This place is hard to get to when you have bad knees! Upon entering, I was greeted by a man who said "hey leave your bag here, you can't be walking around with a bag!" I was holding a SMALL PAPER BAG. I get it, theft is a serious thing, but there's a nicer way to approach a customer, specially it being my first time there. I didn't enjoy the rest of my experience and rushed browsing around. I'm sure they a lot of good selections but I'm just thrown off. Will be taking my business elsewhere. read more

Had a lot of records, nothing really current if you are looking for that, but a decent selection of older stuff! A lot of CDs and DVDs, which are kind of obsolete. Everything was pretty organized, you just had to be willing to look around because everything was mixed in with one another and sometimes on the floor or stacked on top of each other. Ended up finding 4 records, I thought a good price. It was in a dirty/dusty basement. The guy working the counter didn't seem eager to help when I asked a question. read more

Neptune Music Company - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Walk by this place all the time so decided to finally check it out... unfortunately the workers are a little less than friendly which made looking through stuff feel really awkward. read more

I drove out there on a Sunday, arrived to the front entrance of the shop at 6:05 or so. The gate to get down was locked and the stores closed sign was up before 7:30 (the close time). Very unfortunate and annoying. Will not recommend this store or go back. read more

This is located adjacent to the Neptune Theatre and the U-District Rail. You need to descend a set of stairs to find the underground entrance. There's a huge selection of old vinyls, cassettes, CD's, and movies and categorically organized by genres. All the vinyls are meticulously graded as well, which I appreciated as not every record store will take the time to do this. Fun place to go digging for old classics. The person behind the counter was friendly and didn't make us check bags or give us a hassle about carrying a sealed bottle of water. It's pretty standard to check your bags in some Seattle establishments (especially museums or other high traffic area!), so not sure why there are complaints for that here. read more

Ive bought from here before place gave me good vibes, came in to sell a handful of movies as the sign says theyre cool with, the clerk was rude and said he was busy but still took my bags, I said no problem take your time and when he said I was welcome to look around I mentioned im not buying today just need to sell these and he immediately had more attitude and said neither am I and proceeded to knock stuff over passing everything back to me ? Saying he had too much going on, I dont understand what the issue was as there was only 4 other customers I could see and I was like in no rush like cmon bro read more

the selection is huge and well kept... how ever the older gentleman who works here is a rude very unpleasant man who when I asked a few questions said and I quote "what do you want! I'm busy!" I suggest pe avoid this man and go to the place in Seattle center. I will never come back here and I will tell every music lover I know to avoid it at all costs. I hope this place closes or fires that old guy. read more

A hidden little gym downstairs in the university district. Be aware no food, drinks or bags are allowed. I had just got a fresh bubble tea and was able to leave It up front. Lots of good hidden gyms in here. Do not be ina rush or you'll miss the good things. Tons of dvds, vhs, cassette tapes, cds, and vinyls of all genres. I got a few pieces that reminded me of home. read more

A truly fantastic selection of CDs, vinyls, VHS tapes, books, DVDs, you name it. This is THE place to go for local Seattle bands and old vinyls that are tattered at the corners- it's authentic and the perfect place to find something new to listen to. They are reasonably priced (or as reasonable as it gets around here), convenient, and the guy behind the counter is fairly reserved but always polite and helpful. Seriously, CDs GALORE in here. I check in fairly regularly and there's always something new or neat. They will ask you to leave your drink on a shelf and check in your bag but it's never been a problem for me. read more

Neptune Music Company - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Prepare to be terrified upon entry. Don't touch. Only use your eyes. Stay away from the new arrivals. Hands where he can see them vibe. I've never been so scared shopping for music. read more

Good selection of used vinyl. I mainly collect used jazz vinyl, which this store has a pretty good amount of, especially for its size. Quality wise they did have a few harder to find albums, blue notes/prestige etc, although not a ton, and priced accordingly. Not sure how often they get new inventory in, but I'd stop by again. read more

Be prepared to spend hours here, which I did when I was re-visiting the U District after moving away for years. A HUGE inventory of vinyls and all things media added with the quirkiness of boxes (filled with CDs or Vinyls) everywhere. But if there is an older album that you have been searching, it's probably there if you're patient enough. I did find a rare album. Valuation of the records is fair. read more

They have a big selection of records for every taste. Why 4 stars? I wish they would have local Seattle bands records.

