5 stars isn't enough This is my favorite record store in the country (sorry Banana's Warehouse in Clearwater - your variety just isn't there) The owners and staff are super friendly and encyclopedic with their knowledge- I just go here and grab anything that looks cool or I've never heard of, pop it on at the listening station (crucial) and always leave with things I've never heard but am now a better music fan having purchased This store has been responsible for so much musical growth for myself and has even translated into my own art. I owe these fine folks a lot, certainly more than my monetary contributions over the years could ever even come close to - this is a Portland institution and I hope it stays open forever. Also - if you're lame or listen to super popular newer bands/acts, there's throngs of other places in Portland that will gladly take your money and sell you what you're after. If this is the case and you accidentally step into Little Axe, things totally happen but maybe don't feel compelled to leave a nasty review because of this. They're doing what they do at an extremely high level, even if it doesn't appeal to your (potentially) limited tastes. read more

I've been coming to this shop since it opened and it's one of my favorite record stores in Portland to shop for 45s. What sets this one apart from other stores is that they have a wide variety of albums and 45s from all over the globe. The owners travel to various countries to buy some of the most exotic music, anywhere from Canada to Turkey to Mozambique. If you want to find a diverse selection of vinyl without boundaries, I highly recommend you shop here! read more

A work training in the area ended early, so I popped in here. There was a sign on the door indicating that someone "was getting lunch and will be back shortly." I grabbed a cuppa coffee, came back, and they were open. This is a wonderful store. There are two main types of record stores in Portland today, department stores and boutiques for lack of better terms. If you want huge selection, often at the expense of the albums being re-issues, hit the large stores. On the other hand, if what you were seeking is a curated shop which focuses on musical areas of expertise, this is a great place. I am reading this store based on what it is, and not on what it doesn't pretend to be. I was in one of those larger stores looking for some King Sunny Ade and his juju music. They didn't have any, but mentioned I should try Little Axe if I wanted world music. Indeed, this place has a wonderful selection of world music, African music, uncommon reggae artists and much more besides. They did have one Sunny Ade album. It was $50 and I decided that was too rich for my blood. But speaking of prices, as some have, I always go shopping with my Discogs open. That way I can check prices and make sure the shop is in line. My experience at Little axe was that they were ever so slightly more than on-line, but that if you were only going to buy a few records, the cost of shipping would make buying local less expensive. That said, I want to support local, and I'm grateful that these sorts of shops exist; sometimes that means you pay a few cents more for the privilege, and to keep our local community and economy strong. I also spent some time chatting with Jed. He is one of the owners. I wanted some help in the Latin section, and he was quite forthcoming that it was not area of expertise. So I asked him what was, and he told me. It's nice to have that sort of honesty. While electronica and other obscure music may be this stores forte, they also have a remarkable jazz section. I hesitate to mention this, because that's my great love and I don't want you buying the things I want! Where as most of the large and even smaller shops feature the issues of jazz standards, this place focus is predominately on used vinyl. That means you can get records here that would otherwise be difficult to source locally. Finally, a caveat. Little Axe doesn't seem to label the conditions of their records. So it's up to us customers to do due diligence with each album. There were some things I was interested in, but when I held them up to the light, the obvious surface damage disqualified them for me. According to other reviewers, they are willing to take records back, but I did not inquire about that myself. I walked out richer by a handful of records and $87 poorer. By the way, I should mention that when I entered, some YMO was playing; it brought me straight back to my middle school days, where my music teacher had a poster of YMO in his classroom. What happy music! read more

They give you time to browse and pick a few items. If you have questions, the owner is more than happy to answer or recommend something. If you are looking for reasonably priced used records, you should stop by the shop. On my monthly record shop lists for sure, thank you very much for your selection! Edit: In my opinion, the quality of the records were fine. 4/5 of my records had NO imperfections in playing. The 5th was a single pop which is completely fine. 1 second out of 1 hour for a $5 record is totally worth the money. If anything, it adds to the experience of adopting used records from previous owners. read more

Very helpful. Lots of non-commercial records. I recommend it for both locals and those in town for a visit.

