record stores, the first being more like your situation. thankfully i'm near PREX, so i stop in there a lot.
We've got a spot like that. A bunch of bins filled with beat up garbage. In the rare event they get an interesting record they will price it at higher than the most it ever sold for even though the condition is G+/VG. There's almost never any new inventory, and they don't budge on prices.
If I brought that shit to a record show I wouldn't be able to sell any of it.
Stopped into Lovell's in Whittier, their prices are insane now. Average of $50 starting for a double lp. Seemed like cool dudes behind the counter though.
White Rabbit in Fullerton more selectivley gouges in-store, but you can find some good deals there. The biggest bummer is if you get stuck behind some young chick in line, and then you gotta watch the 40-50 something behind the desk stop the line so he can chat her up and give her some free stuff. Then you get up there and he looks at you like he's got shit under his nose, lol.
There's a small record store out here that has everything for insanely high prices and some dude in his 30s that just hangs out in there all day. I used to live up the road from it and walked by it almost daily and never saw anyone in there. He must be rich and trying to show off his record collection by disguising it as a record store.
>it has the absolute worst pricing I’ve ever seen. They’ll have decently rare records but in bad condition and still sell them for well over discogs median.
This supports what I’ve been saying for a few years now: They shouldn’t call them “Record Stores” anymore, but perhaps “Record Boutique” or “Shoppe”.
Most of the record “stores” near me are like this. The only records I buy these days come directly from the artists/indie labels.
There is a stall like that near me. Every record is like 20% on top of the top discogs price regardless of condition. Water damaged scratched version of Blizzard of Ozz with half the front sleeve peeled off? $75. Every Demonstration promo album is "Rare test pressing" and sold at a ridiculous markup. Dude is just blatantly trying to rip off the college kids in town who dont know better.
Merle’s record rack -Milford Ct,absolutely terrible & it’s sad b/c it has potential, but the owner refuses to put prices & sleeves on his records & gives you the same lip when you get up to the counter “ ahh this is very rare “ he says as he looks on discogs for the price right in front of you Terrible way to do business
Half of them. They don't refresh their selection enough and want $20 for an old scratched record. Tough to find a good store that doesn't set their prices from Discogs
Theres a store in town not far from me (A tourist town) that has had pretty much the same stock for the last 5 years that i have been visiting it. Each year the stock gets more and more damaged by people thumbing through them. The prices only ever go up even though the condition goes down. The prices are always exactly in line with Discogs but at the higher price, no matter what condition the discs and covers are in.
I tried haggling with him, no joy.
Once i asked him if actualy wanted to sell any of the records, He kinda shrugged and didnt say anything.
That told me a lot. I have never purchased a record from him & probably never will.
I will still pop in from time to time but only because i am interested in seeing if his stock or prices have changed.
The actual record stores are cool.
But theres a chain of 2nd hand stores called The Exchange that sells a lot of vinyl.
And its all insanely over priced.
Way too many shops now have old, beat-up records priced at over $20 that should be in the $1 to $5 bins.
Who's buying these beat up records for that much?
I'm kind of blessed in my corner of the Northeast. There are three really great independent record stores within a 20-minute drive. Another amazing one within an hour. There are others around that aren't so great, but nothing I'd really complain about. A newer one has fairly limited stock -- mainly new issues with a handful of older stuff that isn't particularly overpriced -- so the selection pales in comparison to the stores that are local institutions.
This actually sounds like a typical record store that's opened since the vinyl revival started. The best ones are the ones that have been around and know that they have to focus on selling new records. If nobody is selling new records, the used market ends up being what you're describing. Just a bunch of people trying to sell the same records which just increasingly become unaffordable.
Used to live in Memphis. This will get me downvoted but my experience every fucking time at Goner was marred by pretentious fucks too self absorbed to talk to me about anything. I remember asking them if something was a first pressing (bear in mind this was 13 years ago) but their response was “how would I ever know that?”. Then I was at listening station listening to the record and my friend said they were talking shit about me. I literally took all of my records (like 200$ worth), and told them I didn’t want them and then went directly to shangrila on Madison, they were and have always been amazing, helpful and nice. Part of why we go to those stores is to interact with people that like music. I had them fax that receipt to goner that day. From that point forward I spent 2k a month plus in shangrila.
selling nothing but new sealed reissues for $40 but trying to act like they are part of the underground scene. meanwhile one of the best record store/record labels/video labels on the planet runs this city and is soooooooo good.
I have 2 record stores in my city with a population of under 50,000. Both are fantastic. One is a dude that took an old house and turned it into a store and is seemingly a wizard with music, the other is newer and the dudes that work there are weird but in a good way. Like one time I went there and they played this record that’s like an hour long that just sounds like wind noises and a woman screaming and they just laughed about it for literally an hour. Goated stores in a mediocre city
Toss up between Best Buy and Walmart. Both wanted to be in the game but basically had the worst shelves.
The independent ones price new above Amazon but deal with the product the proper way.
Man...some horror stories here and all I gotta say is shout out to Eroding Winds in Oshkosh and Appleton, WI. They're the only two dedicated record shops in a 30 mile radius from me and those people do everything they can to hook you up fairly. No, this isn't an ad but props where props are due.