Since all the other record stores in the U district have closed, Neptune is one of the last in the area. Located down stairs from the deli and theater by stairs on the side street. It can be a little overwhelming at first but take a minute and just explore. This place is a small but still very big considering the amount of things here. There are sections dedicated to different formats. VHS, DVD, cassette tapes and vinyl records are neatly packed here. Walls are utilized and underneath the racks of records are more boxes so don't forget to check under. He has a wide variety of different genres for both music and movies. I was looking for a very specific album of Paul McCartney's band Wings and to my surprise I found one in almost mint condition. Including the original poster inside the sleeve! Higher quality vinyl also equals higher prices but for me this wasn't the case at all. I searched all over Seattle for an acceptable pressing to give as a gift and the only place I found it was here. The owner is very quiet and keeps to himself most of the time but I've asked him questions and he is knowledgeable. I haven't had a bad experience like others have had. Prices on some things are higher but considering the condition I think I'd rather pay a little more for something that hasn't been beaten to hell. If you're in the area just go in to browse. You might find something you'll like. read more

Neptune Music Company - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Really really cool place for media. No complaints. Didn't really have time to do a deep dive into this establishment and see the variety of what they have to offer, but I definitely will do that in the near future. There were so many things to look at and it was cool and underground. Great type of vibe and cool name. I will definitely be a regular at this place and look forward to getting great finds. read more

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Neptune music is a nice store, although space is somewhat of an issue. Some of the main rock section is filed underneath the pipes on the floor. My old knees weren't up to looking through everything on that day. That said, I did find some interesting things, including several singles and it was nice to see those, since a lot of record stores, even really good ones, barely do 45s at all. I remember pretty much all of the store's stock being used, which is perfectly fine with me. The owner actually sticks notes on the outer sleeves of a lot of records, describing the music and condition, which is a nice touch. There are better record stores in Seattle, maybe even several, but that's not an insult, as the city has a lot of really good shops. Worth a look, especially if you're already in the neighborhood. read more

I was looking for Taylor Swift's new album and mentioned it to the person behind the counter as I have been excited to get 1989 for a long time now. Instead of helping my girlfriend and I find her album, the guy who I later found out is named Dave started to belittle and laugh at us. I was astounded at how unprofessional the owner was and felt less then and self conscious by his critique on my taste in music. The place has a lot of records (albeit very disorganized) but it's just not worth putting up with this a-hole and his holier then though attitude about music. Lastly, my girlfriend felt uncomfortable by this guy and his wandering eyes as she walked around the store. read more

Neptune Music Company - this is the owner of the record store on his birthday - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Dave was super helpful and knowledgeable. It's not every day you meet someone so in tune with vinyl and music as a whole, and meeting him was worth the price. Great selection, a little on the pricey side but 100% worth it through and through. My friend and I left with good purchases and felt very accommodated by Dave. I will be regularly visiting this place! read more

Neptune Music Company - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I wanted to like Neptune...and hate to give it only 2 stars, but I just had a less than stellar experience. 1. Holy no organization, Batman! So much stuff crammed into such a tiny space that it is difficult to navigate and know where to begin. That's OK, ask one of the friendly staff members, their life is MUSIC, they should be helpful, right? 2. Staff. Nope! Not helpful at all. Maybe it was just me, but I found the two gentlemen working to be rather standoff-ish. I might not be from Seattle, but I have been in enough record stores to know that if I do not receive at least polite service, I won't return. I got the vibe that this place thinks it's poo-poo smells like roses and that no one could possibly love music as much as them. 3. Pricing. I know vinyl has made quite the comeback over the past few years, but that is simply not a good enough reason to charge people a 15-25% markup. The few items I was able to find that piqued my interest were incredibly overpriced. I get they sell a lot of collector items, but when I can find similar items online for much less, I'd rather go that route. Seems like this could have been a much better experience, but there are just too many other good record stores where I would spend my hard-earned cash. Sorry, Neptune. Best of luck. read more

The basement of the Neptune Theatre is survival soil for University District's toughest record store. Stuck to their Vinyl card so there is tons of records for your needle. Fabulous shop with unique selections that has survived tons of record store days and it's my pick for Seattle's best. read more

