I cannot say enough good things about hawthorne stereo. we were referred here by the gentleman who works at jive time records in fremont to get a basic vinyl record setup. they did not disappoint. I was concerned about a prolonged in-store shopping experience bc of rising delta cases, so the folks here kindly consulted with me over the phone. it helps that they have their inventory listed online so we could browse together from afar. the person who helped us (believe their name is Alden?) was so lovely...answered my million bone headed questions about how audio equipment works & made sure we found the perfect setup for our needs and budget. when we'd made our selections, my partner and I were able to do a speedy pick-up in store (everyone was masked which was great!) and when we arrived our turntable was already set up for us so all we had to do when we got home was plug it in, wire it up, and play!! i'm SO HAPPY with our setup, everything sounds beautiful. thank you guys SO MUCH :) !! read more

My experience with Hawthorne can be summarized as follows: They are honest, to the point, and do excellent work. I recently acquired two turntables via Offerup/Craigslist, one of which I was able to restore myself with the exception of a capacitor swap (A Dual 510). While they weren't able to do a recap on site, Hawthorne was very honest in saying it may not be worth the cost to do it seeing as the table was working just fine, (Honesty was appreciated). The second table, A sony PS-X60 was most definitely worth the cost of whatever it needed as far as I was concerned. It was near mint physically but had a cueing issue that I suspected may be related to damping fluid which can be involved to replace (I didn't trust myself to repair this beauty). I dropped the turntable off at Hawthorne over the weekend and it was finished by Thursday the following week which was excellent turnaround time. They did a full service on the table (Beyond adjusting the cueing). The damping mechanism was actually working fine as well. In the end the cost was only $55 bucks which was amazing. It was such a good price that I was almost suspicious the issue was fixed I am embarrassed to say. It was most definitely fixed and the tables works as though it came out of a time machine from 1979, right from the Sony factory in Japan. My only issue now is getting a media stand worthy of such a machine, but that's another issue. :-D Thank you Hawthorne. read more

Amazing service, wonderful staff! Alden was especially helpful. He helped me find the exact right stereo system. I would give them six stars if I could! Highly recommend Hawthorne Stereo. read more

Hey look updated: surprise, it's still 5 stars. Hawthorne is awesome and stands by their shit. I will never shop elsewhere for hifi in Seattle. read more

Just had the BEST experience here. After going into Best Buy and being treated terribly, I google searched a good place to find record players in Seattle. I walked in and let him know I had zero experience and needed help picking out a receiver, speakers and turntable. He was friendly and had me in & out in 30 minutes with a set of all three for a little over $300. Customer service was awesome! Thanks again! Highly recommend read more

So, the truth? I bought from Hawthorne when I was in high school, when they were down in Portland (I'm 54, from a small town in Oregon). Over 20 years ago, after moving to Seattle, I stopped in to have my same unit repaired -- and the owner recognized the unit! I have purchased from them, had consignments, repairs, asked for help, asked questions far beyond what should really be covered. Robert's team is consistently helpful, intuitive, professionally friendly (This is a Compliment, and a rare one in Seattle these days). There's no attitude, their suggestions are consistently helpful and well thought-out. They carry pieces for every budget. I'm a fan of course. Honestly, though - I've tried other audio stores in Seattle and Bellevue, and have left those stores with remarkably poor customer experiences (I'm not listened to, their suggestions aren't in line with what I prefaced; mostly those experiences are, well, pretty empty, just like the stores are). I've lived in Seattle since 1988, and outside of shopping at Hawthorne, I've had two decent experiences from other audio shops. Two. Walking into Hawthorne is just a productive consumer experience. Whether you purchase then, later or never. read more