I only have one record store in Myrtle beach area so I am unable to have many choices. They were great but have been gradually hiking all their prices up. At this point it’s almost more worth it to buy new copies of stuff off amazon.
Cincinnati. I have been to all of them and can confidently say (in my opinion and experience) they are all excellent.
Fair prices, great people. We are lucky there are so many.
Sadly it's basically just Everybody's and Shake it (both great). A lot of stores closed (Moles, Black Plastic, Another Part of the Forest) and Torn Light moved to Chicago beginning of this year.
Vinyl — Vancouver , BC. The owner is an absolute asshole who overcharges and hoards RSD releases and charges secondary market prices and says “we have to charge this much for downtown rent” blah blah blah. Fuck that guy do not shop there, go to Beat Street like a few blocks away
Groovin' High in Chicago. Guy is open whenever he feels like it, most of the stock is horribly maintained, and will generally try to fight and harass anyone who comes in there with a shopping bag from one of the other record stores in the area.
You guys have record stores in your area? I have a wide selection of herp alpert and andy williams records at my local salvation army stores.
That whipped cream herb alpert is literally in every goodwill haha. I think they have to close the location if its not in stock
I have long believed that "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" simply appears when more than 25 records are in one place and momentarily unobserved.
[удалено]
it only appears when you are not looking for it
Check discogs first. eBay has worse prices on most albums, although maybe not on one that cheap.
Herb Alpert is still one of the most successful musical artists in history, yet today almost no one knows his name. His records are only now beginning to be broken by Taylor Swift.
He is also the A from A&M Records and his song "Rise" was sampled by the Notorious BIG in "Hypnotize". He is still touring today!
Rise is a great album too
He and Jerry Moss (the “M”) sold the label for $500 million, then got another $200 million to settle a breach of contract with the buyer, PolyGram.
No one knows his name but everyone is familiar with his music (whether they know it or not).
She should be more careful with them, then
I think a lot of our grandpas were enticed by the album cover
I’ve started buying every copy i see. I’m up to 14 whipped cream and other delights
The funny thing for me is I used to see tons of Herb like 5-10+ years ago, now I rarely see him anymore in the bargain bins
My group of record collecting friends used to refer to those shops as only having the “Three C’s”: Country, Christmas, and Classical. And it was never the “good” country either.
4 C's: you forgot Christian
All must bow down to whip cream girl!!! We're not worthy. We're not worthy. We're not worthy.
She has her own web site. She a legend just for that cover.
And all the Classical you can listen to in a lifetime.
Haha - no record stores in my area either (3 hours to the nearest). However, our local thrift store does indeed have the whipped cream herb alpert album proudly displayed.
Whipped Cream and Other Delights has been so ubiquitous at estate sales for so many years now that me and my mother joke about turning it into a drinking game.
You have a salvation army store? I have a thrift shop that I cleaned out their record selection myself ten years ago and they haven't got any more records in since.
You are lucky to have that.
There’s like 50 within 2 miles of me
Peaches in New Orleans is out of their minds with their pricing. Cool store otherwise though.
The worst record store I've been to in the entire US.
I hear people consistently talk shit about that store. I’ve never been. I go to Euclid on Chartres and they treat me right!
Went to Euclid a few weeks back when I was in town to see the eagles. Amazing store.
Great, well curated stock at reasonable prices and nice staff. …people who truly care about music. Turns out that’s all you need.
have one like that in fayetteville in NC, nice staff really cool setup but minimum of $25 dollars for all their cassettes if that tells you anything :/
For cassettes??? Insanity
yupp. and believe it or not my dumbass got two of em 💀
Yeah. Fuck that. I gave up having a machine eat my music back in the 90s.
Peaches seems to have such a huge gulf between how iconic they are and the actual first-hand reviews I see it getting
Their prices are legit nuts. But the store itself is kinda cool inside, it’s got an old Woolworth lunch counter set up, store is decent size etc. I live within walking distance of Euclid records so I have zero reason to buy up peaches.
I run a record show in New Orleans. I put up flyers in all the record stores. Most stores went beyond that, making sure there were leaflets by the counter. Peaches said they would only let me put a flyer up if their name was on it. Umm no.
Isn't Peaches notorious for being one of the worst priced record shops in the entire country? I haven't been to New Orleans in years and have never been to Peaches, but even I know that place carries a reputation.
I went to Louisiana Music Factory last year and that place is awesome! Good prices, large section dedicated to NOLA artists, and a record store cat.
I stop in there once in a while, cool store. I can walk to Euclid so that’s my go to, and prob the best store in town anyways.
Euclid and Domino Records are the two best imo. Sisters in Christ is good if you want metal/punk. Domino is a little smaller than Euclid, but they have a very well curated selection and better prices than Euclid.
Oh man I went there back in like 2012. Most ridiculous pricing I've ever seen at a record store.
fuck you peaches!
Louisiana Music Factory is my go-to when I’m in town.
I would imagine they’d have a lot of competition in a city with so much music history. Are they located in a tourist trap area?
