This Newbury Comics location has a decent selection of new & used music, movies, video games,…read moreperiodicals, apparel, books, comics, toys, novelties, candy, and more. This store is very popular since it's located north of the MA border where there's NO SALES TAX and the parking lot is a bit tight in front. I'll shop here often to pick up new releases and scavenge through the used CDs and DVDs. I've picked up a few great deals in Salem including $2.99-$3.99 used CDs and $6.99 used DVDs and cool toys such as kazoos, bobble heads, and a George W. Bush Talking Bottle Opener, "Fool me once.... shame on...shame on you..... Fool me, can't get fooled again." Newbury Comics has an Email Club which is free to join and they'll send newsletters with lists of new releases, specials, in-store events, coupons, and even cool freebies each week to your inbox. I've collected the set of Newbury Comics limited edition pint glasses, which is offered free to Email Club members with an email coupon sent throughout the year. However, several times, this store runs out of the glasses and other freebies quicker than other locations. NOTE: This store will be closing in March 2016 and relocating to The Mall At Rockingham Park in the former FYE space. This has been the trend lately of several Newbury Comics stores moving into malls (ie Nashua, Burlington MA, Peabody MA, Natick MA, Braintree MA, South Portland ME).

Ah, Newbury Comics. So "indie" and "unique" yet so commercialized. But that's what I love about it…read more You can walk into any Newbury Comics in New England and it will smell exactly the same. I don't know what the incense is that they use in this place, but I want some. The staff looks essentially the same from one store in the chain to the next, and the walls and the shelves above the CD racks contain the same useless junk from one store to the next. It's that useful junk that makes Newbury Comics fun. Very rarely do I actually buy something here. It's just fun to look through all the weird things they have and wonder who would actually wear these stupid t-shirts and tote these obnoxiously quirky bags. If I wanted to buy cheap used CDs, DVDs, or Blurays, I would go to Bull Moose down the street. Newbury Comics just has a charm that pulls me back to enjoy gazing at the strange, strange things it stocks.

Ah Ron's Radical Records as we used to call it. One of the OG Lowell record stores. Back in the day…read moreyou had Record Box, Record Lane, Garnick's and RRRecords (there may have been others, I'm talking 80's here). Been going to RRRecords since I was a freshman in high school. He used to sell used cassettes for like $2-5 depending on the artist. Got almost all of my metal cassettes here in high school. Nowadays it's used CD's for like $5-7 but still a bargain. I have to admit I don't go in here as much I used to, but every now and again if I'm downtown and see he's open I'll pop in and check it out. Still has all the eclectic stuff he's known worldwide for (noise music). He even has his own labels for that stuff. I mean, his main focus is not my bag, but I still try to support the business when I can. He's got tons of LP's, and all genres of music in there. Also a fair amount of CD's. If you get him talking, you'll find him to be friendly and knowledgeable, even about music he likely doesn't care for. All the other stores in the area are mostly gone now, but RRRecords is still chugging along, like a little slice of my coming of age...

Looked up this place's website and they said they were open til 5pm. Drove over there and walked up…read moreto a sign stating "must wear mask to enter for Covid measures"; it's June 2022... Then worse still, next to the alarmist Covid sign was another sign stating "Due to covid, hours of operation are changed to 10am-1pm" :/ So I drove all the way over here to read some pusillanimous sign about covid and to learn that the owner doesn't wanna work so they changed their hours without updating their website. What an absolute waste of time. Maybe this establishment will go under because of their own dumb covid response, wouldn't that be a hoot!

Cafe doesn't know how to make drinks correctly. Iced Americanos looks like iced tea and tastes…read moreterrible. Cafe staff should be retrained.

We live nearby and have visited this location several times. We're avid readers, so the fact that I…read moredidn't write, "Many times," is very revealing: The selection of books is so limited, and the obnoxious "reviews" they attach to specific books is incredibly insulting. The shelves are often a mess, no matter what section you visit. We have gone to look for a specific book or author and we have left empty-handed every time. The selection is so small. To top it off, we bought a book from B&N online, and it didn't arrive in time for an event. When we went to return it at the store, with the receipt, within three days of receiving it, we were told at Customer Service that they only hand out online orders, and that we would have to wait on line for a cashier to make a return. When we handed the book to the cashier, who wasn't nice, (they act as if you are intruding and bothering them), she said she didn't think they would take it! Then she asked a supervisor who wasn't nice, and he said they wouldn't take it. They both didn't apologize or offer guidance, and said we'd have to take it up with B&N online. Funny thing, is that when we did, they said we could return it at the store. They sent us a label anyway, so we'll send it back that way and avoid the ridiculous scene and discourteous treatment at the store itself. Don't bother with this location: There are other choices for bookstores, and the service is much better at any of them.

Robert was incredibly helpful, making recommenations and double checking that each record we bought…read morewasn't scratched. We just got a record player and we're looking to add some classic rock to our daily soundtrack. We found some winners and are already looking forward to our next visit.

Garnick's is one of the shops you just have to experience if you're new to Lowell or if you've…read morelived in the city for a while and still have not yet been to experience the media kitsch that lives on in this time capsule. Here are several reasons why you might legitimately find yourself at Garnicks: 1. You need an old record player, radio, arcade game, or television fixed. 2. You have a hipster craving for records, VHS, or other outdated media. 3. You want to get the perfect gift for an audiophile but need someone to talk to about their music tastes to determine what they may not have and would like to have. 4. You like to talk about music and want to waste an hour with some older dudes who can chat your ear off better than a radio personality. 5. You want to sell your collection of records, CDs, VHS, or old concert paraphernalia and be done with them. 6. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back. If they don't have it in the store, don't be afraid to ask- they have thousands of CDs and Records hidden from plain view. Like the other used record store in town, they do a lot of business on EBay to make up for what they don't do in store. They also buy old media, so bring it here to get it appraised before you put those records and CDs in a yard sale. The place is falling apart and a bit of a mess, but the guys know where everything is and can usually find what you're looking for in less than a minute. If you visit more than once, they'll get to know you, your tastes, and what you're looking for so they can keep it in store for you. Here's a link to their EBay store, which has a very small selection of items: http://www.ebay.com/sch/paulgarmusic/m.html

Reopened in a small location next to Victorias Secret Pop…read moreculture heavy with no movies and little of any music generally vinyl

It was around Christmas time when I was shopping at the store and while looking something I leaned…read moreforward to get a better look I spilled the cup of hot chocolate I was holding in my hand. As a good customer I went over and asked for some paper towels figuring it'd be nice to clean it up myself but the thing is, I'm not obligated to have to clean it up. I half expected one of the three employees working to come over and say to me,"Don't worry about it, I'll clean up the mess." But no, they just stood there and watched as I cleaned up the mess for what felt like 15 minutes. That's not even the only problem I have. I remember that every time I went into the store to shop I was never once asked if I needed help finding anything or if I knew what I was looking for.