It's got the charm of grandma's attic. Shop at your own peril. Prices are all over the map.

2.5 stars This review is from the perspective of someone trying to sell something. This was necessitated by my parents downsizing, which left me with a like-new turntable and about 70 LPs. I came to Blue Groove Soundz after seeing the 3 $ signs on Yelp, and thinking I could get a higher price here. It ultimately comes down to relativity. Yes, I got a higher price than CD Cellar, but still much less than selling on eBay or even Craig's List.* To give you a comparison of the prices I would've gotten for the turntable: eBay: ~$500 Craig's List: $350 (this is where I actually sold it) Blue Groove Soundz: $50 CD Cellar: Didn't get a quote For the 70 LPs: eBay: ~$350 (excluding shipping/eBay fees) Craig's List: ~$250 (still posted on Craig's List so final prices TBD) Blue Groove Soundz: $70 (after haggling) CD Cellar: $35 So what did I do? You guessed it - I said "thank you but no thank you" and posted everything on Craig's List. I always knew I'd get a lower price when selling to a store, but I didn't expect the price to be less than half the Craig's List price. *That said, I give the store credit for testing my turntable and giving me a price quote for the 1 needed repair. read more

Blue Groove Soundz is located in Arlington. I've only actually been able to go inside this place once since they have the most unpredictable hours. The one time I went inside the owner was a friendly and helpful guy. The selection was decent and the prices weren't outrageous. The major problem is it's impossible to predict when it's actually open. Their social media pages haven't been updated in quite some time. I've been by this place on many a Saturday or Sunday afternoon which would seem to be the optimal time for a record store to be open only to find it closed. Incredibly frustrating. I would love it if this place was actually open predictably. read more

Have I been living under a rock? I mean, a pile of vinyl?? Five stars across the board?? Sorry everyone, but I have to dole out a two-star'er for Blue Groove Soundz. Most vinyl junkies I know of (myself included) are out for a deal on most easy-to-find vinyl but are willing to pay the big bucks for the rarities. That being said, why in the world did I see an Olivia Newton John 7" going for $3?! Riddle me this, BGS! While maybe I'm being hasty, I would like to point out that the quality of some of the records were also pretty shabby, keeping price in mind. I found a few Kinks albums that shouldn't have been going for anything over $1 for their jacked up covers and scratched surfaces. While this place does cover a good amount of ground when it comes to genres of music (their jazz section was surprisingly decent), I cannot understand their pricing scheme. BGS itself is housed in pretty cramped quarters and there seemed to be some areas in disarray-- it almost felt as if I was rummaging through my vinyl-hoarding grandpa's basement. While I have seen record shops that were in nothing BUT disarray (read: In Your Ear Records in Cambridge- sorry dude!), at least the price of records were justified and you could really find some rare stuff. When I visited, I noticed there was a spot for listening to records, but there was a hand-shaped, patchouli-scented candle lit right next to it. Not sure about your take on that, but it felt like scene from SNL's "The Ladies Man". Despite being one of a few other record shops in Arlington, BGS has potential for earning the title of the best record shop in Arlington, but oh boy, does it have a ways to go. read more

It's got the proper ambience of a good record store, with a healthy collection crammed into a basement, but like most other reviews have stated the prices are wildly inconsistent. 38 dollars for a scuffed, unsealed copy of Frankenchrist without the poster? Ha! Nice joke. 18 dollars for a scuffed, bruised and scratched promotional copy of Phantasmagoria by The Damned that you couldn't tell was scratched because you bought it in a dimly lit basement? Joke's over. They do have a very nice and very large selection of jazz records, and if you are well knowledgeable (and are prepared to spend an hour or two sifting througj everything) you'll definitely find some cheap bargains. But I can't see why anyone would knowingly overprice lower quality records like they do. read more

This place has every hallmark of the classic front: disorganization, nonsensical pricing, weird hours that aren't even remotely respected, and yet it remains in a relatively high-priced spot year after year. I buy records a fair amount, almost every month, and I can walk to this place in 7 minutes. But I haven't been inside for years because I know I'd be wasting my time. In short, I dont know what they sell in this place, but it sure ain't records. read more

