We decided to take a day trip from St Louis to Springfield, IL to do some record shopping. Decided…read moreto check this place out and do a little detour on the way home. So glad we did. It's a small shop but VERY carefully curated. Absolutely worth the trip. You all also find used tapes, and cds as well as some small items perfecting for gifting the music lover in your life.

From the owner: Looking for a one-stop music shop? We've got you covered! From vinyl records to guitar strings,…read moremusic t-shirts to zines, and even a $4 all-day arcade. And, we're not just a music store, we're also a music venue featuring local and national artists. Have some music merch to sell? Give us a call!

Great independent music or record stores are getting harder to find. It often will be in a college…read moretown when you come across it. North Street Records is in such a town. Hard to find records and other artifacts. The staff certainly knows a lot about what they have, and will help find something. As in places like this, the music is the main thing of course. It has a lot to look through. They, as the name implies, specialize in vinyl. Great place to find more popular artists. Or more obscure. Also despite the name they also have other forms of music such as CDs. These like the records also are obsolete so might as well have these. Has a big collection of new and old items. It seems most people come in and just look around, but some people actually buy something. The main thing is the vinyl.

I talked with Jeff. He's a really knowledgeable cool human. I felt he offered fair prices for the…read morerecords I brought in...my childhood memories. He's honest with you. Which I find commendable. He is responsible in recycling, reusing, up-cycling records that can't be used anymore. I had a really great experience. I do need to say the I know nothing about records...but I can imagine he has an amazing selection.

Finally made it here after seeing this place in a TV ad. Came with a friend and we had a great time…read morejust browsing around. The space is really big and packed with records, DVDs, CDs, you name it. Everything is labeled pretty well but it can definitely feel overwhelming just because of how much there is. The good news is the staff is super friendly and easy to approach, so don't hesitate to ask them for help or something specific. I was also surprised by how much international stuff they carry. They even had a recent Kpop album from a group I like and I did not expect them to have it in stock. Overall just a really fun place to come to with friends, flip through some records, and maybe find something you weren't expecting. Would go back!

I was looking for a throwback record and I knew this would be the place to find it. I checked…read moreonline first which they said it was available but I also called to confirm. Not only did they have it available but it was priced well too. The staff was very friendly and this place is huge. Highly likely that whatever you are looking for, they'll have it here. My only issue would be parking. I was lucky to find a spot in front but usually it's busy in the loop so get make sure you are good with walking. Still a great location with all the other shops around. I will definitely return as my kids are into vinyl records now and would like a few of their own.

It was an Excellent Value. Received all my records in great…read morecondition and in a timely manner. Shipping and packaging was very very good. The value for the the purchase was on par with all the other providers.

Before reading this review, please keep in mind that...yes, I know this is a recently-opened…read morebusiness. And with it being new, you gotta start small sometimes. I also understand the smaller the business, the more local feel - I get it. I believe in supporting small businesses. I hope this place stays around for awhile but in all honesty I don't see it being open in a year. I've been wrong before, so I hope I'm proven wrong! I'm just gonna say you will not get the average record store feel with this one - which is sometimes a good thing. There was not very much of a selection. I was all excited to check out this place and when I finally visited, I was disappointed. It was like I stepped into one small near-empty room. I was impressed with how "new" it was with freshly-coated paint and all (this is in a really old downtown Alton building). But again, the room was very small, probably not much bigger than your bathroom at home. The owner's father was sitting there, and he was very friendly and I asked him a few questions. The answers were all the same - everything was limited and local. That's the one thing that I found cool is that the owner, Becca Peterson, is focused on selling vinyl and shirts from local bands. How cool is that? But that's pretty much where it all ends. I was just not that comfortable browsing while having the guy watch every move (like I was gonna do anything, right?). There wasn't even any music playing when I was there. Every record store should have something blasting from their old-school speakers! Just saying. If there is a vinyl record you want, there is a sheet available for you to write down what you want - and they will order it. But most people like me are better off getting them online like Amazon, Discogs and plenty of others.

Visited this store during the art fair last weekend. The selection of book is amazing and the owner…read moreis a wealth of information, very kind and approachable. If are looking for the hard to find, to comic books this is the place!!

Nice used bookstore, good for browsing, getting something specific (knowledgeable staff), or…read moreshopping for collectible editions. Not surprisingly, one of the best collections of Illinois and Lincoln history. Perfect location if you're visiting and staying in a downtown hotel. Next to a couple of good restaurants, if you're the sort who likes a book and a glass of wine. Odd but worthwhile stack of deep discounts on carts at entrance.

Pretty nice selection of old and new albums, cds, and tapes. We really enjoyed our time inside, and…read morethe woman at the counter was very helpful, and nice . You can definitely find some great deals with a little searching. We walked out with albums, tapes, and a sweatshirt. Not sure what the price limit is, but if you spend a certain amount, you get to go into the arcade in the back! Pinball machines, and video games! So awesome!!! Great little record store with a ton of personality!

Cool little shop with friendly staff and a good selection of records. There is a small arcade for…read morecustomers (unlimited games if you spend $10). Totally worth a stop in.

Great record store on Main Street in Eoris. They offer records, CD's , and cassette tapes. They…read morealso have vintage clothing. Owner is extremely knowledgeable about music and helpful when looking for a certain record.

good record selection with bargains to be had if you dig deep enough. I enjoy talking to the owner…read moreabout music while checking out.

Went there the first time about a month ago. WOW! So much to look through, Bought quite a bit and…read morewill be buying more.

I've been coming to GB's for 20+ years now, and even though I moved away and went digital years…read moreago, I always make it a point to come here and buy some CDs when I'm in town. Gary and Bob are great guys and have always been able to make good recommendations no matter what genre. Everything from the old shop smell to the faded posters on the wall is the same as it's ever been, and I couldn't be happier they've never changed despite everything around them. GB's should be considered a historic landmark of Decatur. I wish them all the best and hope they keep it going another 26 years.

Locally owned record store offering new and used records. Check out the bin by the front door,…read morehidden bargains.

Waiting Room is one of those places that is tiny but every single title is good. Most of the stock…read moreis new, but it's not just a bunch of mainstream stuff that you can find anywhere. I'm a fan of a lot of fairly obscure industrial, experimental, and electronic stuff, and they never disappoint. You can also find a lot of contemporary popular music (especially if it's more on the indie side of things), a great selection of metal, soundtracks, and jazz. They even have a cool selection of blu-rays, including some boutique label stuff. It's a great place for discovery. I can always count on finding some obscure jazz reissue that I hadn't even realized was available or some experimental/electronic title that I figured I'd have to order straight from the label. Highly, highly recommended.

I've always had good service, and can always find something new to buy from their good selection…read more They were the only place that I could still get the Forgotten Realms MtG booster and without the usual markup that the older sets get when they stop being the current expansion, making my dollar go farther and giving me a good value.

Poorly run game shop that dabbles in sports card breaks as a side hustle. Would not recommend.read more