Got some music related things from this locally owned store in Batavia. It has everything from instruments to posters, and lots more. Kiss The Sky has tons of music too, mostly on vinyl. A cluttered mess but worth it if having the time to look around. The staff is pretty knowledgeable about artists and instruments. Cool place for anyone who likes music stores, and especially the ones filled with assorted crap. It's probably the worst thing about it. Takes so long going through everything and you can lose track of time. Looked through a lot of rolled up posters that were wrapped in plastic. These had no labels saying what they were. Of course the staff didn't even know. This is one example of the lack of organization. Oh well, it's still cool. The prices on most things are okay. Has some pretty cool things of course. It's located at First Street and Water Street downtown. This is a pretty cluttered store but it's fun if you like this kind of stuff. read more

Kiss The Sky - Inside - Music & DVDs Near Me - Batavia, Illinois

A brick and mortar record store in downtown Batavia that sells hundreds of new and used records,CDs ,posters and t shirts. Pretty well organized by music genre but prices seemed a little high in my opinion They also have an area for local musicians to perform. A fun place to browse and you might even find a CD or Vinyl to add to your collection. read more

See all

Super friendly owner who loves to chat about music, my favorite topic. The selection is fantastic with plenty of original records to choose from and lots of new stuff as well. I enjoy myself everytime I go there! read more

Never have I ever been in a record store with no cut out or cheap bin, but it is what it is though without that I didn't find anything here. Cutout bins and cheap bins is the BEST way to find new music and musicians so its's ashame and rare that a record store not have one. Also, prices are pricey here, but it is what it is, it's the way of the world now in everything. Glad I already have my lil collection set. read more

Great record and vinyl store with tons of great music with an incredible library across multiple genres. We came here during a festival and as incredible as this store is, it's incredibly difficult to walk around the store just because it's so tight. They had a T-shirt rack and you can't really go through all the shirts and cycle through them. Great one of a kind business, none the less. read more

Walked in wanting turntable and speakers and not wanting to pay a big box store. Absolutely 100% recommend Kiss the Sky they were so helpful with recommendations! Such a big selection of vinyl I had to tell myself to stop at a point! Will be a returning costumer for sure! read more

Just say hi or welcome in when someone comes in. Just say have a nice day when someone leaves. It's a little thing that leaves a good impression. I called to mention it to the owner and he was VERY offended at the idea...imagine that! He was rude as the day is long...lol Gave me 100 excuses as to why they don't need to greet customers, for example they r having a bad day...ok! Acted like I was the crazy for expecting a Hi from them. read more

Great store. Definitely pricey but has a huge selection of new and used vinyl. Lots of bins to browse through. Bring lots of money.

Amazing knowledgeable, friendly, engaging, accommodating service-oriented and fun staff/people...awesome "vibe", energy and spirit...unmatched selection...s'cuse me while I Kiss the Sky!!! read more

Great selection of vinyl records. Steve is a great guy and is very knowledgeable about records. Always getting new stuff. Just give yourself plenty of time as there is a lot to go through read more

I really want to love this shop more. If you are shopping for new vinyl the selection is pretty good and easy to navigate. If you are looking for vintage you will be there for a while. There is so much inventory that it is quite frankly overwhelming. Also I wish the shop did grading if the condition of the vintage. You may find some gems but will spend a lot of time doing your own inspection. read more

Love this store. Owner and employees are great, super chatty and they gave me a free cd last time I went in. A pretty solid range of genres and everything is well organized, a little more so with new than used on both counts. Store itself is good but I mostly come back for the people who work there. read more

Contacted store to possibly purchase an item they have in stock. The item in stock is an RSD/Record Store Day item that they are supposed to sell, by agreement, at MSRP. Not only is the owner too lazy and unaccommodating to pack up an item for mail-order (unlike other stores that are glad to do business via mail with customers who are located far away), but the owner wants to "hold on to" this item now because it is, at this point in time, "selling for big bucks." So, thanks a lot and consider me to never be a customer of your store, ever, from here on out. read more