My husband bought a set of expensive speakers and a receiver from Hawthorne Stereo a month ago. The experience of purchasing the speakers was excellent: Knowledgeable salesperson, good customer service, great selection. We were happy to support a local business. However, the process of *returning* the speakers (in brand-new condition 2 days later -- and the receiver had not even been ordered yet so we never touched it) did not go so smoothly. We were told the money would be refunded in a few days. We followed up a week later and there had been some kind of mistake. They re-processed the refund and said wait a few days. In a few days, we received a partial refund. We were still missing $2,000. We called again and they said it was a keystroke error. A week later, still no refund. We called again. They said they just processed it the day before and we should wait 2-3 days. Still no refund. We finally did receive the full refund almost a month after purchase. The owner called to follow up and make sure we had received it. It's possible this was an isolated incident and an honest mistake, but it still made our overall experience with Hawthorne not so stellar. read more

Went to Hawthorne based on the great Yelp reviews, walked out with a receiver and pair of speakers that I was happy with. Didn't feel pushed or taken advantage of in any way (despite not being an expert on this stuff). They were patient and let me try out a variety of speakers until I found a pair that sounded good and were wife-approved. Their stock is mostly geared toward audio-only stereo setups (not surround or video) and that's fine - I didn't want/need that, and even though I was prepared to spend more on a more complicated setup, we talked it over and figured out none of that would be necessary for what I wanted (as opposed to them taking advantage of this to try selling me more!). In the end, I ended up with something higher-quality and for less money that addressed my specific needs. read more

Like many people, I recently decided to return to vinyl. It's been years since I've owned a turntable and I know nothing about high end audio. I was able to get a turntable from a friend who was upgrading his but still needed an amp and speakers. I figured high end audio was like high end anything else: 1) If you want quality and knowledgable advice avoid the big box stores. 2) Expect to pay a steep premium for even "entry level" gear. 3) Expect to be treated like an idiot because you don't know the lingo. I based this on my own experience working in specialty retail. I went into Hawthorne willing to endure being treated like an idiot and armed with a budget of $600 which I figured would be greeted with looks of incredulity. Instead the staff were super friendly and went out of their way to explain everything to me. They showed me a range of used gear and explained what I was getting for my money. They were also honest enough to point out that unless I was a complete audiophile nerd I'd probably have a really hard time telling the top of the line gear apart from the more affordable stuff. They hooked me up with a used NAD amp and Advent bookshelf speakers which sound fantastic. Best part is the bill came to less than $350 which left me with plenty of cash to rebuild my vinyl collection. The speakers had been rebuilt with new foam and the amp looked brand new save for a couple of scuffs on the case. A lot people blather on about the need to support local mom and pop businesses. To be honest, I find many mom and pop businesses to be poorly run and staffed with indifferent or even surly staff who are not worth spending money on. There's a reason they're struggling and it's not just Wal Mart or Amazon. Hawthorne on the other hand are the sort of local business that is worth every penny to support. Simply fantastic. read more

I thought I was going to be a night mare customer. I'm as fussy as it gets about stereo systems (raised by an audiophile, "soundstage" and "imaging" are my first language) but I have no money. My dad has a reel to reel listening room in very low cost of living Michigan. Me? I have (plural) philosophy degrees and an apartment in Queen Anne. Let's just say the Sallie Mae student loan servicers and I have wildly different ideas about what kind of stereo I can have. I decided to try these guys and see if I could get a used system for around $500. I could've; I just ended up falling in love with a new turntable that popped that price up a hundred bucks. Vintage wood paneled receiver? $170. Brand new high end British speakers? $230. Their treated listening room is just laid back and covered with tapestries, not spaceship baffling. They brought out vintage stuff for me. Hawthorne Stereo shears off a lot of the bullshit with hifi stores. When I asked about speaker cable, the sales person said "whatever works. It should be quality enough, but nothing past this basic stuff. You know, they've done studies that show nobody can hear the difference." Yes! When I called to ask about buying actual audio furniture last week, after some hemming and hawing they kinda told me it was a waste of money in my situation. Honest and awesome. They have a 15% and free cable system discount and you can trade up for some long period of time. There's also a warranty for used items -- they'll repair or replace them. I can't remember how long - I think a year. They still cleaned the pots on my receiver 1.5 years later, giving me a loaner receiver in the meantime. They know you can't go 3 days without music. They are totally awesome! read more

