The humble strip-mall record store is rarely a shop that gets the recognition it deserves. Often nestled between a Chinese take-out restaurant and an AutoZone, these shops are the real hidden gems. Devoid of foot traffic, the strip-mall record store must offer something unique, something worth the dangerous journey to the suburbs. Record City does this with a varied selection at truly incredible prices, putting them right up there with the big boys of San Diego’s record stores.
What to Expect
Record City doesn’t look like much from the outside, and if you aren’t looking for it, you can miss it entirely. Tucked away in a strip mall called Nordic Village (Vikings famously discovered this strip-mall in the 1200’s) sandwiched between a dojo and a nail salon, the store has one of the largest record selections in San Diego. It’s not in the most walking-friendly part of town, and most people will cruise right through this intersection on their way to Sea World and Mission Beach. But the shop is at a major crossroads in San Diego, so if you’re going to Ocean Beach, Old Town, or across Mission Bay, you’ll be in spitting distance.
Selection at Record City
Record City had one of the most balanced selections of any store I went to on my San Diego trip. There were tons of rock and pop records, but every genre got the love and attention it deserved. This was true both in the number of records and the quality. Great used records and lots of new records were available in every section. The jazz section was a particular standout and had a ton of great new records available. Jazz is a genre I’ve been working to expand in my collection, but I am still pretty new to it, so being able to slowly build up the selection of classics that will actually get spun was a nice change of pace from all the rock records I had been gathering at this point on the trip.
Besides records, there was a fairly large CD collection as well as various knick-knacks throughout the store.
Prices at Record City
The selection at Record City was solid and well-rounded, but the pricing is the headline here. It has been a while since I have seen this many new records priced below $20. Everywhere I was finding brand-new classic records for as low as $18. The fantastic prices also extended to the used records, which are all priced surprisingly low.
Thoughts and Ratings on Record City
This isn’t the trendiest record store, so maybe try something like Vinyl Junkies if you want to do a photoshoot for your Instagram. But if you shop at a lot of record stores, you know this is usually a good thing and translates to a better selection. If you are looking for a place to spend some money on records and get a great return on your investment, then Record City should be on your radar if you are in San Diego.
Selection – 7/10
Prices – 9.5/10
Vibe – 6/10
Records Purchased
It Could Happen To You – Chet Baker
My Baby Just Cares For Me – Nina Simone
Address: 3545 Midway Dr., Ste. J, San Diego, CA 92110