I stumbled upon Little Axe's Instagram page a few months ago and was impressed with what I saw so I made it a point to drop by next time I was in Portland. Long story short, I got a stack of records from here for a very modest price. I'm extremely impressed with the eclectic range of material that comes thru these doors. I'll most definitely be back! read more

How have I never heard of this shop before? Today was my first visit and I am really happy with the place. First, it's small but it's laid out intelligently and I spent about 45-50 min browsing through records, so there's a lot to check out even though the space is small. And though the space is small, it's not stuffy or packed feeling. There were 5-7 other customers in there and I had no problem flipping through the various sections. Also, there's a super awesome/chill dog who will come up to you and wanna hang by your side, so when you go here you'll have a furry buddy to hang with if you want. Second, awesome selection! Holy hell, there are some really special finds I came across today. I hit up MM, EM, 2nd Ave, Jackpot, Exiled, etc all the time but Little Axe has a ton of stuff (especially ambient/avant garden/experimental) that I've never seen before. Ended up buying 4 LPs, all priced very well. Cons: none. The guy working was very kind and helpful. Seriously, this is an awesome shop. It's put together perfectly. If I had a record store I'd want it to be something like this. Sometimes record stores feel real dirty and dark and cramped and smell funky and just have a kind of weird (if not creepy) vibe. Little Axe Records is the complete opposite. It's warm and inviting and feels like a very comfortable place. This place is definitely getting added to my list of record shops to visit on the weekend. You can also get slices of pizza right next door. In summary: Excellent curated records (both new and used) and a chill record shop dog. What else do you want? read more

I'm happy that Warren and his colleagues allow records to be returned without question, and for any reason. In fact, that's the way it needs to be at all vinyl resellers, but I'd like to see Little Axe take greater care in assessing the quality of their vinyl before they put the records on the shelves. I've had a number of records that were scratched and un-listenable, as a result. That's fine for a few bucks, but not for $15, when a brand new version of the vinyl is available online for a dollar or two more. One other comment: if you have some dude covering your shift (like today), please make sure he knows the policy on exchanging records. I was told by said guy today, "I'm not comfortable with you exchanging records. I'm not sure of the policy." I then said, "Warren - and everyone who works here - is fine with exchanging records for any reason at all." He said "I think it's better if you come back tomorrow." Huh? I don't live anywhere near Little Axe, and I made a special trip today to exchange records I'd bought previously. The fact that the owners would allow some paranoid schmo to run the store - without even telling him the basics of the business - calls into question what's really happening at Little Axe. I'm completely supportive of local businesses, and always have been, and will be; but at some point, there needs to be at least some expectation of quality and service. (Guys, please take a better look at records before pricing them as high as you do - records with scratches should not be more than $5; and please inform stand-in employees of the basics of the business.) read more

A hidden gem on sandy blvd. impossible to leave without finding something unique. Numerous sections make this little shop special. The world music section here is the real forté. There is a nice listening station where you can make discoveries. New arrivals are plentiful. Prices are reasonable. Owner is friendly and enjoyable to chat with. The only limit here is your bank account. Lively up yourself! read more

This is a really small shop located next to the Hollywood Theater. I often stop in here when I'm in the neighborhood for a movie. This is one of those quality over quantity record shops where you barley have to dig to find a record worth buying. Prices seemed reasonable too. Good spot to checkout if you're ever bumming around Hollywood. read more

Wasn't going to walk in, since I don't own a record player, but saw a sign asking politely to not let the dog out, which meant there was a dog to meet so naturally I had to enter. Excellent dog, she knew shake and I will 100 percent be back to pet said dog. read more

in my top 3 fav records shops in PDX. amazing selection - very well curated vinyl, nice staff, friendly pooch and great location. Make it a habit to come here whenever you are going to see a film at Hollywood Theatre! read more

Great stock of records in a wide range of genres. Priced fairly but don't expect bargains. I walked out with a nice handful.