Very unique space. Employees were very kind, helping, and had a good amount of knowledge to accommodate me and my daughter. They made good conversation with us, and we both definitely had a fantastic time! read more

Prelude - I'm from Kentucky and travel the country a lot. I like to visit the record stores in the towns I visit and buy two things: A record mat branded by the store and a record of a local band, if available. I also have several thousand LP's and sold the stuff between 1976 and 1982. Review: The selection of stuff is incredible. I mean records, vintage electronics, clothing, etc. is quite amazing. It's a fun place to just visit. I even saw a completely refurbished Dynaco 400 (the first amp I ever owned and built myself) However, I was getting a "smarter than you" vibe from the two old guys behind the counter. I am old myself. I've been around the block with this stuff. I tried to start up a brief conversation, but it was clear from the start that if they couldn't wow me with their expertise, they were not interested, though moderately polite. And a huge annoyance was all the great older titles all over the store that were not priced. And as someone else mentioned, it mostly focused on new vinyl though there was a lot of unpriced older stuff. The prices seemed OK to me. I checked out the prices compared to a lot of other places I visited in the area and they were within a few cents (e.g. $20 vs $19.95). The best place around the area for Used stuff is DEFINITELY Purple Dog. Not only are the prices lower, but the records are rated (VG, ETC.) It's a much smaller place and really ONLY does vinyl, but I'm getting off topic... I highly recommend this place as a great "vinyl age musium", and it might be a good place to buy vintage hardware and new lp's, but for used vinyl, I'd probably go elsewhere - until they start pricing it. read more

I really love this record store. The first thing you notice is it actually smells like a record store of old. Great selection of new and used vinyl as well as turntables, clothing and other cool stuff. The owner is a really nice guy and knowledgeable. They are open so drop in. You can't do better in the suburbs read more

This place rocks. Went on Saturday morning and they had a live band playing with free Coffee and assorted pastries. The new and used Vinyl collection is quite large. I highly recommend stopping in and check for yourself. The service is knowledgable and friendly. BTW, if you are into crate digging, they have used vinyl along the back and side wall. It's all alphabetized. This is where you can find the "diamond" in the rough. read more

This is only an ok record store. Decent selection of new pressings. Was refreshing to find multiple copies there. Used selection was blah. Was surprised to find the huge sections along the wall of library-stocked, unpriced used vinyl, but yet much of the priced used vinyl section was empty. If you can't be bothered to price it and put it out, I can't be bothered to buy it. Forget their prices on equipment. Saw a used dusty, dirty turntable unit priced higher than I bought the same exact NEW unit last April. Also, really didn't like smelling of that nasty stale incense the rest of the day. The whole shop reeks of it. We were only there about an hour, and our clothes STANK when we left. I can only imagine what the used records smell of after having been there a bit. read more