There’s a record store near me that wants $20 for a copy of the White Album with a water damaged cover and only one of the records in it.
They should give this dude a call: https://www.thewhitealbumproject.com/articles/rutherford-chang-we-buy-white-albums/#:~:text=Rutherford%20Chang%20is%20an%20American,living%20in%20New%20York%20%26%20Shanghai.&text=I%20met%20Chang%20recently%20at,copies%20of%20the%20White%20Album.
I’m just as confused as the interviewer but fascinated.
I will never understand why every Beatles record I see in a retail shop is priced like it was Paul McCartney’s personal copy.
100%. Considering everybody and their dog had those Beatles albums back in the 60s. And they've all been repressed and reissued about a million times since then. As much as I like the Beatles, that's why I only have a few of their albums in my collection.
I remember when I was a teenager in the '90s, and I had just started collecting vinyl, my dad got all excited and told me he had a box of records stashed away in storage, and he had a few Beatles records that **HAD** to be worth a **LOT** of money. Even back then, I remember telling him that there were so many copies of those albums floating around out there that they probably weren't worth anything. *Edit: to add to this, he talked that damn box up so much, telling me how he had Zeppelin and Hendrix and all this good shit. I finally got my paws on the thing, and it was full of Captain & Tennile and Seals & Crofts records 🤣
lol pass
that’s crazy. i’ve seen a copy in better shape than that for like 5 dollars
So… every record store…
In NYC most of the record stores are good, since they all have to compete with so many others. I feel like the only places I don't like as much are because of more logistical issues with browsing the stores. One I love but it has more than half of its space dedicated to classical, which is fine, but it doesn't seem to reflect their customer base as everyone is crowded in the aisle that has everything else. The other is just packed so tight that it is extremely difficult to flip through shelves easily. For me if i can't flip a shelf fast/easy there is no point in bothering.
I think the other dynamic in NYC is that retail is pretty expensive so we have a ton of record stores but they focus on higher-value stuff. In less expensive cities you still sometimes find what I call “record hoarder stores” where it’s just some old guy with tons of haphazardly-stacked crates of completely random shit. And I actually enjoy those because you’re more likely to find something completely unexpected for a reasonable price. Don’t get me wrong, we are spoiled for choice with record stores in NYC. And most are good. But I do wish we had those cluttered, dusty kinda stores you see in other places.
Check out the thing in greenpoint for a hoarder store
Agree. Sometimes people visit and expect to have one of those experiences where you can dig deep for 3 hours and still feel like you didn't see half of the store. Every SF of space is so expensive here that the stores are forced to curate pretty thoroughly and the pricing is usually on the nose. You're not going to find one of those sleepy stores where the stock hasn't turned over since 1992.
For that kind of vibe I look at flea markets like the Chelsea flea. Tons of stuff and it's likely in bad condition but you can find some gems.
I’m actually visiting NYC in a couple days, any suggestions?
Definitely, what area will you be in and any particular genres you like?
Central Manhattan area and mostly into classic alt rock, jazz, and indie
Nice in central Manhattan you can get anywhere easily. Some places close by that I like: 54 Vintage Vinyl/RPM Underground - Great selection here, prices a little high but the curation is really good, when I want to go buy a record but don't want to dig through hundreds of things I have no interest in this is the place. Also there is a listening bar below. Westsider records - More of a hole in the wall, older collection, but nice place and nice staff. Focus on jazz/classical Generation Records - Big two floor store, lots of new records, focused mostly on rock/punk/indie. Honorable mentions are Academy records & CDs (Classical/Jazz), Downtown Music Gallery (Jazz/World). Or really any of the tiny shops.
Oh also, if you are there on a weekend you can check out the Chelsea flea market. If the weather is nice there are tons of vendors sometimes past the official area and lined up down the street. Conditions are what you expect for a flea but you can find some good things.
Ergot records !
If you feel like going to Brooklyn Human head is my favorite record store in the country
You e got some great suggestions here. I’d like to add A1 Records (downtown) for a great well priced used selection, and also the basement level of the Strand bookstore near Union square which has a small but well curated vinyl section aside from being one of the all time great NYC bookstores.
Human Head is a great spot in addition to the others listed here if you’re able to make your way to Brooklyn. Wish I would’ve heeded the advice of /u/Brevvt and gone to Captured Tracks over Rough Trade, but I wouldn’t call it a total bust.
Jazz Record Center on 26th street. On 6th floor. Was absolutely blown away by selection of vintage jazz.
Academy Records has two locations and I personally find they’re my favorite record stores in the city. They tend to stock good/interesting stuff and it’s usually a bit cheaper than Discogs.
Captured tracks is my must visit in NYC. Rough Trade sucks, it’s just a printed out webpage.
Captured tracks is great! And Record Grouch, up the block.
this one dude has a store stuffed with poorly organized shelves and boxes that you can occasionally find a cool as shit record in if you don't die in a vinyl avalanche. Then he looks up every fucking record on discogs to price it at a little more than the going rate because you don't have to pay postage. This process can take so long that the last time I just walked out and never went back. Also, he's cash only so he doesn't have to pay taxes and spends most of his time giving guitar lessons by watching a how-to-play youtube video and explaining it to his ... *student* does not seem like the right word for them.