Stumbled on this place while Googling record stores I hadn't been to yet in the DC area. Went to investigate immediately and found a small, basement record store located in the Westover neighborhood of Arlington. Decent selection for crate diggers with plenty of used soul, jazz, and funk to flip through, as well as afro, latin, blues, classic & contemporary rock, picture discs, turntable(s) to preview selections and/or for purchase. Some of the price comments before my review seem fair enough, but I don't mind paying a few extra bucks to keep a local record store open not to mention the feeling of being able to hold my finds in my hand to cherish (and hopefully use live someday). Two of my favorite record purchases of this year have come from two separate visits, one which was my first experience with, Medicine Show #7: High Jazz, and one I've been jamming the CD rip of since release, Shades of Blue; both from the incredible mind of Madlib, courtesy of Stones Throw and Blue Note, respectively. Nearby some great locations such as Lost Dog Cafe, Westover Market, a library, and a post office. Any time I need something from the above conveniences, it will be tempting not to think about this little gem where I can dig through for a quick treasure. read more

I'm a fan of this spot because it's a simplistic local record shop and needs all the support it can get from those that are fans of Vinyl or "old school" music, like myself. Granted, you can find a good portion of these items for significantly cheaper at a thrift store or online (or free at your local library). However, there's still something about remembering going to a local record shop and learning new things about old music. The history of both the artist and the era not only from the employees but the patrons as well. The vinyl selection is pretty cool, although the pricing could be a LOT better (i.e. cheaper) even with the email "sales" that they have it's not all that helpful. When trying to find this place I wasn't aware that it was a basement store. I found that all the more appealing. I did a lot of google maps directions and thought I had gone crazy, but once I "saw the sign" it instantly reminded me of my childhood and my frustration at the time turned into instant joy. I love music and the idea of revisiting old times from my childhood of just playing around in a record store as a kid. read more

Ordered album online from this shop on Discogs. Was a problem with zip code that was my fault and offered to repay for shipping. Was told reshipping out and now NO COMMUNICATION AT ALL. I realized it's probably because of a flood from finding them on here. Things happen and I feel bad they are dealing with this but if my record was damaged or destroyed then refund my money. Now I had to run a dispute through paypal for a refund as I already paid for it and still no communication with them and trying to get away with my money I guess..... read more

I just finished shopping here today (Record Store Day) and came away sufficiently impressed. It took me a couple circles around the building to find the place - it is a "basement" store - but once I saw the big sign, I parked in the little lot and walked down. Very big selection for such a small store. You could describe the place as "densely packed." There are relatively few LPs in the $1-$3 range, so if you are coming here expecting a huge selection of low-priced vinyl, you'll be disappointed. The LP I purchased could be found online for about $6 cheaper (including s/h), but I am supporting a local store so I didn't mind so much. There is a VERY nice selection of reissues/remasters (I picked up a 180 gram Smiths reissue) and a number of rarities as well. There are a couple bins of used 45s, a big Jazz selection, and a small Hip Hop selection. That said, there was a bigger selection of Hip Hop 12" singles than LPs. The CD selection is pretty minimal and a bit overpriced - $6 for a used CD is WAY too expensive in 2011. The staff was knowledgeable - especially the cutie in skinny jeans who was able to point out the band I had been unable to find. You can be put on a "waiting/notify" list and also sign up for an e-newsletter. All in all, a very nice store to spend some time in. read more

I really want to like this place, because it has a great indie record-store ambience and the guys are very knowledgeable. However, I can't give it more than 2 stars because they price new vinyl waaaaaay higher than anyone else in the area. For Record Store Day last weekend, I bought a set there for $105 that I found at another area store for $80. That's just fucking outrageous. Records that sell for $18-21 elsewhere are priced over $26 at Blue Groovez. I just don't see how they can justify these prices. And for Record Store Day, it's not as if you can comparison shop and then go back to whatever place is cheapest. Wait--I just answered my own question. They do have off-street parking, but it's two spaces in a lot shared with other businesses. If you do park there, though, look for the parking sign for the baby photography studio--it's worth it. read more

Gary, the owner makes it his business to know music. All of it: jazz, hip hop, reggae, rock you name it. Let me pop a cd out of the shrink wrap to see if I liked it. Definitely not your big box store! read more

While visiting Arlington I twice went by the store during posted business hours but they were closed. Not a good way to run a store.