So unbeknownst to me, groovy music stores still exist that have an incredible selection of, well, pretty much everything. I received a turntable for my birthday because I've always missed the medium despite it's hassle of wearing out parts, albums and it's data limitations I missed it. The sound has always been talked about being superior however it always struck me as nostalgic. Rob Zombies La Sexorcisto album features a track intro on Thunderkiss '65 that crackles and pops and it instantly conveys that classic feel of vinyl meeting needle. That sound alone has long been forgotten and when one hears it they instantly sense echoes from the past. That's why I wanted a record player. I remember watching in wonder as the vinyl section at K-Mart grew more crowded by long skinny funny cardboard sleeves which eventually became long skinny white plastic things with a cd stuck in one end. My parents said they weren't making records anymore, and I noticed, and I didn't understand this any more than I understood why you had the same video for rent in Betamax and VHS. But away it went, gone, so when I received my turntable I was excited and went straight to Amazon to look for my most coveted albums to bring home on vinyl. That's when I thought "There's gotta be a vinyl shop somewhere around here." and yes, there was! I found Kiss The Sky with a simple internet search and saw the pictures of the sign and remembered long ago there was a place to go for band t shirts, posters, BOX SETS, posters and incense, just the sign design in the picture told me this was promising. So I checked their hours and realized that they were open! To the car I went, excited because I haven't bought music in dare I say decades. I've been spoiled with convenience since I first heard the term MP3 somewhere around 1999 and I had forgotten what a ritual it was to have the excitement of DRIVING to a music shop and thumbing through their selections to find things you forgot about existing and then going off to another section cuz one album cover reminded you of something else... So I get to Kiss The Sky, love the building, this isn't the commercial store you used to find at the mall, this reminded me of the record store my parents didn't want me to go to. I walked in and the smell was glorious, it screams authentic. I fixed my eyes around the store and it is quite large! I came down the stairs and was in wonder, they have EVERYTHING! They have not just music but equipment, turntable, speakers both new and used, they have posters band t-shirts, vinyls, tapes, cd's artwork, clothing.... holy crap they even have a stage! They showcase live music here! Saturday's they have coffee and live music? Where the hell have I been on Saturdays? Why haven't I been here? Free music, free coffee, free snacks? Yes please! The selection of music is huge, the selection of used vinyl is even more extensive and they carry brand new vinyl from A-Z plus sub genres and even local artists. This place is great, I can't wait to come back, the staff was extremely helpful and very willing to tell me about the events and acts they have come through. It was the classic music buying experience I had hoped for and more. I'll be back, forget Amazon, what Amazon misses is the experience of meeting people talking shop about this or that and finding something new you didn't expect, I got all of that and plans for a Saturday morning coffee and jam session. I can't wait, it's great that music is coming back and it's great it's reviving local business at the same time, it's been too long. read more

The used vinyl is way overpriced and in rough condition. I drove 45 minutes to this place, bought something that I paid a little too much for, only because I invested my time and gasoline and didn't want to leave empty-handed. Guys - get rid of the stinky incense. It's gross. LP covers absorb the smell. Blah. Collect it all together, light a bonfire, and toss it in. I spend thousands of dollars a year on vinyl and have the eBay feedback rating to prove it. I have no qualms travelling an hour to Chicago to visit a quality record shop. But, I don't think I'll be visiting Kiss The Sky again. It was just unimpressive selection and over-the-top prices. read more

I semi-recently moved to the burbs from Chicago temporarily and finally made it to the nearest record store in a 20 mile radius. Anyway - I'm surprised to see the poor reviews. The owner was very friendly, and the staff was pleasant. I managed to spend 40 dollars and got 6 albums/12"s all in very good confition - sleeves and all. I spent a solid 2.5 hours going through everything, and if you have a vast taste in music and a love for vinyl you will definitely have a blast here. Maybe I'm jaded by "city" prices, but everything seemed to be very reasonably priced - and the owner dropped the price from $15-$5 (!) when I questioned the sleeve condition of Roxy Music's For Your Pleasure (honestly still probably would've considered nabbing that for the "Do the Strand" alone). Sure it's not the OMGBESTEVER! record store I've been to, but they are, as other reviewers pointed out, pretty much extinct, and this is more than you could really ask for, IMO. read more

On the plus side--the owner of this place is a really nice guy and is always full of stories he like to share with customers. Also a plus is the way the store supports local musicians. They have a large stage they have set up in the Batavia location which they get quite a lot of use from. In addition, the price on new LPs is usually pretty reasonable--a bit more than you might find on Amazon--but still pretty close to list none the less. On the negative side, however, many of the used vinyl records here are overpriced--some quite robustly so, like eBay overpriced. There have been a few records I've found in stores in Chicago, Oak Park, or one of the Half Price locations out here in the suburbs for almost 1/3 the price of what Kiss the Sky is charging for them (although it is more often the case that I've found them for about 1/2 the price). And at least some marked as "rare" really aren't as uncommon as they are marked as. Spend some time waiting on albums to come in at one of the Half Priced Books locations out here in the suburbs, and you can usually get the same stuff in the same condition for less (again, about 1/2 the price of KTS).* In terms of other Western suburban stores, Oak Park Records and The Old School Records both top this place on used LP prices. Half Price Books in Bloomingdale or Palatine are worthy competitors, as well. Half Price in Naperville also definitely competes, but they too have some issues with over pricing on records. So you might be safer sticking to the other stores mentioned above if pricing on used LPs is something you are concerned about when you shop for non-new vinyl. But for the new stuff, and if you want to go to a place with a nice vibe that also works to support the community, Kiss the Sky is a good place to go. (* Note: See my reviews for an understanding of the background I am bringing to these comparisons. I have reviewed 60 suburban and Chicago record stores or stores with a focus on selling records to date.) read more

