If I were in Nashville, I would want to go to a record store filled with country music and operated by a guy wearing jeans, boots, and a Stetson. If I were in New Orleans, I would want to go to a record store filled with jazz, operated by a guy who knows how to play the trumpet. And when I’m in San Diego, I want a record store that looks like a beach shack operated by a guy who knows how to surf. The San Diego experience is what you get at Vinyl Junkies Record Shack.
What to Expect from Vinyl Junkies Record Shack
Perhaps the biggest record store we visited during our trip to San Diego, Vinyl Junkies Record Shack, is a delightfully cute little beach shack filled with a very modern and very solid selection of records. If there is one shop that you can and should go to in San Diego, it’s probably this one.
Even before stepping inside, there isn’t a more centrally located record store in the entire city. If you are spending any time in the city, there is a very good chance you will find yourself near Little Italy, or Balboa Park. Either of these areas will be less than 10 minutes from Vinyl Junkies. There are also a ton of great bars and restaurants in the surrounding South Park neighborhood, like Space-Tiki Bar, Mothership, and the super trendy Whistle Stop Bar. If I were you, I would probably plan one of my nights hitting the local bars and then stumbling through the fantastic rows of records at Vinyl Junkies
Selection At Vinyl Junkies Record Shack
The selection and layout here feel like two stores in one. Starting with the selection by the main entrance, you have your usual collection of rock/pop records taking up the center of the store. This part of the store leans heavily toward new, with the used records being on the premium side. Think $20 and up for used records in this part of the store. New records are a good mix, and the selection will please the younger crowd. A fairly large portion of the records in this main room is a section labeled “indie/alt,” consequently, this is where I spent most of my time, and was not disappointed. Although it’s not uncommon to see a selection of rock and pop records that is this large, it was refreshing to see those genres further broken down. The separation of the Psych and Classic Rock sections was also a very nice touch. The Hip-Hop selection here doesn’t feel forgotten about, as it often does. If you are into that then this is one of the better shops in the area for music in that genre.
Besides the main room of the shop where the entrance is located, there are also 2 additional “rooms.” One is an outside area (covered, obviously), adorably named the Diggers Den, which is where you will find the used/bargain section. Any used records above the $15 or so mark will be mixed in with their respective genres, so the outdoor area operates as a fairly large bargain area. Records are all priced below $5, and there are deals available of the 5 fo $10 variety. Most of the stuff here was typical dollar bins records, so a good place to stock up on your oldies.
Just beyond the outdoor area is a second, smaller building. In here, you’ll find Vinyl Junkie’s fantastic punk selection and neighboring genres like metal, hardcore, etc. If you are looking for some West Coast punk albums, Offspring, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, and so on, there are plenty to be had.
Pricing at Vinyl Junkies Record Shack
Pricing at Vinyl Junkies was solid, as it was everywhere I went in San Diego. There aren’t any touristy or super premium shops price gouging innocent collectors, so you can shop at pretty much any record store in San Diego and be fairly confident you aren’t getting ripped off.
My Thoughts on Vinyl Junkies Record Shack
I wasn’t able to get to every shop in San Diego, bit I did come close. Between the 5 or so shops I was able to check out, Vinyl Junkies Record Shack was my favorite and probably the shop I would recommend the most. It’s in a great location near great bars and restaurants in a super cool neighborhood. The selection is great the employees were cool, and it is a shop that feels disntincly southern California.
And I got a cool slipmat, which may or may not be a disproportionately high part of my rating.
Records Purchased
Kneecap – Kneecap Movie Soundtrack
Address
2235 Fern St, San Diego, CA 92104