Recently, I stopped at Little Axe Records after having lunch on Alberta Street. The store is not your typical, dingy, cramped used record store. The aisles are wide, the atmosphere is open and clean and the proprietor is friendly and knowledgeable. At first I didn't understand how the LPs were organized but the owner showed me where to find the prog/psych albums. The prices were very good and the quality was very good+. I found a few import gems too. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood. read more

For a small place, they have a lot of variety, very helpful staff and a great vibe. I spent a long time digging through their collection and listening to records. The prices are very reasonable, and I only encountered one or two records that weren't in top notch shape. read more

My wife and I love to pop in here before catching a movie at The Hollywood, and while I don't think it's fair to compare places like Little Axe with the larger record shops around town with a more extensive collection, Little Axe has handily become my favorite small record shop in Portland and is now one of my top 2 favs in town to buy records and cassettes from period. A friendly, knowledgeable staff, an easily accessible listening station, and an always interesting collection that you can sift through without getting overwhelmed. I've found prices on most things I've been interested in to be comparable to what I could get them for in similar condition online for what its worth. And you also can't go wrong with their comps of obscure international music released on their in-house cassette label going for a few bucks a pop. read more

A very small space near Tonalli's Donuts and Cream I stumbled upon this space and came away with mixed feelings largely because although the setting and staff were great, the selection was quite limited and the quality of the vinyl was average at best. In many cities this would be a nice shop but in a city with a collection of music stores like Portland I'm not really sure this place stacks up to the competition. read more

Nice small shop! A bit too hipster for me. I buy mainly Rap, hip hop, and R&B. Most of the music was stuff I have never heard of, but I got some great delas in the $1 area. read more

Even better than the old location. One of the best in Portland. Always some real gems on every visit Just an update. This place is insane awesome. Beautifully curated copies of rarities at excellent prices . Easily the best shop in the city. Don't ever change !! read more

I ordered a Grouper LP on-line from Little Axe Records. Little Axe Records took my $19 and never sent the LP. Update: it appears the Postal Service lost the LP somewhere in transit from Portland to the Atlanta area. The owner was nice enough to send me a full refund. Thank you! read more

This is the best whole in the wall record store in Portland. I never can get out of there without spending $100-200. Not because they are expensive but because they have so much good stuff that I can't help myself. They specialize in rarities and other treasures. This is a strictly vinyl store with the occasional rare cassette if you're into that. I can't say enough about this store. It is located right around the corner from Donelli's donuts and ice cream. read more

I could have spent $100 within the first ten minutes of being there. Excellent tape selection. Weird, WEIRD stuff you don't see anywhere else. After Exiled, this might be the best record store in Portland, but I'll have to think long and hard about that. read more

Yet another local record store not open during posted hours. Buyer beware that trying to patronize this business might be a waste of your time. It was a waste of mine. read more

Perhaps you are a Georgia Tech alum. You went to school for mechanical engineering and fiddled around with homemade instruments on the side. You became addicted to WREK, exploring new sounds on the daily. Then you graduated, got a job with a reputable west coast firm and moved to Portland. If that's you, you'd probably dig this shop. read more

One of the best record shops in Portland! The owner is friendly, the records are great and the shop is neat. A nice DIY aesthetic.

Little Axe is heaven! After years of buying stuff through their online distro, I finally got to Portland and had the chance to go in person. I thought their online offerings were great, but I was not expecting the in-store collection to be so much better. If you're the kind of record enthusiast who wants to dig through hundreds of crates to find that copy of that Lynyrd Skynyrd album you love, Little Axe might not be for you. If, however, you want to browse one of the absolute best collections of weird, experimental, abstract, noisy, ambient, or drone music, AND stuff from Africa and old American folk and gospel (in large part courtesy of the Mississippi Records shop/label located relatively nearby), Little Axe is as good as it gets. I found stuff there that's been out of print for years from labels like Type, Digitalis, Blackest Rainbow, and more. I could easily have spent a couple hundred dollars, and that was just from a cursory run-through of their records - I definitely didn't see everything they had in stock. Jed and Warren, who run the store, are really nice guys (when I mentioned to Jed I liked one of the bands he was in, he gave me a bunch of their records for free) and are obviously really enthusiastic about maintaining an impeccable collection for the store. Better still, the prices are excellent. I found several mint condition records that would sell for $50 or more on discogs or ebay for $10-15. Little Axe is a treasure trove, a gold mine, a weird-music Mecca. If you're even remotely interested in contemporary experimental music, it's an essential place to visit (just be sure to bring cash - they don't take cards, and you'll likely want to spend far more money than you planned on going in). read more