“Underground” Places to Buy Vinyl Records

Happy Throwback Thursday!

Let’s face it. Vinyl Records are making a comeback. Records are being treated like baseball cards in hopes of trading up for a great album. There are some albums that you wish your mother didn’t throw away when she was cleaning out your room once you moved out of the house. You want to rebuild your collection that you once bragged about.

But where do you go? Sure, you could go to eBay or Craigslist and find that special album (check out Last Row Music’s Vinyl Store). You could go to the local record store, but not every single little town has a record store (check out this expanding list of stores). Not long ago, record stores had to close up shop (Thank you, iTunes) and only a few were able to survive the Vinyl Recession. Now, stores are popping up just like local coffee shops.

Yes, I have my favorite local record stores, but for me, I REALLY get excited when I go “dumpster diving” for vinyls and find the records I want. Below is a list of places that I go to regularly and usually find “the one” I’m looking for PLUS a few special treasures.

1) Half-Price Books
Living close to a big city in Ohio, I am fortunate to have a few of these stores in the area. I visit Half-Price Books at least once a month, and always walk out with one vinyl if not more! Their store is unique because it is like Goodwill but people sell their books/music to Half-Price in exchange for cash or store credit. Usually their used records are in at least VG+ condition, and they are sold at a GREAT price. They will even have a clearance section of records (as low as a $1) that may not look great but still sound great! Plus, if you sign up for their newsletter you get savings on your purchases. If you are a teacher, you get a 10% educator’s discount at the store as well.
**Insider’s Tip: Check to see if your local store has weekly specials. For example, some stores give 20% off all vinyl records on Friday nights.

2) Auctions
Right now, everybody is selling grandma’s vinyl collection in estate sales, and at auctions they go for cheap – sometimes $1 for a box of 40 records! If you play your cards right, you will find some great albums. AuctionZip.com led me to a place that expanded my collection from 20 to 600 records – just from ONE auction. Simply type in vinyl records in the search box with your zip code and a radius mileage and find what is going on in your area.
**Insider’s Tip: Go to auctions that are in the middle of no where. Why? The prices will be much less than an auction in a city. Yes, the drive will be worth it.

3) Goodwill
This is where it all started for me. I was in a Goodwill store in Pittsburgh, PA and came across Chicago’s album III, V, VII. They were in excellent condition (including posters) and were about $1.99 a piece. For me, that was a steal considering they are my favorite band! Usually Goodwill stores sell records for less than $2, and will have sales on all recordings throughout the week. This past weekend, I was at a Goodwill that was selling a cart-full of 45s for $.59/piece or 10 for $1.99. Seriously, you never know what you will stumble upon!
**Insider’s Tip: Also, check out http://www.shopgoodwill.com/ for auctions on records and music instruments.

4) Antique Malls
Again, most people are getting rid of records. What the everyday person sees as junk, I see as treasure (or profit!), and antique malls sell just that. They all have different prices since they are so many vendors but you never know what you can find. I was able to buy the entire Chicago’s Live from Carnegie Hall album (with poster and booklet) for $2.99 at an antique mall. Sometimes, the vendors may not know what they have. Case in point, I bought The Beatles’ White Album for $5 at an antique mall. If you are able to build a good relationship with vendors, they may give you a good deal, and will be on the look out for records you want.
**Insider’s Tip: If you see a record that is priced too high, be patient because it may sit in the display for a long time, and the price will eventually be lowered. Example – When I first saw that Chicago Carnegie Hall album it was priced at $25. Patient paid off!

There you go! These are places I peruse through regularly in addition to my local record stores. You honestly never know what you will find. What you do find will keep you wanting more! If there are other places that you visit, please let me know in the comment section! I’d love to hear where you visit.

Shop Local. Support the Economy. Buy Vinyl.