With 2025 off to an unnerving start, it’s hard not to fall into an endless pit of doomscrolling. There is no time like the present to enter a time capsule — to travel back in time to when the state of the world didn’t feel like the brink of Armageddon. While we don’t yet have time capsules, a close second would be record stores, offering an escape into the universe of music. Whether you’re after chart-toppers or obscure deep cuts, these five stores near campus offer something for every listener — from vinyl and CDs to cassette tapes, each with its own unique charm and selection.
Generation Records
210 Thompson St.
A three-minute walk from the Kimmel Center for University Life, Generation Records channels the energy of an ’80s teenager, completely sticker-bombed with grungy graffiti-style stickers. The store carries classic rock like The Rolling Stones to metal rock like Black Sabbath, and just about every rock and metal subgenre out there. But don’t worry if metal rock isn’t your go-to — they also have modern pop, hip-hop, jazz, classical, alternative and punk. If you’re on a budget or hesitant to spend money on vinyl, used records start at $1.99. Generation Records also carries a wide spectrum of products, including classic vinyl, cassettes, CDs and DVDs, as well as posters of favorite old and new artists, such as Chappell Roan, Mick Jagger and David Bowie — and not to mention, a wide selection of metal-rock T-shirts.
Village Revival Records
197 Bleecker St.
Ever gone through your grandfather’s old record collection and wondered who half the artists were? If you haven’t, take a trip to Village Revival Records. While the window display and first aisle of the store showcases a large selection of modern-day records such as Kanye West, MF Doom, Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, the aisles become more eclectic the deeper you get into the shop. Adding to the ’70s nostalgia, there are stacks of cardboard boxes holding even more age-old vinyl that smell like tobacco and old paper. Altogether, Village Revival Records has a comfortingly grungy energy.
A-1 Record Shop
439 E. Sixth St.
In the heart of the East Village is A-1 Record Shop, a hoarder’s heaven. With a chalk graffiti and rainbow-painted exterior and ceiling plastered with record sleeves, the shop’s maximalism shows no mercy. But it doesn’t end there — the boisterous decor is accompanied by zany hybrid-genre music. The store welcomes shoppers with hundreds of records of artists that you have likely never heard before, with only one large crate dedicated to modern pop. For a full experience, listen to the records on the turntables by the window.
Ergot Records
32 E. Second St.
Featuring a forest green exterior, sleek birch wooden shelves and a disco ball, Ergot Records is neatly decorated with vinyl of iconic artists such as Bob Dylan, The Smiths and The Slits. The shop offers a calm, minimalist atmosphere, made cozy by the smooth jazz playing in the background. While Ergot Records is small, it does not lack in a wide variety of carefully curated genres on vinyl and CDs — soul funk, house, techno, dance muzik and U.K. street soul, just to name a few. The store also has a unique selection of books about music and poetry.
Manhattan45
220 E. 10th St.
If you’re strictly a fan of electronic dance music, then Manhattan45 has got you covered. Simply decorated with dark gray walls and metal shelves, the store has every EDM genre on vinyl any raver could ever dream of. Techno, disco, electronic, dubstep, drum and bass, deep house, jungle — the list goes on. With niche EDM thumping in the background and walls lined with albums from iconic techno artists like Aphex Twin and Keith Carnal, Manhattan45 has the power to transform anyone into a raver.
Contact Aryana Arora at [email protected].