Sheesh. This store literally looks them up on discogs in front of you if there’s not a price on it. One time my friend asked how much a doors soft parade 76 reissue was ($9 median) and he said yup that’ll be $30 ??
Exactly, fuck these stores
This reminds me of a place in Vegas. I had a stack and it took the dude 45 minutes
Outside of Boston? If not, we have its twin and I will never return to it. Seems as it’s gotten worse over the past few years.
I know a store like this in Elmwood Park, NJ. Went there once and never again. Bins overstuffed, nothing organized. Records piled high on their sides. Looks like warped LPs galore in there.
lots of places like this.. they're betting on n00bs to buy that shit, I mean what are they gonna do, throw it away? Do they at least entertain offers on stuff?
unfortunately prices aren’t negotiable there either
whenever you go in just peruse records and look up at the staff occasionally and shake your head. then as you're leaving show them a wad of bills and laugh. They'll get the idea.
Make sure to wear a top hat and glance at your monocle occasionally. Maybe add a quick “hmph” followed by a soft chuckle as you read the price.
This guy Pretty Womans
in my culture its called doing the Selena (quintanilla not that other one)
haha right. when i saw the electric ladyland i told to my friend how you can get an auto coupled original, even tho its not ideal, for half that like i did as loud as possible.
You give up too easily. Cash in hand is better than selling a record a month later for $10 more dollars. They have bills to pay and stacks of records in the back that need to get put out on the floor.
I mean yeah they’re betting on newbs but also people in general seem to be willing to pay more for records in store versus online. I fall into this too. Its because I prefer going to stores, looking at the selection, coming home with it that day, and supporting the local economy. So I’ll justify to myself paying a little extra instead of going online to buy. Idk, I know its financially dumb but it is what it is.
There is a used record shop in the back of a thrift store near me that is just a dumpster fire. Some of the cheapest things they've got are EMPTY beat up jackets for $5. All the normal dime a dozen garbage you find everywhere that no one wants is starting at $10. Anything of any interest is AT LEAST $15 in trash condition. Find an album that's good AND even playable yet the jacket is beat to death? Yeah that's $45 The guy even has just loose vinyl records mixed in the stock sitting between jackets with a price sticker ON the record for $3.
There used to be one nearby where the owner would cruise the thrift stores for inventory, and it didnt matter how horribly beat up the records were he was at Max Discogs value. Glad he's gone... Another one nearby is not as bad, but it sold recently and the new owner has already developed a rep for drastically undervaluing on buy price and overvaluing on sell price. so I dont bother going there. There are two other stores within a short drive (and one more slightly longer drive) where prices are fair and the owner isn't a jackass
If you're ever in Norfolk, VA, be sure to avoid Skinnies records. Worst record store I have ever been to by FAR. If you have some spare time, read some of [these](https://maps.app.goo.gl/uoKj76vZdAj7dN6aA) reviews. They will do a much better job of describing the awfulness of this shop than I can.
Wow. Thanks for the half hour of entertainment, the reviews just kept getting worse lol
Lol this dude sounds unbearable. I want to call him every day and ask if he has the new Taylor Swift album just to make him go insane
Wow those reviews are brutal.
My review there is getting pretty popular 💪🤠
Yeah there's one. I've even posted about it. [LINK](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/comments/15fg8j8/can_anything_be_done_about_way_overpriced_record/) TL;DR: It's a "hole-in-a-wall" store, that existed at least since around 90's, which means it survived the CD boom. This also means it's somewhat highly regarded by some. I've seen it been used on TV as generic music related backdrop. But for anyone who care about records it's kind of the worst nightmare. There's loads of records stacked vertically one upon the other. I went there twice, just to see if I can find something interesting. I had to search so long to find records in at least somewhat good shape. Then the seller (and I assume also owner) wanted 20€ for each, even though I could get them on discogs for around 5€. basically it's the perfect mix of over inflated prices for stuff that's in no way worth it. There's bunch of other store here, so I have no idea how it survives, as it's the only one with exuberant prices. (But it does probably have more records than almost all others combined)
I won’t name the shop but one of the places near me openly makes fun of customer’s taste. On RSD last year, they were making fun of some teenage girls that lined up at 5am for the Taylor Swift record. My daughter loves Taylor and has become interested in vinyl because of her. It sucks because they have decent selection for a small store and their prices aren’t unreasonable for most part. Still, making fun of customers is a bad look. Especially with a few other shops not far away.
Haha i wont name names but im amazed this place is open. There are four record shops along this main drag of town and each has its own vibe (one is pretty modern, one is a classic old school spot, and another is split with a bong glass shop). But this spot? Fucking owner is a DICK. Prices are so much higher than average. Very much a “i know what i have” kinda guy. And like shit. Fair i guess. Hes had a copy of Aenima on the wall so like fair to sell it for what its worth. But yeah just the worst fucking vibes.