Not handicap accessible. Thought all businesses had to be handicap accessible. Selection ok but prices outrageous, really taking advantage of the wealthy suburbanites. Seems to cater to pop not serious classic rock, and the ones I found were 40 or 50 $. The worker was not friendly, seemed to have a attitude. Didn't know much about music or vintage systems. I'm sorry I wasted my time. read more

So hot. Yeah this is a hot spot for records. And hotter than blue blazes in the summer. We headed out to see what they had to offer on a summer evening. From the moment we walked in, until the moment we said good bye, we experienced attentive service. There was tons of stuff to dig through. That was cool. The prices were pretty good on most things and we would have spent even longer looking if we would have been a little more comfortable. Did I mention, it was hot in there? They have a stage in back and have live music at times. The gentleman working the counter that night was extremely knowledgeable about the local music scene. We were grateful for his help and thoughts. I spent a little time toward the back of the store where there's a shop within a shop. Kinda a vintage type area with knick knacks and a few random pieces of furniture. I didn't find anything that I couldn't live without that night. We also picked up some incense while we were there. We found exactly what we were looking for and overall the whole visit was a success. read more

Okay, let's be honest with ourselves for a minute, here. We all know vinyl is expensive. Especially new releases because it's becoming the 'hip cool new' thing again. But I agree. I bought three records and when it came time to pay I wasn't really happy when I had to slide my card. Neat little shop to browse.... but it always surprises me how insanely unorganized record shops are... like... REALLY unorganized. I wanted to look more but my brain was too overwhelmed. Damn. read more

Now in it's 3rd (or 4th?) location, Kiss The Sky continues to be one of the best places in the western suburbs of Chicago to buy music. When I was a kid, there were still plenty of record stores in the area (although by that point they mostly sold CD's.) In 2013, that is no longer the case, so a store like Kiss The Sky really stands out. They have STACKS of vinyl, many CD's both new and used, and all the other stuff that you used to be able to find in your neighborhood record store. They have lots of posters, t-shirts, and other items from your favorite bands, and a STAGE where local talent is periodically featured. Cool! The people who work there are knowledgeable, the music playing is (almost) always great, and you're bound to find something you didn't even know you needed! I highly recommend that you visit Kiss The Sky! read more

Like others, I too would drive several towns away just to go to this store. The selection is amazing, frequently restocked, and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I had asked about a CD box set that I took about 5 years to decide to buy after it was released, and asked what the cost would be to order it. The employee looked in databases from several different vendors, compared prices, and even printed off a track list for me of all of the songs so I could compare the songs to the CDs I already own to see if I already had most of the music on other releases. That level of personable service, as well as the selection, is what keeps bringing me back. Not too many music stores in the area have their selection broken up into so many divisions. The emphasis of the collection is on all things rock: indie, punk, metal, goth/industrial. Almost all music is represented however. There is a smattering of used CDs, band memorabilia (the items you buy at a concert so that the band makes money from shows), and some more odds and ends. The collection of vinyl is quite nice, too. I've been able to find LPs for albums that I thought would cost $$$ on eBay. The prices are very reasonable, and they have a frequent buyer's program as well. Next time I go in, I stand to save $2.00 on my next purchase! On a side note, while the checkout is in the back, there is a desk in the front of the store for employees and I have no idea what they do with it. I will find out one day! The only problem I have ever had with the store is that sometimes the smell of incense would almost knock me out as soon as I enter, but compared to other CD stores, it really is not too bad. read more