This is a conceptually cool, literally 'underground', establishment--regrettably befouled by an insolent overlord. Ye shall bow to his every whim, ye pitiful patron! Now, I do recommend purchasing recordings from the very owner himself as it is a wholesome and stimulating exercise in ritual customer abuse. But try enduring the comedy of selling CDs to him and you'll throw up your hands and give away your lot to anyone else. Repeated phone calls reveal that his buying hours are illusively scheduled around his legendary daily desultory lunches / screw-this-*!*-business afternoon breaks. Should you happen to reach him by phone to inquire about when he might return from one of his approaching siestas, you'll be told "When I return". read more

This music store is tucked around a corner and down some stairs but my oh my...what an outstanding selection. They have used DVD'S for sale and they go above and beyond and categorize many of those movies by director. The music there is overwhelming and the selection is amazing both for vinyl and CD. Much of the merchandise is in boxes on counters and on the floor underneath but once you get the idea as to how it is presented it actually is way more neater than it looks. The space of the business is small and with the boxes on the floor and people looking through them it gets a bit congested but take your time...you are bound to find some music you will want to buy. read more

I love the somewhat dingy atmosphere of a used record store (Golden Oldies is great for that), but this leans toward ugly. I also asked the guy behind the counter where the listening station was and was told very coldly and condescendingly that they don't have one. No listening station, guys? Really? In a used record shop? read more

This place is a great store that suffers a very common disease. They have an incredible inventory. Its well organized, often restocked, and has an incredible amount of volume for the space. Heres the problem. 1: The records are over priced, some ranged from meh its overpriced to HOLY CRAP WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THIS PRICE? Here are three examples http://www.discogs.com/A-Storm-Of-Light-Nadja-Primitive-North/release/1724266 This is priced at $30 +tax at the store and I just bought a copy on this website for $24 including shipping. http://www.discogs.com/Residents-Stranger-Than-Supper/release/196302 This is labeled at $40 but has never sold higher than $30 here The worst of all http://www.discogs.com/Skaters-Axolotl-Split/release/723872 this is priced at $50 are you kidding me? this is usually sold for $12 on this hugely popular music site. Good luck getting a deal on these. 2: The worst of all this company suffers from a bad customer experience. So I have been to the store a couple times and just looked at their metal section, I never bought anything because most of their metal wasn't what I was looking for. So the third time I go in looking for "Primitive North" having seen it in my last visit. I walk down the stairs and start off to the metal section. Theres a man in my way so I have to walk around him. Then I get asked very loudly "can I help you find anything?" I say "No, I am just looking at your metal records." "Well do you know where they are?" At this point I am questioning what he means by asking me if I know where I am going, does he think I'm stealing? am I stupid? Is he just trying to be helpful but with a loud monotone voice? "Umm yeah you have the new releases here *points* and over here* points to where the other metal records are" "Yeah and we..." "Have some behind me as well, I know that. *gives a kinda smug smile*" So I pick up the record and see that it is $30 I look it up on my handy dandy Discogs.com and see that it is quite a bit overpriced. (blahblahblah theres shipping on your online orders, well there is tax on in-store purchases) I bring it to the counter and ask "hey I found this record but I found it online for a cheaper price, is there anyway I can get a lower price on it?" *loudly* "I won't look that up for you now" "Umm okay? I have a pricing cite right here, right now if you could look at it." "You caught me at a really bad time I'm EXTREMELY hypoglycemic and I need to go to lunch now." "Okay well I guess can I trade in this CD and get some off of the price?" *hands the CD over* "I'll offer you four credits" *Thinks well if I can buy it online for almost $10 cheaper I can keep my CD and $6* "Well do you know when you could look it up by?" "Fine, I'll tell you what, if you come in tomorrow ill look it up for you." "Okay" *I leave* GOOD LORD. If you don't negotiate on prices please just let me know instead of being so rude. I have never once in my life been in such a hostile negotiation situation. I would really like to come back but I don't really wan't to buy over priced records and I REALLY REALLY don't want to deal with that guy ever again. I'm sorry that such a great store has such poor customer service. read more

