I still remember when this location was Park Bowl, but that was (gasp) over thirty years ago when…read morebowling was still a popular social activity. I myself was on a bowling team named the Orient Express, and I wish I still had my red team shirt with the dragon on the back. But I digress as this has been an independent record store since 1997, an offshoot of the Berkeley store on Telegraph. Digital downloads be damned, this shop is focused on physical media...CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes, Blu-rays, and of course, vinyl. Even before picking up spares at Park Bowl, I recall that moment in my youth when I made the monumental decision to switch my record purchases from vinyl to CDs. Nowadays, vinyl is making a comeback among a younger generation looking for a higher quality, more realistic sound quality. I saw these Gen Z audiophiles flipping through the long LP bins in search of the elusive underground classic their stereophonic friends could appreciate and envy. Personally I could find nuggets of my own. Albums like The Very Best of Spike Jones (Photo 10) and The Complete 2,000 Year Old Man (Photo 5) resonated with me. I was happy to see individual LPs consolidated into boxed sets like the Linda Ronstadt retrospective. Beyond the music is the expansive DVD collection of movie titles both classic and obscure. There's also books and collectible merchandise like pop-culture lunch boxes and celebrity prayer candles. I'm not sure I need a candle that deifies Aubrey Plaza, but it's good to know where I can get one. RELATED - Exploring the Haight? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Mq6DbbrGGJ

Came to visit my second Amoeba Music store, with my first one being at the Amoeba Music in Los…read moreAngeles. I really can't compare the two exactly because they each have their own vibe. This San Francisco location at the Haight was pretty chill though and had everything a music lover would expect: a massive selection of used music CDs and vinyls for all genre and eras, clearance CDs, DVDs, and yes, even cassette tapes and VHS tapes as there were plenty around. This location was very organized, everything is in its place as labeled. Staff are also friendly here. They have a fairly nice music related book section and also a big DVD and Blu-Ray section of the store. There's also cool Amoeba SF merchandise right up front. Think parking in the area is pretty packed, but taking the local transit or Uber will get you here just fine.

Excellent little local record shop. Record Store Day had a line down the street & around the…read morecorner. They helped people get in & out with ease. They held to the RSD pledge. Not marking anything up. Pretty much everybody in line, got what they wanted. One thing I was waiting for got sold out before I made it in the door. But that's how you roll the dice on Record Store Day. I still managed to give up half a paycheck! And got some nice gems.

This was my first visit in a while. It was a great experience. The selection is good (though I wish…read morethere was more used stuff). The service is friendly. The decor is cool. You will not leave empty handed.

What a cool spot to stumble upon before checking out a film at 4 Star Movie Theater. An absolute…read morestellar collection of vinyl records, but beyond that - I found the book sections mesmerizing. Super cool books, novels, short stories, and coffee table selections spanning from autobiographies, obscure poets, and beyond. There is also a cool selection of local art, small unique boutique style gifts, and clothing. I loved feeling like I stumbled into a spot that is deeply connected to a local scene, as I overheard many conflabs between local artists as I perused. I would definitely recommend scheduling some extra time to shop here during any visit to the Richmond area.

I am a big music lover and I often go to a coffee shop right in front of this record store. I…read morelooked at the reviews, a lot of great reviews so I thought it was going to be a good place. It is, it does have a lot of items I was genuinely looking for. However, my mistake was not reading the reviews throughly and seeing that those reviews are for a different store because the owner or whoever that was working that day was extremely unpleasant to communicate with because he was a little condescending like I don't know what I'm talking about even though I just had a simple questions.

We were looking for a record shop that used to be around the corner from here and it is gone! So we…read morewalked into this little gem and the older guy behind the counter told me that the closed store was his second location but this one is the original - and it has been here for 39 years! I love old shops like this. It is small but packed with records! You'll find all different genres here- including a bin filled with records by local musicians. Though they didn't have the particular record we were looking for, we may head back tomorrow when we have more time to look through their collections. They are open every day. If you are looking to add vinyl to your collection, check this place out! It's old school in all the best ways and could use the support.

Looking for some special music / vinyl? This place likely has it…read more Cool atmosphere, a small but densely packed store with all manner of vinyl (and a few cassettes) for the discerning music fan. No nonsense but friendly service, ask for some help if you need inspiration!

If your idea of a good time is an afternoon spent among the books, then Green Apple Books is for…read moreyou. What I love here are the carefully curated staff selections. There are always unexpected finds and books you'd never unearth online. The tables of discounted and used books upstairs are worth a browse. The atmosphere is welcoming, dusty, and perfect for wandering. One of my favorite Sunday rituals: browsing until I find something unexpected, and then heading down Clement for dim sum, light thrifting, maybe a little Kamei treasure, a strawberry crepe, and some Asian groceries. A Green Apple visit makes the outing complete. San Francisco still has a few good remaining bookstores, and the selection hidden in the winding nooks and crannies at Green Apple, keep it near the top of that list.