Around since 1946 (and thumbing it's nose at Magnolia Hi-Fi across the street for several decades), Hawthorne Stereo's vast selection of new and used home audio equipment offers bounty for amateur and audiophile alike. Robert, the owner/shopkeeper, embraces the needs of the budget buyer as well as the big spender without all of the usual home-audio claptrap about "punch" and "tube warmth. " He prefers to arrange a meeting between the audio equipment and a worthy piece of music ( such as an early-60s Bill Evans/Jim Hall collaboration) to remind you without an inkling of condescension that simply to sit and listen remains a noble pursuit. For anyone weary of the big-box retail electronic store chains and the $100 Monster-cable hard-sell, Hawthorne Stereo will not disappoint. read more

Love love this place and people. Mathew helped me with my new cartridge for the new Rega table I bought from them. Works perfectly. Couldn't be happier. They know how to install cartridge for best sound. This is because they are experts in analog. My previous neighbor in Bellevue sang their praises after he bought Naim gear from them. Being an audiophile I had visited Definitive Audio including their open house. Received cold shoulder and not welcoming attitude from personnel. I won't come back!!! I bought used speakers from Hawthorne before. Best experience. Not rushed and able to audition lots of different speakers till I found one that sounded good and met my budget. My advice to fellow audiophiles is that you can never tell how good a system sounds to you until you audition it. You cannot base your decision on reviews. Your own ear is the best judge. Thanks again Mathew and Hawthorne. Live long and prosper. read more

I have been to Hawthorne twice, and purchased twice. This is a laid back, no pressure store that has most anything and everything you'd want in audio systems. They'll work with your budget and not oversell. From vintage to modern, they have it all. Just go there, you won't be sorry. read more

If you are into good music and good reproduction of that music, this is the place for you!! The knowledgable staff, no fancy shmancy showroom, and down to earth prices are a welcome change. It really is a "pretty nice place". They primarily carry British high-end audio gear, such notables as Naim, Rega, Splendor, NHT, Music Hall and Cambridge Audio. The focus is on no-nonsense, no hype, good quality sound. They also have an enormous collection of used audio gear to fit all budgets and you will see some of the most obscure brands on those shelves, which is fun to look through, if for nothing else. The staff may seem standoffish, but they are really great. If you don't know much about the world of high-end audio, just ask. They will educate you if you are willing to listen. They really don't oversell (which is nice) and can help you put together a great budget hi-fi system. I highly reccomend making the jaunt accross the street from Magnolia Hi-Fi and Definitive to check out what they have to offer. read more

Decided to stop into Hawthorne Stereo today on a whim. My big floor speakers that I got for free in high school from my church finally bit the dust and I had been sick of listening to my records through a blown out left woofer. That's the end of my long story. People need to start making these things shorter so here goes. What you'll find at Hawthorne Stereo: Great Selection (For any budget) Good music Great Listening rooms No-nonsense staff (They were definately not trying to "sell" me on anything, they just suggested something for my situation, given my room size and my intentions for what kind of music I wanted to play) Good customer service A pretty nice place. I even explained that I was going to be bussing home so he wrapped the speakers up for me so I could carry them home in the rain on the bus. A+ service. Thank you, I will come back to buy a record player when the one I'm using now finally craps out. read more