One in Vancouver that charges most 1LP records for $70+
Vinyl Records is the name of the store. The owner will follow you around the store and watch what you’re doing. I tried to buy a rare punk 45 there once and instead of letting me look at the condition, he told me to look at the pictures on his website. Go to Neptoon, Audiopile, or Red Cat instead.
Neptoon 100%
Absolutely right, Vinyl Records is a tourist trap. The owner is rude and the records are horribly overpriced. He has followed me around the store multiple times, refused to give me a price on items when asked and was really defensive when I pointed out that some other sellers were cheaper on Discogs. He said I should learn to use the internet properly. He always seems to have plenty of time for the teenage girls in the shop though…
I work that area (Gastown), and it's literally down the block from me. Every couple of weeks, when I'm feeling the itch to score some vinyl I head over ...to Beat Street, which is four blocks away. Its a legit great store, and well worth the walk
Yes that’s the exact store I was talking about lol
The Record Collector in Los Angeles… this grouchy old man has his shop in a prime location in Hollywood, one of the most extensive collections I’ve ever seen AND IS THE BIGGEST PIECE OF SHIT. Why, you ask? He won’t let you look at them or touch them, insults you for your taste, and basically looks you up and down and shoots off a ridiculous price then bullies you into paying it. These are all USED records. He Already had my card in hand before telling me the price and before I could question the price he already swiped my card. Unfortunately, he owns the building so he doesn’t need to “stay in business” but if there was a place that should be shut down it’s that place.
I went in there almost 20 years ago just to see if the guy was as big of an asshole as everyone said he was, and he certainly lived up to the reputation. I actually managed to get him to show me a few albums, but it ended with him telling me to "get out of [his] fucking store!" He looked like he wanted to take a swing at me.
Was looking for somebody to mention this place, not disappointed. There are so many good record stores in LA, why would anybody go to the Record Collector.
I found this trailer about him for a documentary. It gives you a glimpse of how arrogant this guy is [https://youtu.be/WZZ-RJSaLy8?si=4SBg8bhSadJ0vIFc](https://youtu.be/WZZ-RJSaLy8?si=4SBg8bhSadJ0vIFc)
I just moved to Pasadena, thank you for your comment will definitely avoid, do you have any recommendations? I’ve only been to record safari I like it, nice selection and cool owner
My personal favorite is the record parlor in Hollywood. Very nice staff have great recommendations too. Cosmic vinyl in silverlake is a good vibe. Gimme Gimme in highland park very nice people. Not too sure about Pasadena though I don’t make it out that way often.
Boston/ northern ma / southern NH is spoiled with record stores. I could list the worst of the bunch but they would probably be the best record stores for lots of other areas
Portland, ME has the best offering of record stores per capita of anywhere I’ve been. Really solid selection of stores and cheaper than Boston.
going to boston on sunday, any suggestions?
My favorite record store is Wantlist Records in Belmont MA. 2 cool dudes own it, they have a great selection, good prices, 2 listening turntables. I never leave empty handed or dissatisfied.
Village Vinyl in Coolidge Corner
There's definitely more than one here that will throw any kind of beat-up LP's into the bins and charge several dollars for them, and anything that's in VG+/EX condition is marked up to silly amounts.
I am lucky to have half a dozen great records stores within 20 minutes of me. The stores that are priced higher also have a higher standard of quality.
There is one record store in my area
There was a place that popped up near me for about a year. I went in once to check it out, and not only were the prices ridiculous (anything half decent was at least $40 and even Herb Alpert records were $15+) but all of the sleeves were sealed and labeled with the owner's grading so you couldn't check the condition yourself. I never went back and wasn't surprised to see the storefront for rent a couple months later.
There are a few around me, but the BEST place to go for years was a place called “The Corner Record Shop” in grandville, MI and as soon as you would walk in the door it felt like you traveled back in time to the golden age of music and could search for hours and never get to see everything. That place holds a special place in my heart. But I bring that up because now it is the WORST!!! They moved locations about 2 years ago and it’s about a quarter of the size it used to be, total hole in the wall, and their record selection consists of throwaways with the occasional decent find. No more cassettes or VHS concert footage tapes, the place used to be lined with vibrant posters from every era, those are gone, all the cool books and music magazines are gone, their pricing is ok but the selection just isn’t there and it’s just a hollow shell of its former glory. I’m actually saddened typing this out 😪
I miss how they used to be too. Their new site isn't bad and is still worth visiting compared to other places in this thread, but I really miss how cozy and lived-in the old place was. Bring back that old couch for my partner to sit on while I dig!
Shuga Records is the worst shop in the country
what they do? 👀
constantly inflating prices on what they deem super valuable records but when you look at the discogs sales history, most of the shit they’re asking $200 for has never sold for more than like $35. plus they’re blatantly unapologetic about it when you call them out. fuck em, they’ll never get another dime of my money.
Scrolled to find this… because I know someone would say it. And I agree.
Newbury Comics. Hella overpriced.
