Other than maybe a bookstore or a solid thrift shop, few storefronts are as easy to lose an afternoon in than a well-stocked record store. The uniquely fulfilling experience of rifling through a bin of dusty $1.00 records and unearthing that hidden gem with which you can impress all your Pitchfork-reading, NPR-listening friends is simply irreplicable.
For those in need of that cultural capital, we’ve gathered some of the best record stores in San Francisco to visit and name-drop in casual conversation so everyone knows you’re not a poseur.
See also: Discover the Radical World Of Silver Sprocket With These Must-Read Indie Comics And Graphic Novels
Vinyl Dreams
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593 Haight St / Website
This low-ceilinged Lower Haight hangout is the city’s go-to for drum-and-bass, electronica, house, and dance. Though they specialize in eminently danceable breakbeats and disco vibes, Vinyl Dreams also touts a respectable hip-hop and funk selection. It’s worth checking out Vinyl Dreams consistently even when you’re not in a record-perusing mood for they are known to host vibey spontaneous shindigs with sets from local DJs and artists.
Noise
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3427 Balboa St / Website
Just across the street from the historic Balboa Theater in the Richmond District, the family-owned Noise operates as a record store, art exhibition space, and live jazz venue. If the SF Jazz Festival offerings this summer aren’t sufficiently underground, be sure to check out a Noise show to experience the cutting-edge of the city’s jazz scene.
Sweetening the pot even further, Noise is equipped with listening stations at which you can sample any records you'd like before purchasing - a dream for choosy buyers.
Stranded Records
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1055 Valencia St / Website
A short walk from Dolores Park, Stranded Records is run by the indie archival label Superior Viaduct and boasts an impressively eccentric array of new arrivals and used gems that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
If their selection of left-field avant-garde, ambient, and free-jazz works is a bit intimidating, stop by one of their live shows first with the best local experimental artists to scout out the vibe.
Amoeba Music
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1855 Haight St / Website
Sitting in a retrofitted bowling alley right on the edge of Golden Gate Park, Amoeba SF is a storied record store and hang-out originally founded in Berkeley just across the bay. Their collection is remarkably robust (it turns out you can squeeze immense amounts of records into an old bowling alley) with a particular emphasis on experimental rock, electronica, and hip-hop.
They've also hosted a number of free in-house shows with well-respected artists over the years (including Sonic Youth, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and even the late Elliott Smith).
Thrillhouse SF
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3422 Mission St / Website
If you fancy yourself a punkhead, Thrillhouse is the spot for you, boasting the city's most thorough collection of punk, post-punk, and nu-metal. Thrillhouse is punk in practice as well as appearance: they're an entirely volunteer-run non-profit with radical zines for sale and even a screen-printing station at which your band can restock your shirts and merch. Of course, they host plenty of punk house shows as well.
Groove Merchant
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687 Haight St / Website
Owned and operated by acclaimed DJ and experimental artist Chris Veltri, the Groove Merchant offers a small but undoubtedly mighty selection of soul, funk, R&B, and rap. Veltri is also a self-proclaimed peddler of "countercultural curios", making the Groove Merchant an excellent spot to find rarities and collectibles you'd never encounter elsewhere (think vintage Talking Heads pins and original tickets from 1960s jazz shows).
Rooky Ricardo's Records
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419 Haight St / Website
Rooky Ricardo's isn't just another Lower Haight record shop with a warm, charmingly decorated interior and a well-rounded assortment of soul, jazz, and funk, for Ricardo's is helmed by Dick - the most amicable, knowledgeable record store owner this side of the Mississippi.
If his selection overwhelms, just reach out to him behind the counter and he'll be happy to help steer you through the teeming piles towards the buried gems. In addition to a handful of listening stations, Ricardo's offers Dick's highly sought-after personal mixtapes (mixtapes are like playlists before Spotify was a thing).