Not disappointed by this place. The people are incredibly knowledgable. I think the perceived "rudeness" or "unfriendliness" other people have talked about comes from the fact that these guys are audio NERDS! You will get the best help ever here as a result. They know a TON about what they've got in store, and some of that may come out as a "teaching" attitude. Go in there and expect to LEARN! It's a better experience that way! I walked in, said "assume I know nothing about stereos and that I want to get into vinyl". Yeah that sounds really kinky, but they helped me anyway. I got a full system with a 5% discount for buying the whole thing there. I was told I could trade up too within the year for a bigger/better system if I wanted to at 80% of the original price of my stuff I brought back in trade! HOLY COW! Additionally, they set up my new turntable as much as they could for me before I left, and explained exactly how to do the rest at home. It was a breeze! I was given a map of vinyl record stores in Seattle to help me on my musical journey. They were patient with me as I listened to a couple sets of bookshelf speakers until I found what I liked best. read more

Even though they no longer work on older Gerard turntables, they were very helpful. I would give them 5 stars, but it's hard because they have a blanket policy - and I think there can always be exceptions. Having said that - these guys are very knowledgable and even immediately refunded me when we determined the needle I was about to purchase would not fit/work. Excellent merchants, very good shop to deal with. It's probably just me as I am disappointed my turntable couldn't be repaired here. I would definitely recommend them for audio gear and after sales service. Very solid, experienced people. read more

Love this place! It's like going to toy store as a kid! They have a great selection and they offer fair value for your trade ins. Will definitely go back for more upgrades! read more

I have had a long and very happy relationship. I have bought and sold several items through their store, and have had items repaired. They are always one of the first sources for my own audiofile hobby. Prices are very good, and there is always a good selection to chose from. 5 stars! read more

I Brought in a vintage receiver for repair. They turned it around in 24 hours. I bring it home plug it in it has the same issue I brought it in to be repaired. Take it back and I am told it's because a component is failing that will be impossible to repair and is no longer produced. Not good news on a very expensive and rare item. After trying to find a replacement part for 6 months I found another repair person who wanted to look at it. He simply traced the issue back through the schematic and found that the problem originated in a button that was never checked or cleaned with deoxit by Hawthornes repair person. For 1/3rd the price including a full recapping of the phono section my receiver performs like new. read more

In my quest to upgrade my audio setup I stumbled upon this small local stereo shop. Originally, a 2ch integrated stereo amplifier was not even on my radar. Even though I only ran a two channel system prior to this, I was still conditioned to think that a multi-channel (5.1/7.2) home theater receiver was the way to go. They don't have a single multi-channel unit in the store - they focus on quality sound from a stereo setup (stuff they carry can be integrated into a home theater system though). I described the situation in my home and what I was looking for. Dominic was extremely helpful, and informative about the type of systems and the benefits of certain designs. I got my hi-fi education real quick. The first setup he auditioned for me ended up being what I installed in my house. It also was budget friendly. I didn't get the sense he was up-selling anything. I checked out magnoila/best buy, and did a TON of internet research and ended up coming back. Everything Dominic had told me was spot on. I got some nice, cut-to-length, thick gauge, shielded, speaker cables here as well for a reasonable price (they can also solder on banana plugs to the ends of the cable). They carry more quirky (but great sounding) brands of speakers, and definitely know how to setup a system! So if avoiding the mass-market systems is your goal, I recommend stopping by Hawthorne. The audio in my house has never sounded better. In fact I didn't even know it could sound this good. Oh they also let you control the music while you audition the speakers. Most of the other places I have been to start off by forcing me to listen to a selection of music - and only after sitting through that, can you ask to listen to certain tracks. I understand they are trying to show the range, but in the end, the setup has to sound good with the music you listen to. Using their Tidal and Deezer account, I was able to run through all the genres of music I love, and give it a real go. read more

Hawthorne is the store to go to if you want more from music than what your iPod or Circuit City system currently delivers. They carry a wide selection of affordable new and used mid and hi-fi equipment including Rega turntables, Quad speakers, Cambridge Audio components, 1970s Thorens turntables and Marantz receivers. In contrast to the other reviewers, I feel that their used gear is very reasonably priced. All merchandise is guaranteed and you can demo it before purchase, something that eBay cannot provide. The staff are extremely knowledgeable and have probably lived through all the changes in hi-fi technology. Their service department is also very trustworthy for turntable service or other needs. read more