Wow, I don't think I've been to a record store like this since I stopped going to Reckless Records on the Northside of Chicago. This little place reminds me of Reckless in some aspects. Love the incense smell as you walk in the door; makes me reminiscent of my younger years checking out all the places on Belmont Ave. They have a lot of vinyl here for those who collect them. I found a Cure single on a 45! It's not worth much, but I was excited as the record itself was in mint condition and the sleeve wasn't too bad either. read more

This place is so awesome! They sell records and CDs. I've seen live bands here as well. Mostly CD release parties. They even had food for their visitors during this and didn't charge a dime. We need more places like this. These places are our history. They treat you like human beings too. Sure, their supplies are limited but what they have they love and want you to love it as well. You can actually ask them for a suggestion and will probably not be disappointed. They sell some guitar stuff here, so I love that. Do yourself a favor today... check their website for their next live event. Go there if you appreciate music and learn about even more music. Explore, by keeping your mind open. Support local music. read more

I visited this place for the first time a few days ago. It's in downtown Batavia, and relatively easy to find. The service was friendly and helpful, they had plenty of stock, could be more organized which would benefit them. I'll probably return a few times to see how it goes. read more

Kiss The Sky is the best! I have been shopping there for almost exactly ten years. In high school my friends and I went there to see bands (such as Lucky Boys Confusion, the best band ever) and to browse or buy CDs and other stuff like band posters and stickers pretty often, probably weekly. The store used to be on Randall Rd in Batavia, but now it has moved to downtown Geneva. It's a pretty nice location. Unfortunately I don't shop there quite as frequently anymore (I guess I had more money to spend on fun stuff as a teenager... Sad) but it's still a wonderful store and I like looking through the large selection of used CDs! P.S. My boyfriend was happy to see that I was giving KTS 5 stars because he loves it too. He buys a lot of CDs and records there. read more

I've been going here for 15 years now, and it never gets old! The Geneva location was decent, but there was no room for live music. I look forward to visiting the new location, in downtown Batavia, for some local music fare. read more

I love this place specifically because of their willingness to take special orders. They're really helpful about that, and things come in fast. Their selection of new vinyl isn't entirely as robust as I would like it to be, but the special order thing makes up for it entirely. Plus, the people who work here are really nice. read more

I wanted to get rid of some vinyl, but before I drove all the way out there, I wanted to see if it would be worth my time. I called and talked to the owner and gave him my list and condition of 24 albums. Everyone of them he said he would pay $2-3 for. Two weeks later, I wasted my time going there only for him to offer me $24 for the stack! That's not what you told me on the phone, bub. I looked and saw some of the outrageous prices you charge for your vinyl and you want to squeeze me down to a buck per album? I was so despondent, I took the money. Shame on me!!! Brother do I regret that. Not because I missed out on an extra 50 or 60 bucks, but because I let myself get hustled by the owner. I'm sure you got at least $24 for my UNOPENED-mint-condition-double-album "Live After Death" by Iron Maiden. A little shady if you ask me. read more

New vinyl is always ridiculously overpriced compared to other record stores, I've never been greeted when I've gone in, nor been asked if I was looking for anything specific, the owner(s) talk down to you as if you're stupid ( I was told a vinyl version of a cd box set they were selling didn't exist, searched, found, and bought it elsewhere on vinyl at 1/3 their asking price), and today I showed up at looking for an RSD release that I can't get elsewhere, and they were locked and dark 20 minutes before closing time. I'll give 2 stars for the sheer quantity of vinyl they have, but I'm done here. Never again read more