I want to love Blue Groove Soundz, I really do. It's in Northern Virginia so, relatively easy to reach. It is a stone's throw from CD Cellar, so convenient when I make a trip 'across the river.' That said, more often than not, I leave BGS empty handed, and rarely for lack of trying Good/great record stores typically have some combination of three elements: 1. Good selection 2. Good prices 3. Great location/store/enjoyable to shop BGS certainly has the stock and as near as I can figure, it is the reason I occasionally visit, optimistically hoping I'll unearth something interesting at a fair price. Which leads me to the second point, prices. Let me just say this; I'm completely comfortable overpaying for mint/near mint records. I do it often, more often than I'd like to admit. But at BGS, pricing seems to be only tangentially related to condition. If I had a fiver for every time I've pulled a record with a higher price--perhaps twice what I've seen if for elsewhere--expecting it will be immaculate, and well, it is not. As a collector, a venial sin in my book. If you visit a shop consistently and cannot figure out why and how they price, you should likely consider another shop. When visiting in person, the store is frequently cluttered and difficult to shop; I'm assuming the proprietor relies heavily on Ebay, Amazon etc., given this fact. Revenue is coming from elsewhere. I've spoken to the owner a number of times and he's a nice enough fellow; he'll price stock that is not formally priced if he is in the shop. Admittedly, most of the time the quoted prices are surprising, but I must give credit where it is due. While I was tempted to assign a lower rating, I've had enough success with BGS--especially their new releases, which are more fairly priced--to recommend it, but only with qualification. Not a digging place by any means...proceed on these terms. read more

Store is almost never open :( have been trying to go in for over a year when I am in westover but hours are unpredictable. As an example they were closed on record store day drop 3 2020 during the afternoon read more

Two things that are surprising me right now, the reviews of Blue Groove, and Blue Grooves itself. First off, this store has a very small collection compared to most record stores in the area. Their selection mostly consists of overpriced reissues and way over priced used records. The owner definitely was friendly but he didn't seem to know too much about music outside of soul/funk. Howard R. says this is a vinyl junkies dream? Hahaha, yeah right! Either Howard R works there or he is a unexperienced "collector." Just as Thomas H. said, Blue grooves $10 records are most places $1 records. If the prices decresed by about 40% I could see some serious potential here, but for now, Blue Groove Soundz is for suckers. The store was also in an inconspicuous location, hidden in the basement of some office building in a back neighborhood in Arlington. read more

In a world where the record store is a dying bread I was happy their was a new store in town. Blue Groove has a great feel , three rooms, a comfortable listening station, cool artwork, and an awesome collection of jazz, soul, funk, rock and more. The stores owner, Gary is a nice guy, a little intimidating, but nice. So, how can a store with all of these positives receive such a low star score? The prices at blue groove are beyond overpriced, things that are in the dollar bins at most stores were anywhere from $7 to $20. John Lennon's "Shaved Fish," (1980's reissue) an album you can get anywhere for 2 or 3 bucks was $19.99! Bob Seger LP's (which should be in the garbage) were $7. I could go on and on about specifics but you get the idea. Many of the prices were based on the artist, for example, Fela Kuti and Dylan records regardless of condition or specific album were at least double the collectors price. I do not know how well the store does, I was the only person in their for over an hour. They clearly are able to take advantage of new collectors though, because experienced collectors wouldn't spend a dime here. It's a Shame because this store has tremendous potential, but unless they change their pricing they wont be around much longer. Blue Groove also has a lot of reissues, they must not get a very good price on them because they are way more expensive than Record and Tape Exchange and CD Cellar. read more

As a record enthusiast and collector I am thrilled when a new store opens up in my area, particularly since the "independent record store" is near extinction. So naturally, I was excited when Blue Groove Soundz opened up a few years back. My first few visits were disappointing, to say the least. However, it being a new store I thought I would give them another chance down the road. About six months later, I went back, Blue Groove Soundz was even worse than I had initially thought. It was bad enough I had promised myself to never go back. Frankly, I am shocked they are still open; I have never seen another customer in the store. Blue Groove Soundz is hard to find, located in the basement of an office building in Arlington. Upon entering, the unpleasant smell of incense overtakes you. The store is in a constant state of disarray. There are records everywhere, not only on shelves but in stacks all over the floor, so much you can barley navigate from bin to bin. On my last visit, I couldn't even get to the soul section because of the piles of junk. In addition to the records (stacked horizontally btw) broken record players and boxes are crammed anywhere there is space. Enough of being nit-picky, the main problems with Blue Groove Soundz are the exorbitant prices and lack of turnover. Words hardly explain how unreasonable the prices are, records found in other stores "$1 bin's" (Cat Stevens, Springsteen, Steely Dan, Wings, etc.) are anywhere from $5 to $15. Beat-up, later pressed, Beatles and Stones records are all over $20. The rock and soul sections appear to have no turnover, I swear I have seen the same for LP's for 2 years. Compared to other local stores they do have above average jazz and reggae titles, unfortunately they are way overpriced. The employees are friendly, but they have no place pricing LP's. The owner has a wide knowledge base of music, but limited knowledge on records, especially in determining condition. He is clearly inexperienced, and uses eBay "Buy it now" as his guide for pricing. Despite saying I would never go back, I found myself flipping through their LP's again last week. I was hoping that after 8 months they had changed. Sadly, just like the LPs in their rock section, the store has remained unchanged. read more