This place is fantastic! Alden was super helpful in getting me the proper stereo set up. They set up the entire system in one of their listening rooms and let us test drive as long as needed. It was a very low pressure situation. They only care about you getting what you want/need out of a stereo system. Absolutely the best!!! read more

why would anyone go to a big box store ! i have used hawthorne for repairs in the past so it was a no brainer when it was time to upgrade to a sonos speaker system. very knowledgeable and trusting i was on my motorcycle and the speaker was to big for my backpack so we went outside to investigate the option of strapping it to the rack no problem it fit great and then we went back in side to run my card with it still strapped to my motorcycle. thats customer service. read more

Simply the best. Systems for every budget. New and used audio gear. Some high-end. Some more basic. 2 listening rooms (one of which is really excellent). Great policies (like getting credit towards upgrades on equipment you've purchased here). A frequently updated inventory of used equipment on their website. Very competent repair service. A fantastic inventory. Convenient parking. Convenient hours. Basically a clinic in how to run a good retail business. And finally, the two absolutely best attributes of Hawthorne Stereo: Very nice staff, and good advice every time. I bought my first really good stereo from these guys. It was a Creek integrated amp for around $300, and a pair of Epos ES12 speakers. Since then I have bought all of my gear from them (that was almost 20 years ago). I now have Naim gear from Hawthorne and it is almost miraculously good. Ok. That's enough. read more

Stereo gear is awesome, no guy could go in this place and not walk out wanting at least 5 items to take home... Nothing sounds as good as a solid 2.1 setup, I dont care what the guys at Mag or Best Buy told you :-) Buy some used gear, learn a ton, sell it for a slight loss, buy some more.... read more

Cool and nerdy stereo store with every high end audio contraption available for the home listener and what it looks like, for the professional DJ. Turntables and receivers. Tape players and speakers. They now how to do everything. Their listening room is super set up and they are one of the only places in town that can replace the cartridge and stylus on your old turntable from wayback when. read more

Had a high end cartridge installed on my turntable , and trusted it was installed correctly. I took my turntable in to another Seattle hifi store , for an unrelated issue, and they informed me the cartridge was not set up correctly . The counterweight setting was wrong and the anti skate setting. If you claim to be an "expert" then do it correctly , not sloppily. I've only dealt with a few employees Here, but both have been impatient and a bit arrogant . read more

Awesome staff, not too pushy but very knowledgeable. They will let you browse as long as you need and listen as much you want. A lot of the other places let you play one song and expects you to buy something. Agree with Joshua about the store's used equipment being on the higher end of the price spectrum. You can always find cheaper equipment on Audiogon's website from other users. read more

These guys are great. I've been working with Dominic (actually pestering him for advice and listening sessions) shortly after the pandemic began when I decided to replace my 25 year old system. I used to follow hi-fi, but was way out of the game. (What the heck is a "streamer"?) Anyway, they listened to me describe what music I liked and how I wanted to play it (turntable, CD, streamer, Roon) and never tried to push me one way or the other. Then once I figured out which direction I wanted to go (main system in TV room with satellite Wi-Fi all-in-one units in living room and kitchen), Dominic had a multitude of great suggestions along the way. My "journey" has been ongoing and Hawthorne always gives me a fair trade in price when I upgrade. And they LMK what future upgrades look like, and cost, to help me make better decisions in advance. And their tiny little used vinyl selection is pretty good. Super highly recommended. read more

Always fun even to just look. Huge selection of used high end gear and speakers. Bought a pair of speakers that ended up having an issue and they were right in it, fixed up and covered. 1st class read more

Talk about great customer service. John hooked me up with a great used receiver to go with the speakers I had previously purchased from them. He also showed me how to work the new receiver and how to connect everything. I don't do reviews, but in the day and age of Amazon, go to these folks first. Amazon can't give you what Hawthorn Stereo can. Shop local! read more

Super informative. No sales pressure. Helped me pick out an awesome turn table and set it up for me.

