We visited Amoeba Music yesterday, and the staff there were so welcoming to our doggie Meatball…read more They even gave him some treats. So nice! :) I bookmarked this spot to visit since it was my boyfriend's 1st visit in Berkeley, and I thought this was a cool store to check out. We did have to check in his backpack at the entrance of the store, which is no issue. They have lots of selection of music, and my bf found a vinyl that he has been looking for a long time - The Big Lebowski one. He was so happy! This is definitely a good spot to check out if you're into music and especially if you want to get vinyls and cds. They also have some cool lunch boxes and posters as well plus other interesting items. Parking in Berkeley can be tough though. We drive around for about 18 minutes before we finally found a spot to park.

Showed up in our 2nd stop around the Berkeley downtown/campus area to browse for music. Got some…read morenew trendy vinyl (36) not the best price but trends do drive prices so ehhh it is what it is. Vintage things can be quite cheap depending on format and popularity. Picked up Damian Marley's stony hill (7) for a cd that's a good price, will be more rare through the years. Also picked up Nelson Ned for the same price but in vinyl. Now ask people about famous Brazilian singers in Spanish he's top of that list, good price for refined ears. 5/5 great store

Quaint yet the selection doesn't feel limited, just enough - the perfect little record shop! I love…read morethat you're able to listen to vinyls on their record player and they even have headphones to use. Records are decently priced, labeled with sticky notes with its genre/vibe, and you can sell your records here too. I stumbled upon Hercules during an afternoon walk as it's tucked within the neighborhood. They are ran by very genuine and kind people!

My boyfriend and I love music, he has a record player back home in Sac., and drags me to every and…read moreany record store. I love it bc I can also buy some vinyl and enjoy it at his house. He took me here this weekend and it was so fun, the staff was respectful and kind and he ended up buying 3 records and a CD! The CD was a Bob Dylan live CD, and it cost him only $3! Please check them out! You won't regret going! The store is sooooo pretty too!

wack as wack can be! I released two back to back records with these clowns. both dot splatter. 1st…read morepress came out with with what looks like polka dots ....all 500 of them. sent sales rep a message and he gave me the most lame excuse "its cause its a 7in not a 12 in so the splatter trails aren't dynamic" 1st of all......this is my 6th release under my own label and 15th overall with other projects....ive done nothing but 7in releases and NEVER had a problem. offered me a crummy 100$ refund ( which I never got back) fast forward a few weeks later to my next release and same dot splatter came out perfect. sent rep a message with photos of the two and got ghosted. no reply. no refund, nothing. I slent well over 4k to get ghosted by a third party broker. stay far away from these shucks. below are photos of the two release and a photo of advertised dot splatter from "manufacturer " aka broker.

poor quality product. poor service. poor attitudes! I would strongly recommend DO NOT USE!read more

Great selection and honest pricing! A real asset to the East Bay Vinyl community!! Picked up more…read morethan a few grails. They even had cassettes!!

Contact is the kind of small, curated record store that I love to see. I only just found out about…read moretheir shop recently, but am really excited to check them out again soon. They are located in an alley off 49th (aptly named Alley 49), that has a number of cool small shops. Their shop is towards the end on the right (if coming from 49th.) As you walk in, new arrival LPs are the first thing you see, with several boxes of 7"s to your left. They also have several bins lining the left and back walls. While there are some smaller sections for genre's like blues, jazz, reggae, etc., the focus here is definitely more in the rock and alternative realm. Pricing for what they had seemed reasonable. Given they have a strong selection, I would expect slightly elevated pricing, but nothing out of the ordinary here. While I wasn't able to find anything to take home during my visit, the person working the counter let me do my thing browsing the store, which is my preference (over being bugged about what you're looking for.) Obviously to each their own, but suited my needs just fine!

If I could give this place 10 stars I totally would. Mark went above and beyond for me with my…read morecustom vinyl request. Not only was it fast, easy, and super friendly but my record sounds great!! I highly recommend anyone that wants a custom vinyl to come here!! We will for sure be back!!

From the owner: 16kHz is the bay areas best vinyl record pressing manufacturer. We offer 12",10",7" pressing and…read morecustom printing. With decades of experience you can trust that your records are going to look and sound amazing. We create top quality products so bands and labels can give collectors what they're looking for. High quality pieces to add to their collections.

I've come here now two times after passing by for years but being too busy to stop in. It is…read morecrammed inside. Watch your step, and start browsing. When I came in a few weeks ago I was the only one inside and was looking for Queen - Hot Space. Who I assume to be the shop owner knew he didn't have it, but showed me the Queen section and I walked out with The Game. There was also a flyer at the checkout area advertising a record sale going on at USF, so props for advertising other record finding events. Everything isn't here. It's a local vinyl shop that has so much to look through, and if you're into that then this is the record shop for you. It gives me the thrill of thrifting back in 2007-2016, but for records. I walked out with international vinyls showcasing music from Brazil and Nicaragua last weekend, but finding the Thriller album was icing on the cake. I wasn't really looking for it, but there is a Jackson 5 section showcasing many of the Jackson 5 albums and their individual projects. Service - I had great service the first time I went because no one else was there. The second time I went, the service was still good but being that it was busy, he pointed me to the exact locations I could find what I was looking for if it was there. I feel like he really knows his shop, and that in itself is valuable. There are many, many vinyls. They're organized as well.

Groove Yard is a gem. Rick is one of those rare shop owners who makes you feel immediately welcome,…read moreand he truly knows his collection. There's always an amazing variety of vinyl to dig through, and the prices are great. Highly recommend this local record store.

Have religiously visited Stranded Records location in Rockridge and prior location just off…read morePiedmont Avenue over the years. I also frequent the shop in the SF Mission District and have visited the NYC Lower East Side location. What makes Stranded unique is that it feels like a well curated shop of eclectic music. They carry new and used genres - Jazz, Rock, R&B, Hip Hop, Electronic, African, Reggae, Soundtracks, etc.. It's always a pleasure to stop bye because you never know what you will find. So be prepared to spend some time there if you are a true digger. The guys in the shop are also pretty friendly and welcoming. It also helps that the shop is located on a nice stretch of College Avenue in Oakland that has a lot to offer and close to Rockridge BART Station - shopping (groceries, hardware, bookstore, bakery, coffee/tea, home decor, etc.) restaurants and bars at different price points. They also have a small couch that can come in handy if your friend or partner just wants to hang out while you are browsing. Prices can vary and are comparable to other record shops. Anyone that enjoys vinyl would be well advised to check out this shop !

They stayed open late for me. Got 4 records will come back for a 5th and 6th..and 7th..and.. Staff…read morewas so nice. My dog Mia and I enjoyed our visit. Thanks!

Small record store located behind other stores. You pretty much have to know it's their to find it…read more If you follow the garden path behind the flower stand you'll find it. They have a decent selection of all genres of music on different media including 45's and LPs. There are even sales! The lady working there seemed friendly and helpful. I would definitely go again when in the area.

Browsing through the collection at Mars always turns into taking home some gems. Fun shop to hang…read moreout at and talk music with the owner, Steve. Great dude! Great shop!