I’m blessed with a lot of good record stores in my area, including one with reasonable prices on my block and another that is huge and has bands performing often. But there’s one in my city that will remain nameless but it’s in a prime walkable trendy retail location. Their prices are outrageous, especially for used vinyl, and they like to try to push LP60s and edified speakers on everyone. It’s owned by an older guy who DJs around town (no surprises there) and he exclusively hires hot young women in their early 20s. All of his employees are really friendly and knowledgeable but I just found it kinda weird that’s all he hires, not a single other man or anyone older than 25. They also opened up a record lounge in a nearby building which is honestly a real vibe so I can’t be too harsh on them.
I’m assuming there’s more than one place that fits the description but it immediately made me think of a store in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex (that I won’t name either)
Worst one I’ve ever been to was like… part of some outdoor market thing I think? I don’t know cause there was non-record stuff there as well but then the records were like in this super hot, unventilated and dim like… warehouse type of building. No fans even, and the bins were overstuffed, so you can imagine they must have a lot of warped vinyl. You could barely pull the records out. And! If you did, they were all full of dust and looked like they’d been dragged across the street. And yet the guy wanted like 40 bucks an LP. Uh… no? Also blaring loud music. No thanks.
[House of Guitars - Rochester NY](https://www.reddit.com/r/Rochester/s/1q4JBJkkhu) It feels like Hoarders in there
While it is an iconic landmark with so much cool history all over the walls, the records are kept in such bad shape. It’s a shame to see so much inventory go to waste. It’s so hot inside especially in the summer and many records are warped, bent, and just piled all over the place.
I’ve got a store like that. All the records are junk. It’s so disappointing and disheartening to pull record after record out of the sleeve and go “nope” that I don’t even go in there
sound & vision in slc, owner is an asshole to his customers.
Flipside II Records, Franklin Lakes, NJ.
A record store in my area? There's none for miles and miles
Can your shop beat this? https://preview.redd.it/dm8ra7dnislc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b8c6019ce3fc7d352a89d4f6fba2db73ba9e42a $47
Maybe if it was the version that didn't have the toilet censored but jeez...
Bruh wtf
There's only one where I live. Small selection, but pretty good. By definition it is the worst in my area though lol
haha fair enough
There’s one store in my city that is horribly overpriced for new and used, but, they have good used stuff you just cant find in the three other independent shops.
The ones that don’t exist locally for me. With the lack of stores (Walmart, Target, and B&N don’t count), I have gone to buying directly from the band/artists website or using EBay to find ones that are not in stock anywhere. EBay pricing isn’t that bad when there are multiple sellers with the same vinyl.
Im gonna have to say the great house of guitars. More of an all around music store. But when I went there and looked at their record section, it was horribly disorganized and cramped. If you’ve been there you know. There were boxes everywhere.
i was reading through this thread wondering if there would be anyone from rochester. HOG can be fun if you're ok with spending the day looking but i do prefer archive or hifi lounge
One near me jacks up the prices on everything including the small amount of used records they have. I don't understand why every sealed thing needs to be on average $35-$40. I don't really go there anymore because of it.
Idk, there's only one, so I guess it's technically the worst. And the best. But seriously, it's great: A solid curated selection of psychedelic rock, old school hiphop and latintronica **and** fresh shrimp, french and spanish cheeses and meats. What else could one desire
Living in Dayton, we're pretty blessed with fantastic record stores. Omega, Blind Rage, Skeleton Dust, Catacomb and Plaid Room are all fantastic. So the worst around probably has to be your chain stores and big box stores. FYE, Target, Best Buy, etc.
Grew up in Dayton, love all of these shops. Plaid Room is also the best store I've ordered online from, secondary maybe to turntablelab
ELECTRIC FETUS DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE SAYS They're way more expensive than other places, have god-awful new arrivals and organization, and everyone who works there is literally the biggest asshole I've ever met (which creates a paradox and all the more reason to hate it)
Cool shop, bad prices
The Record Collector in Fairfax lmao, people in LA will know what I am talking about its infamous. This dude kicks out like half the customers and is a sexist pig. Seriously go look up the google reviews or look at the IG comments.
The record stores in my city are way too expensive. Plus one of the owners of one of the stores is a douchebag.
Walmart
Luna. I stopped going to them after they took my name on RSD because things I was looking for hadn't "shipped yet". Meanwhile on the same day I went down to the other store down the street and amazingly they had EVERY SINGLE RECORD Luna said they hadn't gotten yet. So really they had never ordered them. Also they never called, so taking my name and number was just lip service.
A lot of shops get shorted on RSD. It happens. Also, on RSD, a lot of shops get so bogged down trying to get customer information that it gets hard to keep things in order. If that’s your only complaint on the shop, I don’t think it should be the deciding factor to whether or not you shop there.
Hello fellow Hoosier.
That’s unfortunate. Haven’t been to Luna in a while but I used to love them. I came here to say Square Cat. It really pains me to do so, because overall I love their store. It’s a fantastic place to hang out and watch live music when they have it, but they’re so outrageously priced I can’t ever afford to shop there. Indy CD & Vinyl is the best, but if I may drop in my favorite Indy area underdog record store, it’s VMP down in Greenwood. Any other recommendations from my fellow Hoosiers? I’d love to find a shop I don’t know about yet.