The Good - Located right by my house, I can walk there in 10 minutes. Most people probably don't live this close though. They have a good selection of new rock, pop, hip-hop and electronic releases, a little bit better than CD Cellar in Arlington I would say. I can't comment on their Jazz section though. They have a lot of turntables and receivers and accessories like record brushes and cleaning sprays and MFSL inner sleeves which is nice. They also buy records for more than anywhere else. I can get $10 or maybe even a little more for a record, where at CD Cellar I only get $5 for the same record. Their frequent sales of 10-25% off are nice, which you can see if you sign up for their email newsletter or like them on Facebook. The Bad - Very pricey. They were selling Daft Punk's Random Access Memories for $45!!!! They frequently charge $20 or more for a non 180 gram single LP release. I have sold them an LP I originally paid $24 for and they put it back on their shelf for $40! They seem to not price anything cheaper if it is opened and played versus if it's sealed. When I bought a $20 sealed record and sold it back to them after I had listened to it for a few months, they went and sold it for $20, even though it had been opened and played. Their customer service is also kind of iffy. I asked them to order a copy of Centipede Hz by Animal Collective, and they said it would take them about a week to get it in, and it took more than two weeks. I could have bought a record myself from Amazon or Discogs and gotten it in a week! When I brought my turntable in to get it looked at by their equipment fix-it guy they said it would take about a week. I came back a week and a half later to see how the repair was coming along, but my turntable had not moved from a shelf in the back. The lady behind the counter had just shoved it in the back somewhere and completely forgotten about it the day I dropped it off. Blue Groove Soundz has a good selection at prices that are a little more than they should be. They have bad to OK customer service, and a good (for me) location. I would give them two stars, but they are very close to my house so I keep coming back. read more

This is a vinyl junkies dream. In the four times I've visited so far, I have not walked out empty-handed. Their collection of classic Blue Note reissues are stellar, not to mention the turntables to listen to any number of albums. Great service, though the basement location is a little cramped. Since Orpheus went under, Blue Groove Soundz is the only (but top notch) game in town. read more

As someone who has been into vinyl for many years (40 or thereabouts), discovering Blue Groove was a very welcome surprise. The owner ( Gary ) has vast knowledge about records (that is quite apparent from talking to him). My own area of interest - jazz from the 50s and 60s - is abundantly stocked with major musicians. Plus, there is a selection of the best 180 gram audiophile pressings. As to prices, and hours devoted to getting your rare faves, better to purchase them at Blue Groove than chase all around the internet potentially wasting time and money. I'd definitely say drop by and see what is in stock. read more

Ack, this place is a no go zone for me. Very overpriced. For example, the sealed Blue Note albums you can find everywhere for $10 -- they're $14 here. But the worst part is they don't stand behind their merchandise. I bought 2 used albums, and both of them had major surface noise. One was so bad it was unlistenable, as the noise was louder than the music. If they had been a few bucks, maybe, but one was $19, the other $16, which was easily twice the price they should have been even in good condition. When I tried to return them, the clerk said they don't take returns. Never again. If you want vinyl, go to CD Cellar. read more

Called and asked about the Record Store Day, and they were extremely rude and would not answer any questions regarding what, if any, records they had in, claiming they didnt have the time to even give me a general idea of how many boxes they had and then hung up on me. I didnt know the record store business was booming so well that they could snuff potential customers, now I will drive to DC for a record store that doesnt treat customers like garbage. read more

Agree with others that prices are crazy. I want to like this place but can't justify the cost especially for damaged records. CD cellar in falls church is priced more reasonably and has a rewards program. read more

I am a strong supporter of small businesses in the metro area. That is, providing they are in the business of actually selling their offerings. My recent experience at Blue Groove Soundz left me somewhat perplexed. Allow me to clarify. Upon digging through the bins, I came up with a Jimi Hendrix LP with no price marked. My conversation with Blue Groove Soundz owner "Gary", went like this... ME: How much for this Hendrix album? GARY: Oh, I was looking for that. That's my personal copy and not for sale. But if it was for sale, it would be around $45. ME: Uhh..OK. (Continue to browse). GARY: (After about 10 minutes) Find anything? ME: Yes I did, thanks. I'll take these two... Spyro Gyra and Ramsey Lewis ( $8 each). GARY: Oh, damn. I was looking for those earlier. Those are my personal copies. I am going to take them home. ME: Ahhh. I see. How about this John Coltrane LP? GARY: Oh, that's available for $38. ME: Ouch. We'll have a good day, then. GARY: Be certain to check back with us soon. I am buying the building and we are going to expand before long. This will be my third shop, the first one is in Amsterdam and the second one just opened in London. I have that big screen TV (points to a 1990's tube TV) over there for sale if you are interested. ME: I'll keep it in mind. Thanks again. On the flip side, I give major props to the owner for keeping the spirit of independent business alive. The metro area could use a few more small/family owned businesses (albeit maybe with a slightly better business platform). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTE: Later that day I wander into a well established vinyl & CD store in Falls Church a bit down the road from BGS. ME: How much for this Mahalia Jackson LP? REGISTER GUY: Let's see..$3 work? ME: I'll take it, and these 5 other albums that are priced $5 each. read more

Nice selection, but buyer beware - this store is WAY overpriced, especially on sealed vinyl. Don't be suckered.

This record store is a BIG thumbs down! Their prices are WAAY too high for what is, for the most part, noisy and dirty records! The owner is delusional in his prices, and less, methinks MUCH less, than honest about condition, I heard that he has a 64% rating on eBay, how bad is that! While it may be cheaper to buy from BGS than ebay with shipping added on, careful checking of condition is all important. I know that I will not be going there again, I feel like I am being taken to the cleaners, when it's his records that need to be cleaned! read more

Blue Groove orders a ton for Record Store Day and Black Friday. The problem is the insane price gouging (which by the way is against rules that merchants agree to with the RSD people, but this isn't the only RSD rule Blue Groove blatantly violates). Often there are pre-printed price tags that he will write over in red pen with even higher prices if the owner sees that eBay prices are trending higher on these RSD titles and I'm not talking about weeks later, it's right when they open on RSD! If he's gonna charge maximum eBay prices, why would I need his store? I could order from eBay from the comfort of my own home, or the better option CD Cellar and the other reasonable shops in the DC area. Record Store Day should be a mutual celebration where a store can have a good day making a healthy profit selling a bunch of the limited edition titles and the customers can share in the fun by getting these limited titles. I used to go there out of convenience, but when you see that his prices are $10-15 higher (or more) per title than other stores, it's time to shop elsewhere. I'd rather drive further and not feel like I'm being robbed. It's a shame because I really want to like this place. As far as used vinyl, be careful. Everything's typically priced too high and be sure to look closely at the condition because often the records are trashed (top dollar for records that should either be in a dollar bin or thrown away). read more

Went for record store day 2013. They opened an hour late as they were not ready.....None of the RSD merchandise was priced and was still in the shipping boxes. When I got to the register after fighting my way through the horribly cramped space. I was surprised at how expensive the selections were but after waiting 3+ hours to get what I wanted I went ahead and purchased them. After getting home and comparing what others had paid for the same titles I got, I found out that Blue Groove Soundz charged upwards to three times the list price. I also noticed the owner not selling some RSD titles that customers had selected as he wanted them for his own collection. This is not the first time I have been upset with the way they do business but this is the last time I will ever set foot in this store. Do yourself a favor and support a store that actually cares about their customers. read more

Went here for Record Store Day. Left totally unimpressed. The owner did not let anyone actually search through the bins, but they called everything out and whomever responded first got it, even if they were at the end of the line. The markup was ridiculous. When you compare prices on-line, you'll see other stores in the DC area were charging $6.99 for the same record Blue Groove was charging $30 for. I understand small businesses need to mark up their prices to make ends meet, but when you stiff frequent customers like myself you are more likely to lose their business. In my case, I do not think I will be returning here. The staff was more involved with putting records aside for themselves and their friends instead of letting the customers who waited 2 1/2 hours out in the cold get their vinyl on a first come, first served basis. I left angry and disappointed that I waited for so long for basically nothing. BGS, I hope next year you handle RSD better...unfortunately I will not be coming to find out. You have lost a customer in me. read more

Very pleased this shop is practically in my neighborhood. One staff member there is extremely knowledgeable of reggae and its variants. He makes a specific effort to cultivate the selection therein. This is now my go to spot for dub and rock-steady. read more