This review is about Seattle's Hawthorne Stereo, but I don't live in Seattle. Not even terribly close, as a matter of fact. My hometown of Vancouver, Washington is like, 185 miles away or something (I'm right across the river from Portland, Oregon). But as a passionate music lover who really enjoys great hi-fi, making a monthly, three-hour trip to Seattle's Hawthorne Stereo is so definitely worth it. Sure, there are a couple of pretty good shops in Seattle, but what sets this little shop apart from the many others on Seattle's "Hi-Fi Row" is their focus on vinyl playback, two-channel stereo music systems, and their obvious passion for music---all this at a time when practically every other hi-fi shop seems to care less and less about home stereos and more and more about home theater. A couple of things I notice every time I've been to Hawthorne: The place always has a fun, upbeat vibe and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff, ready to talk music with anyone else who cares to. One look at the list of manufacturer's they represent tells you they want to do more than just sell you sound systems: they want to sell you fun, emotionally-riveting, music-making systems. Count on brands like Naim, Quad, DeVore Fidelity, and Roksan to deliver the ultimate musical goods. Let them help you get the most musical bang for your buck with Cambridge, Music Hall, Rega, Spendor, and many others. Their website states that Hawthorne does not "push the trendy new products but rather equipment we feel offers the best music playback for the money with an emphasis on value, build quality and support." Amen brother, amen. If you're new to hobbyist hi-fi, keep one thing in mind: Specialty audio products will usually start a little higher in price than what you're used to seeing at your local Best Buy or other big-box electronics stores. And while prices on perfectionist audio gear aren't low, neither is the quality of music they're able to put forth. More than anything else, specialty hi-fi is designed to provide you with a lifetime of worry-free, easy-to-use musical enjoyment in your home, and Hawthorne Stereo is better at delivering on this promise than practically every other hi-fi store I've visited in my nearly 20 years as a music-loving hi-fi enthusiast. No doubt about it, I'm quite keen on Hawthorne Stereo. I honestly can't think of any music lover in (or visiting) the Seattle area who wouldn't enjoy the Hawthorne experience. The service is always friendly and these folks genuinely care about what they do and those that they serve. If you want quality music playback in your home, you owe it to yourself to bring along your favorite music and check out what Hawthorne has to offer. read more

After I left my previous review Mathew, one of the people that works there, called me personally to discuss the situation. Usually in all situations the problem is a breakdown in communication. That is what happened this time. I formally negate my last review and will continue to do business with Hawthorn. Thanks for reaching out, it means a lot to me as a formerly disgruntled customer. I'm glad to be back on board with One of my favorite stores in Seattle. read more

I wish I could give a good review to these guys, who have so many loyal customers, but I've had two separate instances of incompetent customer service. 1. A while back I had the RCA's on my turntable replaced by Hawthorne. My turntable was missing the cable clamp on the bottom, so I requested a new cable clamp as part of my work order along with the new RCA's. I picked up the turntable and brought it home to set it back up, and there was NO cable clamp. I called Hawthorne and told them that they did not complete my order correctly, and completely forgot to add a new cable clamp, and I asked if I could come in to purchase a clamp. They told me that they refuse to sell cable clamps as single purchases, and they I would have to bring my turntable back into the store for a new work order so THEY could "install" the $10 piece of plastic. They REFUSED to sell me a cable clamp even though THEY screwed up my work order by forgetting it. 2. I needed 2 new replacement styluses for my Shure cartridges. I CALLED AHEAD OF TIME TO ASK IF THEY HAVE THEM - AND THEY CONFIRMED THEY WERE IN STOCK. I drove across town in rush hour traffic (I had a gig the next day and wanted them ASAP). I wanted to support a local business instead of just using Amazon Prime. I showed up AND THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ITEMS I HAD JUST CALLED TO ASK ABOUT. They were either too lazy to actually check when I called or too unorganized to check for the right item. What is the point of even calling ahead of time if they can't tell me what they actually have in stock? No apologies, no discounts or coupons, nothing for this lazy, BAD customer service. Unfortunately, this is the only store in Seattle that does reliable turntable repair and replacement equipment, so I'm forced to keep giving them business. read more