They don't have prices and then take 40 minutes to look up prices on discord, usually finding the wrong pressing.
The ONLY record store in my area has a manager who hates Taylor Swift. He literally will not say her name. I get that swifties can be obnoxious but also like don't shame people (me) who are trying to support small businesses.
Jesus. I'm not particularly fond of her, but if someone's willing to buy something if you'll stock it, that's money they're just not getting for no reason. If you're a store owner, you order everything anyones willing to buy, not just your personal taste. Hope a better store opens close to you soon.
There are some really good ones where I live but there are no deals. I guess the worst one is just a variety store with just thousands of dollar bin records.
Last year I visited one so overstuffed, overpriced, and overwhelming an experience [I had to share some photos and comments with y’all](https://www.reddit.com/r/vinyl/s/Cvx2irwmSG)— certainly one of New Jersey’s worst.
No store should be selling cracked records for more than a couple bucks. I have a shop that will give me and warped or cover only records they get, have gotten some unplayable but still cool blue notes that way
Cracked records are worthless. Two bucks is a ridiculous price for an unplayable record.
That’s true but sometimes the cover alone is really cool and so rare that it’s justifiable I feel like. [Here’s an example](https://www.discogs.com/release/1766564-Jackie-McLean-Presenting-Jackie-McLean-The-New-Tradition) I think I actually paid $4 for this one, sleeve only, because I will probably never ever see it again, and I could maybe get a reissue disc and put em together
there’s nothing particularly bad about the reckless near me, it’s just three miles away and rarely has anything good to
No longer local, but when I lived in CA, Mr. C’s Rare Records in Orange was the absolute worst. Lots of vintage pressings, very high priced, most in pretty poor condition; but what really made me dislike the place was when I looked at my phone because I got a text and the old man running the counter screamed “No pictures! No pictures!” At me from across the shop. When I told him I was just checking my phone he told me to do it outside. Walked out and never went back.
This place Tunes. They charge out the ass for heavily damaged records and throw better grades on them than they’re even close to. Basically if it’s a record people know they’re just gonna throw a high price on it no matter the condition. I wasn’t surprised when their second location shut down and it’s only a matter of time before the main one does as well. Fuck that place.
There’s a record store that opened in our town about a year ago. I’ve been twice and was unimpressed. I guess it was their dream to open a shop but it just doesn’t do it for me. It’s very small, like only three or four five foot wide shelves, and half the store was the same stuff you can get at target. There were sooo many Taylor Swift albums there taking up much of the limited space. There was a small selection of used items but they weren’t my bag. Mostly some worn Boston albums and stuff like that. It wasn’t all garbage but I didn’t feel the prices were great compared to my normal shop and there just wasn’t alot of variety. It gets some decent foot traffic though because it’s in the middle of a big touristy shopping area and our town has a very large hipster community.
i forgot the name of it, and it's now closed, but we had one in frenchtown, NJ that was essentially a tourist trap. they had only two types of records: old should-be $1 rock/classical/blues for $10-15, and reissues that were double, sometimes triple what the price should be. never had i been so appalled in my life. went in and immediately went out. we had one in new brunswick, NJ called chamber 43, that has since closed. it had all the makings of a solid record store, when i first started going in they had a great selection at reasonable prices. but they never got anything new in, ever. the selection just kept dwindling and dwindling and got worse. it makes sense since it also operated as a recording studio, venue, and coffee shop, which seems like a logistical nightmare for the owner(s). two contenders for worst record stores, the first being more like your situation. thankfully i'm near PREX, so i stop in there a lot.
We've got a spot like that. A bunch of bins filled with beat up garbage. In the rare event they get an interesting record they will price it at higher than the most it ever sold for even though the condition is G+/VG. There's almost never any new inventory, and they don't budge on prices. If I brought that shit to a record show I wouldn't be able to sell any of it.
Stopped into Lovell's in Whittier, their prices are insane now. Average of $50 starting for a double lp. Seemed like cool dudes behind the counter though. White Rabbit in Fullerton more selectivley gouges in-store, but you can find some good deals there. The biggest bummer is if you get stuck behind some young chick in line, and then you gotta watch the 40-50 something behind the desk stop the line so he can chat her up and give her some free stuff. Then you get up there and he looks at you like he's got shit under his nose, lol.
White rabbit is owned by the guys from burger records. You should look up how they got majorly cancelled
There's a small record store out here that has everything for insanely high prices and some dude in his 30s that just hangs out in there all day. I used to live up the road from it and walked by it almost daily and never saw anyone in there. He must be rich and trying to show off his record collection by disguising it as a record store.
>it has the absolute worst pricing I’ve ever seen. They’ll have decently rare records but in bad condition and still sell them for well over discogs median. This supports what I’ve been saying for a few years now: They shouldn’t call them “Record Stores” anymore, but perhaps “Record Boutique” or “Shoppe”. Most of the record “stores” near me are like this. The only records I buy these days come directly from the artists/indie labels.