Neptune Music Company - Heres an extremely over priced Lp ($39.99) http://www.discogs.com/Residents-Stranger-Than-Supper/release/196302 check it here. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I split my time between Seattle and Los Angeles, and Neptune is my favorite record store out of the many in both towns. Go here if you're more interested in being cool than looking cool. (Don't worry, you'll look cool too). If you can't find the place, look down; Neptune is off the Ave and down a flight of stairs. Waiting below is a realm of subterranean vinyl bliss, curated by former Amoeba-affiliate Dave Sandlund. Dave keeps his well-maintained collection meticulously cataloged. Each record has a handwritten sticker of essential information attached to the plastic sleeve; this information is very useful for enthusiasts and downright invaluable for collectors. I challenge you to find another record store that offers ANY useful up-front information, let alone a comprehensive list on every album. Dave knows his large inventory like the back of his hand. And unlike most record stores I've perused, his collection actually contains many of the best records from the most popular artists. Too many times have I visited the "Beatles" section in a vinyl shop, only to find a couple of worthless compilations and an interview album. At Neptune, I picked up immaculate copies of Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt. Peppers, Hey Jude, and Yesterday and Today. No joke. Neptune isn't dirt cheap, but the prices are fair. In this internet age, where market value info is just a click away, you are unlikely to find much better deals outside of a garage sale. If you still think Easy Street is where it's at for vinyl, you owe it to yourself to check out Neptune. read more

A hidden treasure of music, movies and books in the U District. From the outside, this place doesn't look like much, but head downstairs and you'll find yourself lost in one of Seattle's better indie music shops. David owns the place, and is genuinely interested in making sure his customers are happy. He's also extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the music he sells. Seattle has a large number of amazing independent music stores, but this one is definitely near the top of my list overall. read more

the first time i went here looking for amy winehouse, they didn't have what i wanted. i would have bought it that day, i haven't collected records but that is better for this store. i went here again, i have a tiger army ii: power of moonlite cd now that sounds better than anything i can think of in rock. i have to see what else they have too, not a fan of edm or electric but the selection was very deep. *screams tiger army never dies* read more

Neptune Music Company - Lets see Amy Winehouse Frank or somethim - Music & DVDs Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The best part about this place is that many of the records have detailed information on a sticker. It will say the condition of the record, whether it's a first pressing or a reprint, if it's available on CD, country of origin and other relevant details. It is a record collector's dream to have an instant reference as they browse. The prices are reasonable but definitely more expensive than Half Price Books up the street, or even Cellophane Square for that matter. But, it doesn't matter, because the quality of the selection and detailed notes make it all worthwhile. The notes really help you discover things you may have otherwise missed. This place is especially good for avant-garde and experimental music, jazz of all varieties, and quite a nice selection of esoteric records for sampling. I didn't really look through the rock section, but they also have some nice classic soul and funk records. read more

Big up to Dave the owner who once slaved for Amoeba in CA. This store took over where "Earth River" once was. It's right under the Neptune Theatre on 45th so it's easy to locate. Good luck finding parking for free though. Pump that meter full cause once you step inside, you will lose track of time digging and digging... Dave has a great selection of music, books and videos. He's not afraid to stock it full (vinyl makes good insulation don't ya know?). If you are into the Grateful Dead, just ask Dave about his "Trip" in California. Most of the items in the store have a small novel written on the plastic outer sleeve telling you about the history and condition of the item as well as the price and this can take some time to read (did I mention to feed the meter?). Dave has spent alot of time researching all the records and he's very knowledgeable when it comes to all genres of music. If you are in the U-District, you should visit this store. read more

This place actually surprised me. I always see it when driving down 45th street. It's only a couple blocks away from my apartment. One day when I was hanging out with a friend on the Ave. we decided to make our way over here. You have to go down a flight of stairs to get there and it's a vintage looking area. Seems like they're always getting new stuff. I wasn't expecting their hip hop and jazz collection to be as big as it was. The records aren't cheap or overly expensive either. I would say they're reasonably priced. They definitely have some stuff I haven't seen at other record stores. I didn't have as much time to explore it as I would like. I will definitely come back since it's in walking distance. read more

This place is underground like a secret club. When in Seattle it's a must do thing for Peter and I to look at record stores before they become extinct. Myself I was in VHS heaven. They embraced the fact that I still had a VCR TV combo. It's a cult thing, especially since a lot of music documentaries never made it to DVD. The prices for the DVD's were fair market value. The store is small, well packed and organized. I got distracted looking at records cause I ended up engaging in a 35 minute conversation about the Rolling Stones with the owner. It always fascinates me to talk to a Stones fan 2 -3 decades younger than I. First time here with really good customer service. I bought some really cool records, one of which was on my bucket list for years, another that I liked musically but was in good condition and a few VHS tapes to keep me company at night. They have a very decent selection of cassette tapes. read more