See also: Rage Against the Machine at These Best Underground Bay Area Punk Venues
Photography by:
Other than maybe a bookstore or a solid thrift shop, few storefronts are as easy to lose an afternoon in than a well-stocked record store. The uniquely fulfilling experience of rifling through a bin of dusty $1.00 records and unearthing that hidden gem with which you can impress all your Pitchfork-reading, NPR-listening friends is simply irreplicable.
For those in need of that cultural capital, we’ve gathered some of the best record stores in San Francisco to visit and name-drop in casual conversation so everyone knows you’re not a poseur.
See also: Discover the Radical World Of Silver Sprocket With These Must-Read Indie Comics And Graphic Novels
Vinyl Dreams
View this post on Instagram
593 Haight St / Website
This low-ceilinged Lower Haight hangout is the city’s go-to for drum-and-bass, electronica, house, and dance. Though they specialize in eminently danceable breakbeats and disco vibes, Vinyl Dreams also touts a respectable hip-hop and funk selection. It’s worth checking out Vinyl Dreams consistently even when you’re not in a record-perusing mood for they are known to host vibey spontaneous shindigs with sets from local DJs and artists.
Noise
View this post on Instagram
3427 Balboa St / Website
Just across the street from the historic Balboa Theater in the Richmond District, the family-owned Noise operates as a record store, art exhibition space, and live jazz venue. If the SF Jazz Festival offerings this summer aren’t sufficiently underground, be sure to check out a Noise show to experience the cutting-edge of the city’s jazz scene.
Sweetening the pot even further, Noise is equipped with listening stations at which you can sample any records you'd like before purchasing - a dream for choosy buyers.
Stranded Records
View this post on Instagram
1055 Valencia St / Website
A short walk from Dolores Park, Stranded Records is run by the indie archival label Superior Viaduct and boasts an impressively eccentric array of new arrivals and used gems that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
If their selection of left-field avant-garde, ambient, and free-jazz works is a bit intimidating, stop by one of their live shows first with the best local experimental artists to scout out the vibe.
Amoeba Music
View this post on Instagram
1855 Haight St / Website
Sitting in a retrofitted bowling alley right on the edge of Golden Gate Park, Amoeba SF is a storied record store and hang-out originally founded in Berkeley just across the bay. Their collection is remarkably robust (it turns out you can squeeze immense amounts of records into an old bowling alley) with a particular emphasis on experimental rock, electronica, and hip-hop.
They've also hosted a number of free in-house shows with well-respected artists over the years (including Sonic Youth, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and even the late Elliott Smith).
Thrillhouse SF
View this post on Instagram
3422 Mission St / Website
If you fancy yourself a punkhead, Thrillhouse is the spot for you, boasting the city's most thorough collection of punk, post-punk, and nu-metal. Thrillhouse is punk in practice as well as appearance: they're an entirely volunteer-run non-profit with radical zines for sale and even a screen-printing station at which your band can restock your shirts and merch. Of course, they host plenty of punk house shows as well.
Groove Merchant
View this post on Instagram
687 Haight St / Website
Owned and operated by acclaimed DJ and experimental artist Chris Veltri, the Groove Merchant offers a small but undoubtedly mighty selection of soul, funk, R&B, and rap. Veltri is also a self-proclaimed peddler of "countercultural curios", making the Groove Merchant an excellent spot to find rarities and collectibles you'd never encounter elsewhere (think vintage Talking Heads pins and original tickets from 1960s jazz shows).
Rooky Ricardo's Records
View this post on Instagram
419 Haight St / Website
Rooky Ricardo's isn't just another Lower Haight record shop with a warm, charmingly decorated interior and a well-rounded assortment of soul, jazz, and funk, for Ricardo's is helmed by Dick - the most amicable, knowledgeable record store owner this side of the Mississippi.
If his selection overwhelms, just reach out to him behind the counter and he'll be happy to help steer you through the teeming piles towards the buried gems. In addition to a handful of listening stations, Ricardo's offers Dick's highly sought-after personal mixtapes (mixtapes are like playlists before Spotify was a thing).
See also: Rage Against the Machine at These Best Underground Bay Area Punk Venues
Photography by:
