Pretty pleased with Criminal! Lots of records, toys, etc. And like Adrian, the "clearance" section in the back was a total win! They had a lot of 45s, which my record collection is lacking. Everything in the store is organized & employees are really friendly. Prices are reasonable, as well. Parking is an issue, since it's situated in busy Little Five Points. read more

I really like Criminal Records! This place is an Atlanta staple and a favorite for the Little 5 community. I've been coming here since they were located next to Junkman's Daughter. I've seen several live mini concerts here and loved the intimate atmosphere. They have a really awesome comic book, record, CD, poster, and collectables sections. If you collect vinyl, be sure to check out the clearance section in the back of the store. They sell eclectic records for only $1.00!!! Please support Criminal Records if you're in the Little 5 Points area! You're sure to not be disappointed. read more

Criminal Records - Love the $1.00 record section! - Comic Books Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I visited the other nearby record store and spent most of my money there first. So I didn't stay here very long. As I had read, much of their inventory is newer vinyl. Which is fine if that's what you're looking for. I am interested in 1960s & 70s rock and blues. They have a section of it in the back of the store which I found to my liking. I found several albums that were on my wish list. Unfortunately, they all had issues (scratches). I did purchase a VERY nice Jethro Tull "Living in the Past" for $25. It was a solid purchase. The next time I am in town, I'll probably go back again to look around. Also, the young lady that rang up my purchase was super-friendly. That is a definite plus. Bottom line: I wouldn't drive far out of my way (in Atlanta traffic) to go here. But not a bad place. read more

Let me start off by saying, this place is a genuine fucking gold mine for anyone looking to snatch rare and exclusive vinyls you can't find anywhere else. There are bands that have exclusive merch and vinyls that I have been looking for, for years and missed every opportunity to snatch, and lo and behold Crim has my back. This is a one of a kind record store in ATL. Other smaller record stores in the area are great, but nothing beats Criminal. Nothing. And one of the coolest parts about this place that not many other record stores have is the ability to request for new albums or merch to be sold at the store for the future. I've seen similar implementations elsewhere but nowhere near as inclusive as it is here. Great job guys. read more

Little Five Points is a great place to visit, and I am glad that Criminal Records lives there! A great independent store with color and character, and with a clientele made up of colorful characters! Definitely adding to the coolness of Little Five Points, this shop is provides a great place to shop for CDs, comics, and fun. Great selection of music, both new and old. Lot's of CDs in the front for a buck. Fantastic place for comics and graphic mags. Would I make a special trip to go there? Probably not. Would I stop in whenever I am in Little Five Points? Absolutely! read more

This place has a lot of style and pizzaz! Records, movies, comics, toys, CD's, lots of cool stuff to browse! Local music all the way to world music! read more

A great place to find CDs, vinyl toys, comic books, and records. Good selection of music and the new store is a lot bigger! I usually end up getting my Kid Robot and comic book fix at this store. If I ever do buy a CD (I normally iTunes or Amazon it now-a-days) I will go to Criminal Records for my purchase... they usually have what I am looking for! P.S. I am sad that I missed the Eagles of Death Metal in store after reading a previous review! : ( read more

Criminal Records - Comic Books Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Worst experience ever! To help spare a longer review, in short there are a few ways stores go about handling covid. 1) Non-committal, 2) abides by standards, and 3) aggressive policies. Well, this place needs a new category of senseless, over the top covid restrictions and guidelines. I abide by standards but based on what happened here I will never again visit this place. I had decided to shop local for the holidays and needless to say, after what happened I ended up spending my $180 at target and amazon which I had hoped not to do. Please do yourself a favor and do not shop at this store. I would hate to think that I'm writing a poor review based on the actions of one employee but based on the experience, it's the whole entire staff and ownership. And Criminal records, please do not base this on "protecting the safety of others". There are ways to keep people safe and the way you handle this is not one of them. read more

I've been coming to Criminal Records for years...well over a decade! I have nothing but good things to say about this place. It's a music and comic book shop located in Little 5 Points (in Atlanta). My fiancé has a published comic and has been invited to do 2 signings at the store and we have been treated so well during both. Kale is one of the employees that deals with bookings for things like singings and he has always just gone above and beyond with accommodating us. The store also has a great selection of vinyl-new and used. I could flip through the music racks for hours. They have a preowned cd section that always has tons of awesome stuff for super cheap! Cool band tee shirts along the wall and lots of local art. If you're ever in the area, be sure to check this place out. read more

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I loved the mix of vinyl, CD, cassette & sample albums that were available for purchase. The photo booth was really neat (had to try it while I was there!) and I loved the comic book selection. Prices were fair and there were so many different vinyl options, even though you had to explore and see what was there. But that's half the experience! The employees were nice and incredibly helpful. read more

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(3.50 stars) With Euclid Ave crowded on a sunny Sunday afternoon, we ducked in to Criminal Records; a place I had actually read about before leaving for vacation. Being old enough to have been "raised on vinyl," adventurous enough as a teen to have become a "regular" at more than one of the Greenwich Village old/used record mega-stores and having very eclectic tastes in music, Criminal Records felt very much "at home." While our sons browsed the music and comics, I noticed more than a few of the records which I had, in their time, regarded as outstanding music that never found a broad commercial appeal. Hopefully my copies are safe and sound in our basement, but kudos to Criminal Records for recognizing them as being significant. Their inventory is hardly encyclopedic, but appears to faithfully represent the eras and genres that I know best. There is also quite a bit from artists I've never heard of; I'm inclined to categorize them as "independent," but my sons would more likely attribute this to my advanced age! A fun stop. read more

Sometimes I grow bored with music shops where the staff has music knowledge to share. You know... those hours of discussing what the fuck happened to Rod Stewart, or references to Godard's "Alphaville" from Faith No More lyrics, or the best Fugs lineups, or whether we'll ever see a "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 2" (We're still waiting, Georgios) while flipping through crate after crate of vinyl, tray after tray of used and new CDs... Sometimes I just want to walk in, be bombarded by every pop culture reference from Reddit and the internet's other hive-mind communities, and then head back out into the world 45 minutes later feeling empty inside. When that urge overtakes me, and I happen to be already in Little Five Points, I head to Criminal Records. OK OK... I'll admit, Criminal does have a decent selection of music - new and used CDs and vinyl - and if you're in the mood for something else, there are comic books, toys and movies, as well. And by "toys and movies" I don't mean Magic Bullets or Butterfly Kisses and "Emmanuelle in Space" or "Latin Fever Vol. 93". As with most shops, they're heavy on the mainstream, but after making your way through the onslaught of shit that screams, "Hey! Recognize me? I'm that CD/movie that you saw referenced on a Buzzfeed list of most obscure blah blah blah...," you may be surprised to find an admirable assortment of reggae and other non-pop/rock/hip-hop genres on vinyl, and even more on CD (but I could find no Lô Borges - not surprising; or anyone who'd heard of him - disappointing). And to imply that the staff isn't particularly helpful is not totally fair, because the limited knowledge of the employees I've encountered here is most likely explained by their youth. They do try... kind of. I'm sure that those older fellas who can play Six Degrees of Billy Preston all day long at your favorite record shop might have started out like these barbate kids, but they did so without the help of Steve Jobs. It would be nice not to need to wait for them to check Wikipedia on their phones before getting a response to a query. And if those damned kids could stay off my lawn, that would be terrific. Prices for many records I found were on the low end of ridiculous, but nothing compared to the prices being charged for certain new releases and re-issues (one set selling for $70, I found for $24 online... by checking my phone in the store. Shit... I've become one of them). As with most stores, there's a CD dollar bin where one can find gag gifts or the occasional surprise. I will give those employees with whom I've interacted thus far gold stars for not being unhelpful douchebags as one may find in other music shops or among other smug, fixie-riding folk. What annoys me most about Criminal Records is that it just tries too fucking hard to be hip. But that's the nature of post-2000 L5P, isn't it? The graphic novels, magazines and music-related books are a nice touch, as are the DVDs and Blu-rays. And perhaps the fact that they put "cult" films and other obscure flicks and movies that are the butt of internet memes on display to draw more attention to the likes of "Shock Waves", "The Stuff", "Thriller: They Call Her One-Eye" (or, "A Cruel Picture", as it was called in my day, when we walked eight miles through lava to reach school each day), "Videodrome", "Suspiria", "Street Trash", and "Troll 2" is just proof that they know their clientele. But like a masseuse with eczema, something about it rubs me the wrong way. That "Zardoz" doesn't have its own display pillar is perhaps the greatest surprise of all. Overall, 6/10. read more

Criminal Records is a much-beloved institution among hipsters, hipster doofi, music snobs, nerds masquerading as hipsters (you can tell by the thickness of the lenses in their chunky black glasses) and hipsters masquerading as nerds (said black glasses are virtually lensless...oh and their Macs. True nerds wouldn't be using a Mac.) I can understand the devotion, really I can. I respect Criminal for bringing both well-known and to-be-known talent (both musical and otherwise) for in-store appearances. I also dig their magazine collection. They have a considerable music collection. And they sell comics and action figures here. However, I, for one, am no music snob. I can't tell you the B-Side of an obscure late 70s punk band. In fact, I could barely tell you an A-side of one. My musical influences stop at the verbally-abusive Russian piano teacher I had when I was 10. Yeah, I got yer Fur Elise right here, Lady...in my pants. I am also not a nerd masquerading as a hipster as I am pretty much a nerd through and through. I came about it the hard way--during a time that was pre-Internet, pre-Bill Gates rich as Croesus household name, pre-it's kind of hip to be square as long as you're not nerdy enough to quote a song by Huey Lewis and the News. Bear all of this in mind when I say that Criminal is just okay to me. I visit it when I'm in the area, but I don't make special trips here. Other friends in comic nerdness say they're great when you have a pull list. I'm too lazy and have too little attention span for a pull list, so I buy off the rack. And much like a too-skinny Nicole Richie, Criminal's rack has never impressed me. That's why I always drove out to either Oxford or Titan for my books. Nevertheless, three and a half stars rounded down to three for Criminal. A tepid review, I know, but should you ever go, I'd still feel sad. read more

Fantastic selection of records, especially if you're looking to buy new rather than used. Really well organized, not the cheapest prices in the area but its worth it if you've got something in mind you can't find anywhere else, including online. Great covid safety measures and friendly staff. read more

Little Five Points is filled with colorful and quirky shops. Criminal Records is one such shop, and one worth visiting. In addition to music, this place offers comic books and graphic novels, cult films, and much more. The selection is promising (the mainstream mingles seamlessly with the rare and offbeat), the ambiance isn't forbiddingly elitist, and the pricing is moderate: not highway robbery but easily beatable online. Were I an Atlanta resident, I could see Criminal Records becoming a regular haunt. read more

Criminal Records isn't the store you go to for the best deals on today's most popular music. It's the store you go to when you're looking to buy the album from that local band you saw at The Earl, or if you need something obscure. For example, if you need Justin Timberlake's "Future Sex/Love Sounds," go to Best Buy or Target. If you need the new Southern Bitch album or Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers' self-titled classic, go to Criminal. Also, Criminal gets extra credit for having a great collection of comic books, many from local artists. And they host great in-store concerts from acts that come to town on tour. Recently, they had the Indigo Girls. read more

This is your average record store. No more no less. The staff seems to be friendly and have always been helpful when I need assistance. I collect records as well as action figures and this place conveniently stocks a wide selection of both. Placed smack dab in the middle of little 5 points it's an awesome place to stop in and look around. Every time I have a friend visiting from out of town I make sure to bring them by there. Offering both new and used albums, you can usually find what you want for a fairly reasonable price. Check it out if you have the time! read more

Love this place. Has everything old school from cassettes to cds. Even saw some comic books. Staff was cool and I found some great deals. I'll definitely be back. read more

The store is called Criminal Records. It should be called Criminal piles of other crap with a few dirty used records poorly arranged on two lonely shelves in the back. Great, they have a stage. I go to record stores to buy records, not attend concerts. Great, they have comics, I can buy the same trade paperbacks at the Barnes and Noble down the street for less money. Great, they have toys. If I want toys I will go to the toy store. If you like normal music, they have a wide variety of normal vinyl for just a dollar, and since the pretentious hipsters and lookieloos that populate this place in huge numbers don't care about normal music, you can find lots of it on the two other shelves for reasonable prices. If you have dreadlocks and visible tattoos and piercings, the staff is friendly and helpful, if you look remotely normal they will scoff at you and roll their eyes at your choices at checkout. read more

I should use this place to test people out. Seriously, if you can't find something that interests you at Criminal Records, then we can't be friends. We just don't have anything in common. Here you can find records, CDs, comics, toys, and even a few cult classics on DVD and blu ray. It takes a metropolis full of people to support a store like this, I'm sure, so be sure to come out and be one of them. You can even find some comics by local artists. The prices here are very good for an independent record store. Sure, you might be able to knock off a buck or two by going somewhere online. But 1) vinyl in hand is worth more to me than vinyl shipped 2) Criminal supports the local music and art scene and 3) you get to shop at Criminal Records! I just like being in the store. I'll grant you I'm a bit of a music, movie, and comic book geek, so the place is made for people like me, but I bet you'll enjoy it as well. And if you don't, well, see the first paragraph and I don't care about you anyway. The selection is amazing, and there are real finds here. Even in the milieu of CDs I have found a few I have been looking for that the big box stores don't carry. The vinyl selection is ridiculous, and the place stocks lots of new vinyl for indie rock bands. Buy something just so they stay alive for the next time your favorite bands release vinyl, so you'll have a place to pick it up. And grab some comics, because comics are cool and you should read more of them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to head down to Criminal to pick up the giant deluxe box version of Peace Sells I saw there on the last Record Store Day. Speaking of which, on that occasion they let me in for a few minutes after closing and fed me donuts while I picked up a Shins 7 inch. Where else would that EVER happen? read more

They let me bring my dog in. We regularly browse the comics together. How fun is that?! (along with everything else cool about the place that everyone has already said in their reviews) read more

In my old age, I've become pretty anti-digital music. It's a pain in the ass to keep my iPod charged. I'd rather just have CD's ready. Butch Walker put out a new album this week and I decided to just get the hard copy. Of course, it seems like no one has any clue who the guy is and it's impossible to find his stuff at mainstream music stores. Fortunately for me, I happened to be in Little 5 Friday night and knew Criminal Records had it in stock. I buzzed in, found it in about 2 seconds, and the guys at the cash wrap weren't your usual uninterested hipsters. They also told me about an event they'd be doing with Butch in the coming months, so of course I jumped on the mailing list for that. Yes, I'm a fangirl. I can definitely see myself going back when I'm in need of something a little more indie. read more

Soooo sad to leave this review because I found a lot of records I wanted to purchase, but me and my boyfriend were kicked out because he was wearing a cloth mask. The employees had their masks below their nose but we were asked to leave because ours didn't look up to par. I guess this is the world we live in now but it really sucks. read more

Criminal Records is one of the best things to ever happen to the Atlanta music scene, much less the city in general. There. I said it. Besides the in-stores and the variety of music, and the sheer volume and coolness of what they offer, you could spend an entire afternoon here and not be done shopping. Magazines, books, used cds, records, listening stations, comic books, talking to the ever cute and ever helpful staff.....ahem. One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday afternoon is to take my kids to Criminal, give them each 5$ and let them loose on the comics while I rifle through the used CDs. We all leave happy. I also go on occasional zine shopping sprees (I can get my Fader, Bust, and Yeti fixes all taken care of) here. Criminal Records is too cool for you (and me, for that matter) but it still welcomes us. And for that we should be grateful. read more

Heres the lowdown... Criminal Records is to ATL what Park Ave Cds are to Jamlando Great local indie record shop. They sell everything from great music in cd and vinyl form, to asian toys and comics. They also carry some great zinesThe staff is friendly and pretty knowledgeable. They do in-store performances (for touring bands) every now and then too. Come here first and support small independent business. Your local mom and pop shops need you. read more

Cool store. Lots of records, tons of Funko Pops and a fun comic book area with some cool wall books too. I really liked it here. I really enjoyed that my wife and I were greeted when we came in. That was a very nice touch. read more

The snarky staff is very helpful in answering the question, "Why not just buy new records through Amazon and used records through E-Bay?" After every customer left the store the staffed criticized their purchases. Not a fan of spending my money to support smug wannabe hipsters. Never again. read more

Walked in, looked around. After a bit of browsing, I was asked if I needed help. Staff was very polite and helpful. Got what I needed, and was on my way. Great cd and vinyl selection. Nice comic rack in the back. Nice to see an independent making it. read more

Super perfect obscure place to hang out in L5P. They have a significant collections of CDs, LPs, comic books, graphic novels, action figures, and bizarre finds. I ALWAYS stop by when I'm in the area, and sometimes I'll show up in the area solely for this place. So, they have a ton of LPs toward the back of the store, from $1, to cheaper used ones, to new music and (old) new collectibles. This is probably the main reason I stop by here. There's another little record shop a few stores down called Wax N Facts, but I've always preferred the former to the latter. The staff at Criminal is always so helpful and friendly. If I can't find something, they either work really hard to find it for me, or thoughtfully suggest that they can order it for me to later pick up. I once had their book guy look for about fifteen minutes for a book, and I really appreciated that. Really, Criminal is a place that you just want to stop by to observe. They have some really funky finds. The one downside is their prices. I've occasionally resorted to using Amazon for my LP purchases, but ever since the rumors that they were going to close down, I've done most of my business at Criminal. It's just an fun hang out, light on the obnoxious, for people who truly enjoy music. Ain't nothin' wrong with some of that. read more

Criminal Records is an institution in Atlanta - if you like record stores. Or off beat stores with comic books. Or stores with superhero action figures, manga, and all kinds of other fan gear to decorate your house with. Since I'm one of those people whose music is in the cloud and on iTunes, I don't have too much use for Criminal Records, but just as everyone else was, I too felt the sadness when there was a chance it might close down. Like I said, it's an institution, you just don't mess with institutions. And it's a cool one: I may not buy much, but I do enjoy perusing all the albums they have, looking at the collector comic books for sale and wondering at how expensive little figurines of Speed Racer and Batman can cost so darn much! Plus, there are lots of cool graphic novels, manga and other art related books, that I can easily lose myself in for hours at a time. Plus, the feel of Criminal Records is one of laid-back cool. It's located in the heart of Little Five Points for starters and it's perfectly suited for the funkiness of the surrounding area. I really can't think of a much better spot for such a place in all of Atlanta. So while Criminal Records doesn't earn my business a whole heck of a lot (I guess I'm not hipster enough), it certainly earns my respect and my thoughts on it as an Atlanta Yelper. read more

The best off the wall record store in Atlanta. Any questions? read more

The layout and atmosphere of this store is great. It's very spacious, very clean, and very well organized - you probably won't need to question where anything is. The staff is friendly and when I visited, there was lively discussion going on about both music and comics, which was great. It gets heavy points for all this. With that said, I deducted stars for two big reasons. First is the lack of Hip Hop selection. While this store has a bigger Hip Hop stock than Fantasyland Records, it's not very big at all in terms of either Hip Hop CDs or Hip Hop vinyl. This is an issue not only because I went into the store to look for Hip Hop but also because the store is in Atlanta...a huge hub for Hip Hop music (which also happens to be arguably the biggest genre of music right now)!!!! Even if you're looking for the most current mainstream project - you may not find it here. If you are looking for Hip Hop - check out Moods Music down the street (a literal 2 minute walk.) The second issue is pricing. It may be because I am from the Northwest, but this store had some of the most expensive pricing I have seen for new vinyl anywhere. We're talking mid/upper $30s for a single new mass produced vinyl! The prices on cds and cassettes (both new and used) were high as well. I'm all for supporting local stores, but we're not talking the normal $5.00 up-price here. While I didn't find anything here to buy (and even if I did, I probably wouldn't have bought it due to the prices,) visiting the store itself was pretty fun. If you're in the general area, it's definitely worth strolling around. NOTE: I didn't really visit the comic book section, though it looked pretty impressive in terms of size (a fair amount of long boxes of backstock - with everything bagged and boarded.) read more

Ah! Criminal Records. The unassuming exterior, the wealth of music inside. I was able to pick up a copy of O+S, instead of - say it with me now - "going online" to order it from Saddle Creek. See, places like this are what remain when the huge music stores (Virgin Megastore, Tower Records, Best Buy's shrinking music section) start to fold: a music store for the music lovers. Staff wasn't snobby or rude either, a welcome relief when you're ready to check out. Add to the CDs the extensive vinyl selection, cult DVDs, comic books, Kid Robot, figurines, various magazines, and one big ol' disco ball, and you have a very satisfying media experience. Just, try to go on a weekday, it gets kinda crowded on the weekend. read more

funky gifts, an excessive collection of vinyl, my favorite magazine in addition to the other forgotten music mags that people shouldn't sleep on. Yup, I'm a fan! This is one of the few spots I end up coming back to when I'm in town to visit. But I've never walked away empty handed here. It's that old music store feel that is now forgotten with the new-age of simply downloading music. Come here if you need to find something unique for that out-of-the-box type friend :-) read more

I love this place. They have a pretty good selection of used CDs. It's a bit slapdash but it's happy hunting. I found old JAMC and Jane's Addiction CDs. They also carry the latest music, too: I found the new Pixx album here. I can't vouch for their wax selections but it looked ample enough to me. This store also carries cassette tapes, DVDs, indie comics, T-shirts & band buttons. You'll spend some time perusing through all the doodads. It's a fun store for music and memorabilia fiends. read more

Criminal Records - Dig it - Comic Books Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Criminal Records Haiku Review Miles of tracks line shelves, staff on high dole out the goods, the goth toys pout on. read more

I've been to Criminal Records once in my life, and let me tell you the name is misleading. If you were to pass by it on the street, you would probably assume it's a record store and only a record store. But you would be very, very wrong, indeed. This place has a great selection of music in all formats, and the prices are decent.* The staff are generally very helpful, and they will even be super nice when you send them an e-mail correcting a musical inaccuracy on their part. (It had to be done!) Aside from the piles of music and staff who take it in stride, it's also a comic book store. I'm not talking Betty and Veronica at the supermarket check-out, but real honest-to-God comics and graphic novels. I think I even recall :: gasp:: action figures. It's like a nerd died and went to heaven. Criminal Records really is one of the nerdiest, geekiest places in Atlanta. And judging from the merchandise I'd venture to guess it's run by Peter Pan. No prob with that. Adulthood is overrated, anyway. One bone of contention, though: the inside is very small and very narrow, making for a lot of accidental (I assume) touchy-feely at crowded in-store shows. I swear somebody copped one on me at Old 97's. *I said they have decent prices, but to be honest, you can get most of the CDs cheaper at Best Buy. Of course, it's always worth a couple extra bucks to support your local indie scene. read more

If you're inside the perimeter and want to purchase comics, this is THE place to go. They have a great selection of new titles and a good back catalog. They've also got a good selection of toys and figures, not as much as some other stores in the area, but definitely reasonable. Great customer service and a friendly atmosphere. The downsides are few. Their location in Little Five Points means there are sometimes difficulties with finding a close parking spot. Also, they don't have a tremendous back catalog of trades and hard covers because of the store size. But these are mild dings on an otherwise tremendous store. They also sell CDs and records, but I'm a comic geek, so I didn't really pay attention to that side of the store. read more

Oh my - one of the greatest staff for music and comic books. Friendly too. My only complaint is that this place is so small that all the new CDs are locked up in the front counter cases so you can't drool on the CDs with your bare hands. Those that love music, it's essential to get you fingers on CDs especially the ones where you take a gamble on. However, the staff will be more than happy to pull the CDs for you to look at. Also, if you love comic books/magazines, they have a great collection of them too. If they don't have what you need, they can order the stuff for you. Nothing beats a record/CD/comic store that is DIY owned. Also, the used CDs are well priced. I remember when they used to be located near Variety Playhouse, in a much smaller store. Thumps up. read more

Great selection of new vinyl for all genres. Prices are on par with most online retailers. Better selection of new vinyl than most shops out there. Very clean for a record shop, and cleaner than most places in little 5. I try to hit it at least once a month. read more

Criminal Records - Comic Books Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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