Bop Street Records, Seattle, WA

Bop Street Records, located in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, is a veritable treasure trove for serious vinyl collectors (and casual browsers too).

The staff are incredibly helpful. From the moment I walked in, I was being asked about the kind of music I like, and what I might be looking for. They’ll point you in the right direction, then give you all the space you need to comb through their fantastic selection of records. They’re always around, ready to answer any questions, but without interfering with your browsing. Their prices are quite fair, as well.

The store is huge, with towering shelves of used and rare vinyl reaching almost to the ceiling. There isn’t much decoration at all, certainly not as much as you see in most record stores, but this is because almost every inch of the place is filled with records. If you need a break from browsing through records, climb on one of the ladders and pretend you’re in the library from Beauty & the Beast…they probably won’t mind. Downstairs is their massive collection of LP’s, and upstairs, their impressive selection of singles and 78’s, all in an impressive range of genres. They also carry cassettes and 8-tracks, rounding out their analog offerings.

Bop Street is a can’t-miss for record collectors visiting Seattle. Be sure to give yourself a few hours to comb through their massive stacks of records, and know that you’ll definitely be leaving with a gem…or twenty.