I've been reluctant to write a review of Neptune Music Company for fear of blowing up my spot. I believe this to be the best record store in Seattle if you're looking for used records. Almost everything in the store is play tested by the owner and his notes and gradings of the records are so accurate that I've stopped double checking them myself. If he says they're near mint, they play absolutely flawlessly. I always find something interesting at fair prices, the real trick is not leaving with more records than I can carry. I really like that he has bins for "choice" records, sure they're pricier but you can almost always find something really cool. read more

Yet another great Seattle music store, Neptune Music Company looks like what I wish a room at my house would appear like. Wall-to-wall music, everywhere you look, awakening an itch to just pick a direction and stumble on something interesting. They have plenty of vinyl and CDs to look through that could take a few days to properly assess. As a CD buyer, I found that the used CDs were solidly priced around $8-10 while the dollar bin (buy 4, get one free) had a few good albums worth taking a chance on. There were also DVDs, VHS tapes, cassettes, and all sorts of other entertainment mediums to sort through while you're there. As for the staff, the guy at the counter was quite friendly behind the fortress of CD stacks surrounding him. If and when I ever get back to Seattle I hope to make this one of a few places I plan to return to! read more

Stopped at this little hole in the wall during my trip to Seattle after reading some Yelp reviews. The staff was very friendly; I was greeted, offered help, and chatted up during checkout. The guy behind the counter seemed really passionate about his shop and music in general, and unlike a lot of record stores nowadays, it came across in a very positive way, instead of in a pretentious way. I'm from the San Francisco Bay Area and am used to a lot of record shop owners "picking and choosing" their clientele. This wasn't the case here! Prices were fair for what my typical vinyl purchases are, which are more obscure punk LPs. While browsing through some of the rock section, I did notice the "more popular" albums being on the slight higher end, but nothing ridiculous. The part I liked best about this shop is the labeling on each album. Sub-genres were labeled and which pressing, which is a really nice touch. Because I often grab punk albums I've never heard of, it was really cool to have a better idea of what I'm getting myself into. Walked out with a couple new albums, and I'll definitely stop back in next time I'm in the area! read more

Basement store just off 45th around the corner of the movie theatre. Great staff and awesome selection in a very compact and well-packed space. Bought up their AC/DC. Very satisfied and enough to burp. read more

Went down to Neptune this last week. When you first walk down the stairs it feels sketchy, and the store looks overwhelming. Much to my surprise I actually found it fairly organized and had a lot of cool records. Almost every record had a sticker with some notes about the album which were helpful. Really cool place that I would highly recommend read more

Warning: This Store is not for the claustrophobic, the records are crammed in. Though they're organized by letter of the contributor(s), and genre for movies, television, etc... The staff is very nice, and showed us where some CD gems are that we requested. They even let me throw my water cup away, which was very courteous. They've a strong CD collection. It was a pleasure stopping by. read more

This spot was interesting. On one hand the owner seemed to know about everything he was selling. By that I mean he'd listed fairly detailed pressing info on the outside of each lp via a sticker on the polybag. On the other hand, he didn't necessarily know what everything actually was. What I mean by that is he knew it was rare, and that there was a copy on popsike that had sold for a high price, but these seemed to be his only criteria in pricing. I find myself generally frustrated by stores who take the absolute top price from popsike or ebay, add 20% on top of that and stick it up on the wall, even for relatively common and not very old releases. Just because one copy of a record has sold for $80, that doesn't make it the going rate. Especially when there's a record of maybe 5 more that sold for half that. I don't want to sound ungrateful, it's clear the owner goes to a lot of trouble to grade his records and find out information about them. In that respect I've never seen a store that matched Neptune, or even came close. On the other hand most of the stuff in the store was $10-50 more than I'd pay for it. Like they say, it's worth whatever someone will pay for it, and there was definitely cool stuff here, but it was just too high for me. I would say definitely stop here if you're in Seattle, but be prepared for sticker shock. read more

It's basically a basement jam packed with vinyl, CDs, tapes, VHS and DVDs. And I mean jam packed. Every square foot that can hold an album is holding an album. I stop in every time I visit Seattle. Great place to kill some time picking through music and chatting with the owner. One of my favorite spots in the city. read more

I keep forgetting I shouldn't really buy records here. They have a great collection, and it's a fun place to spend your Sunday afternoon. But like some others mentioned, there are no listening stations and many records (I've bought) are seriously warped and wobbly -- which I would notice and have avoided if they had listening stations in the first place. Too bad. read more