I love Kiss the Sky. I've spent a lot of time here over the years and I have to admit--- the pricing is very hit or miss. Still, I enjoy stopping by when I'm downtown Geneva and rifling through all of the records and other merchandise. Even though the pricing isn't the greatest I try to support the local record store which unfortunately so rare to find now. The workers here are usually great. The blonde girl who works (or did work) there is very helpful and has great taste! read more

I didn't want to post this review cus I want to keep this fabulous store a secret. Amazing - Selection and atmosphere! Owner is awesome - friendly; treats you like you have known each other for years. One of my husbands and I'd happy place. "Keep Vinyl Alive" read more

Absolutely love coming here. I'm always shocked at the amount of vinyl that is stocked here. If you can't find something your looking for, the huge shelf in the back of unpriced used vinyl will probably have it. Love just going there and looking for vinyl to add to my collection. I never walk out empty handed and everything is priced fairly. The staff is super personable and it's always enjoyable to chat with them. This will always be my go to record store for vinyl and cassettes alike. Highly recommend this shop to anyone who has a taste for music. read more

This place has SO much potential but I downgrade it a little due to the organization. Place is basically a treasure hunt - and some stuff is much easier to find than others. Great organized selection of new releases and new repress copies of classics - pricing is reasonable for a storefront in a Chicago suburb. Once you get past the new stuff, it gets a little tougher to find - there are little pockets of stuff EVERYWHERE. A bin of Beatles rarities in a crate over in the corner, some new arrivals on a table near the incense, another crate of box sets on the floor, and just basically stuff spread seemingly randomly around the store. If you have time and like a treasure hunt this place is for you but it would take days to get through it all. There is also a huge selection of used and un-priced vinyl along the wall - unfortunately, although it is alphabetized, they are on floor to ceiling vertical shelves which are pretty packed. Makes it difficult for those used to 'crate flipping' to quickly browse and find those hidden gems (or if you are short, forget it). There are a bunch of other things in there like CD's, laser discs, clothing, antiques, etc. but it is not well organized. This place strikes me as a store owned by someone who is more music lover than business man. They even gave me a free CD with a nice selection of songs they had burned - nice touch. If it was me, I wouldn't let the employees just sit at the counter and have them invest every free moment into getting the place organized and priced - i spent a good buck when I was in there but who knows how much I might have spent if I could have easily found more. read more

Today I was out in the suburbs (last day of corporate baking demos finally!) and I found a small record shop called Kiss The Sky (the name should have tipped me off to what I would find inside). Walking in, I made my way to the used LP's where I found beat up Pink Floyd and other random dad rock records priced at 25+. Mentally grumbling to myself over that, I made my way to the 45's and began searching. I found 5 singles including an original Red Bird label Shangri-Las, a split single between Blue Cheer and The Blue Magoos, an old radio copy (scrawled on the front of the sleeve) of a Mute pressed Depeche Mode and a random Go Go's single. None of them were priced (many of the ones I saw as I searched were) so I assumed that any unmarked had a base price. Taking them up to the counter, the proprietor (a man in his early 50's easily) began to take each record out of the sleeve and inspect each like he was a diamond cutter. After finishing with each one, he would hand them off to his friend sitting beside him who would repeat the process over again. After the two of them had satisfied their inspection of the records, the proprietor pulled out a price guide and began to slowly put price stickers on each one. The Depeche Mode and Go Go's singles were cheap (3 a piece) while he priced the others at $12+ with the Shangri-Las being priced at $20. I bought the $3 singles, listened to him prattle about 'value' (at one point he asked what I 'planned to do with the records' and repeatedly referred to them as 'collectables' and whatever else these kinds of dinosaurs go on about and left. I spent the next hour boiling as I played the scene over in my head - his explanation for the singles not being priced was that the person who usually did the job hadn't been in (must not have been in for months since the majority of the singles were unpriced). Later on, did a search and found that I could get that Shangri-Las single in the same condition for 7 with shipping. These guys may just give Vintage Vinyl in Evanston a run for their money - only difference is that atleast VV has the nerve to ask top dollar for MINT records and not beat up crap you can find at thrift shops for 50 cents. read more