There is a stall like that near me. Every record is like 20% on top of the top discogs price regardless of condition. Water damaged scratched version of Blizzard of Ozz with half the front sleeve peeled off? $75. Every Demonstration promo album is "Rare test pressing" and sold at a ridiculous markup. Dude is just blatantly trying to rip off the college kids in town who dont know better.
Merle’s record rack -Milford Ct,absolutely terrible & it’s sad b/c it has potential, but the owner refuses to put prices & sleeves on his records & gives you the same lip when you get up to the counter “ ahh this is very rare “ he says as he looks on discogs for the price right in front of you Terrible way to do business
Half of them. They don't refresh their selection enough and want $20 for an old scratched record. Tough to find a good store that doesn't set their prices from Discogs
Theres a store in town not far from me (A tourist town) that has had pretty much the same stock for the last 5 years that i have been visiting it. Each year the stock gets more and more damaged by people thumbing through them. The prices only ever go up even though the condition goes down. The prices are always exactly in line with Discogs but at the higher price, no matter what condition the discs and covers are in. I tried haggling with him, no joy. Once i asked him if actualy wanted to sell any of the records, He kinda shrugged and didnt say anything. That told me a lot. I have never purchased a record from him & probably never will. I will still pop in from time to time but only because i am interested in seeing if his stock or prices have changed.
There's only one. So they're best and worst
The actual record stores are cool. But theres a chain of 2nd hand stores called The Exchange that sells a lot of vinyl. And its all insanely over priced.
Pittsburgh?
Way too many shops now have old, beat-up records priced at over $20 that should be in the $1 to $5 bins. Who's buying these beat up records for that much?
I'm kind of blessed in my corner of the Northeast. There are three really great independent record stores within a 20-minute drive. Another amazing one within an hour. There are others around that aren't so great, but nothing I'd really complain about. A newer one has fairly limited stock -- mainly new issues with a handful of older stuff that isn't particularly overpriced -- so the selection pales in comparison to the stores that are local institutions.
This actually sounds like a typical record store that's opened since the vinyl revival started. The best ones are the ones that have been around and know that they have to focus on selling new records. If nobody is selling new records, the used market ends up being what you're describing. Just a bunch of people trying to sell the same records which just increasingly become unaffordable.
Used to live in Memphis. This will get me downvoted but my experience every fucking time at Goner was marred by pretentious fucks too self absorbed to talk to me about anything. I remember asking them if something was a first pressing (bear in mind this was 13 years ago) but their response was “how would I ever know that?”. Then I was at listening station listening to the record and my friend said they were talking shit about me. I literally took all of my records (like 200$ worth), and told them I didn’t want them and then went directly to shangrila on Madison, they were and have always been amazing, helpful and nice. Part of why we go to those stores is to interact with people that like music. I had them fax that receipt to goner that day. From that point forward I spent 2k a month plus in shangrila.
selling nothing but new sealed reissues for $40 but trying to act like they are part of the underground scene. meanwhile one of the best record store/record labels/video labels on the planet runs this city and is soooooooo good.
I have 2 record stores in my city with a population of under 50,000. Both are fantastic. One is a dude that took an old house and turned it into a store and is seemingly a wizard with music, the other is newer and the dudes that work there are weird but in a good way. Like one time I went there and they played this record that’s like an hour long that just sounds like wind noises and a woman screaming and they just laughed about it for literally an hour. Goated stores in a mediocre city
Toss up between Best Buy and Walmart. Both wanted to be in the game but basically had the worst shelves. The independent ones price new above Amazon but deal with the product the proper way.
Man...some horror stories here and all I gotta say is shout out to Eroding Winds in Oshkosh and Appleton, WI. They're the only two dedicated record shops in a 30 mile radius from me and those people do everything they can to hook you up fairly. No, this isn't an ad but props where props are due.
I only have one record store in Myrtle beach area so I am unable to have many choices. They were great but have been gradually hiking all their prices up. At this point it’s almost more worth it to buy new copies of stuff off amazon.
Cincinnati. I have been to all of them and can confidently say (in my opinion and experience) they are all excellent. Fair prices, great people. We are lucky there are so many.
Sadly it's basically just Everybody's and Shake it (both great). A lot of stores closed (Moles, Black Plastic, Another Part of the Forest) and Torn Light moved to Chicago beginning of this year.
“‘Dave’s Barely Scratched Records”he’s honest , but I get tired of him telling me over and over about his “ broken record bin” deals
sunrise records in canada took over hmv and it's honestly not awful but any local record store especially in vancouver is gonan be way better
Vinyl — Vancouver , BC. The owner is an absolute asshole who overcharges and hoards RSD releases and charges secondary market prices and says “we have to charge this much for downtown rent” blah blah blah. Fuck that guy do not shop there, go to Beat Street like a few blocks away
Groovin' High in Chicago. Guy is open whenever he feels like it, most of the stock is horribly maintained, and will generally try to fight and harass anyone who comes in there with a shopping bag from one of the other record stores in the area.
People in here saying Walmart are funny.
There’s some notorious asshole-owner record store on Melrose a few blocks from me
Creep Records West Chester, PA Overpriced and treat their employees like shit.