I spend a couple thousand dollars there a while ago. Today I passed by the store and asked the guy on the register (aggrieved guy, blondie long hair/ bearded) about what methods of shipping they use to send big boxes (as the ones from the standing speakers and amplifier I bought from them)-- you know, just to get an informed advise because I am leaving the country. His answer and attitude were terribly wrong , he went something like this -- in a arrogant tone and feeling offended by my question : " I have no reasons to talk to you about shipping to you". I said, Ok, well maybe the reason is that I've been a valuable customer should be a good one. By the way, the short guy who works there its great! -- he knows what customer service is . I've been many times there and for him : 5 stars ***** read more

My 3 year old Marantz receiver was acting up, so I took it to the only place I know that will diagnose and repair such equipment in Seattle. After trying it out for two hours, they were unable to reproduce the problem, and called me to pick it up. Intermittent problems can happen and are frustrating to diagnose until they become more regular. I was pleasantly surprised and grateful that they charged me nothing for their time. I took to the shop my old SONY DVD player, which I'm using to play CDs at home. I had purchased it for $15 used 13 years ago. I shall refer to the gentleman who helped me as a "representative", because he sure was not behaving as a "salesman." He was happy to set up their listening room with my stereo receiver, my old DVD player, and a CD deck which is used, but much higher end, with a price of $500. I told him I had always believed that "digits are digits", and was skeptical that there would be any real distinction. He encouraged me to try different CDs (which I had brought with me) and to take my time to listen for the distinctions between the units. I'm almost 70 and have some military service related hearing loss. After listening for a while to three different types of music, I decided that indeed the more expensive unit sounded better. However, I decided that in my case, I can't appreciate the difference sufficiently in my casual listening to justify such extra cost. Here's the wonderful part. The representative was not at all defensive about my selection. He merely said that stereo is a subjective experience and if you can't hear the difference or don't care that much about the distinctions you do hear, then it isn't worth it for you. How many places will give you this opportunity and be so gracious about it? When I next need some stereo equipment (which could be soon when my receiver gives more trouble) I am going first to Hawthorne stereo where I believe real value can be found. I recommend that you do so as well. read more

I brought some speakers to Hawthorne Stereo for consignment in August of 2010. About 2 weeks ago (January 2012) I walked down to the store to see if the speakers were still there. I looked around, didn't see them so I asked an employee if they had sold. He didn't know, needed to asked the bookkeeper who wasn't in. No big deal. I call a few days later just to check in, and am told the bookkeeper is out of town. Again no big deal. I call again, a few days after the bookkeeper is supposed to return, explain who I am and he was very short with me and said the check was going in the mail that day and hung up. For all I know, the speakers were sold months ago and they were just hoping that I lost my slip or forgot about them. The only reason I'm giving 2 stars is because they got more money for my speakers than I could have. read more

If you're going to bring something there for consignment, be sure to keep a record of EVERYTHING. And be prepared for them to "misplace" your item(s) and paperwork. I dropped off a couple vintage stereo pieces there for consignment. They said they'd look them over soon. I'd called several times and got the run around (John not here, item hasn't been tested, can't locate it, call back later . . .). After many months I let it go and never once got a call back. They may know about stereo systems but they either don't know about tracking merchandise OR they choose to be sloppy about it, knowing they'll keep these freebies if they're forgotten about. I'll stop short of calling them dishonest only because after getting no response I could have walked in to search for my own stereo to it home. But I'll never take anything there again. read more