I was walking by when I saw the bookstore. First time here. They had several carts with books on…read moresale. It was hard to go over the books as they were not organized. Once you go inside it is a tight place but cute. They have new and used books , two floors. What I liked were the flashcards in front of books giving a little description and thoughts on books. I felt some new books were overpriced. However their clearance and sale books were a great deal. I got an art book for $6. Service was not personable. I was not greeted even at register when I was ready to pay. The lady just charged me. She didn't offer any bag either. It was a little awkward. I love visiting bookstores. However, this one might be the one least friendly I encountered. Overall they have a good selection of books.

3rd and last stop in this neighborhood, had already bought records and cds elsewhere, but decided…read moreto look just for fun. This place also has a great selection, I got an example of the last production by Celia Cruz for 6 and jam rock by Samoa Marley for 6. My Mrs. Wanted an artic monkeys cd that's was 16. Now to see a new cd from a 2013 production is interesting so i didn't think it was a price gouging issue. I liked the service , they offer many things at this place 5/5.

Luckily found parking across the street. Beware to read the signs to pay for parking. This place…read moreis a Mecca for media collectors. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. They have a huge selection of children's movies in the basement amongst other genres. Prices are decent and they have this section at the entrance full of clearance blu ray/dvds. They are closed most of the week it seems and close early. Worth checking out.

Very friendly lady helped us find the Chinese "lysee" red envelopes with our last name.read more

Said had kpop music and Korean videos my daughter loves that stuff we had to walk supper far and…read morethe shop was as big as my closet but had no music at all

True survivors. Look at that groovy exterior. Best browsing ever, but people, you have to buy…read moresomething eventually, or this blast from the past will fade into history. Grooves is next door to the long shuttered It's Tops cafe & that's about it. Everybody else gone. I've bought a couple albums just for the cover art. Cheap Pete's sells square album frames. Hint, hint.

Finally stopped by after living in the neighborhood for 5 years. Big selection of classic rock and…read moreclassical records. They got cassettes and CDs too. Got a couple records at good prices. Tammy at the counter was super nice. I will come back again when I don't have my dog with me so I can take my time and browse.

I'm so proud of SarangHello…read more Since 2020, SarangHello has grown tremendously from a small storefront to several times the original location at the new 2050 Taraval Street location. The staff has grown from three members to many recognizable faces that frequently show up in person, at events, and on their social media videos. The selection has also blossomed into so many items, with options to do exclusive pre-order items and benefits, light sticks for concerts, custom-made SH merchandise, albums, and pretty much everything else. Yelp Pro Tip: You can unlock a 10%(!!!) discount if you sign up for SH email listing and get information on the latest releases, events, and content. What stands out even more is SarangHello's impact to the San Francisco and Bay Area communities. They constantly are partners at events and organizations and are truly building a community where us K-Pop lovers and fans can meet, engage, and be a part of the community. They also promote trading events and have an area within the store where we can just hang out. They also expanded their hours to 11am-6pm on weekends and 1pm-6pm Mondays through Fridays. Always putting customers first and delivering value to the community and the products that are sold.

I originally rated SarangHello 5 stars, but ever since they merged with Kpop Nara my experience has…read moregone down a little bit. Sadly, it seems that they have stopped giving freebies which made me really sad because that is what made them stand out among so many other K-pop stores. Also one of the employees was a little cold towards me when they first merged. But the other workers this time were really nice, also the selection of TWICE albums was good as well, and is always a good value. Definitely will always come back, just a little disappointed that merging with Kpop Nara affected my original opinion.

Finding a bookstore in San Francisco can be a challenge depending which side of city you are and…read morewhat you are looking for as far as subject matter. There are various bookstores which face the street sidewalks of San Francisco and are easy to enter and exit. There is a bookstore in San Francisco which is hidden from the public side walk and accessible through a mall on the second floor. It's located inside the Japan Center in Japantown and it's called Kinokuyina. On a Spring stroll inside Japan Center I landed inside Kinokuyina. In the land of the rising sun Kinokuyina is a bookstore was founded in 1927 in Japan and turns 100 years next year. This San Francisco location is the first in the USA which opened since 1969. They have other locations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore,Hong Kong, Taiwan,and the Philippines. Inside you will find lots of books in Japanese Kanji and English Manga. They also sell lots of novelties and t-shirts. This a great international bookstore in San Francisco. It's almost Summer say bye to the month of "May" they have a location in San Francisco another down the road by San Tomas Expressway in "San Jose "they have lots books of "display" from manga to "anime" Come visit they have books for any age "group "you can find magazines with the latest "scoop"so you can stay in the "loop" and you can even find a book like some in SF about "poop"

I've visited only two of Tokyo based Kinokuniya Bookstore's seventeen U.S. locations, San Francisco…read moreand Seattle, but because of my affection for Japanese food and culture, it left a strong impression, and I return from time to time. Did you know they have six stores in California and four in Texas alone? I'll gladly reconfigure my thoughts about Texans, that they that can support the existence of four Kinokuniya bookstores. Respectfully. I enjoy browsing the SF store, especially the travel section, cookbooks, and unique magazines. They have all the requisite kawaii stuff including Miffy, Moomin, Studio Ghibli, and Sonny Angels. Having Google Translate at the ready in camera mode, makes exploring some of the Japanese titles even more fun. A unique, immersive bookstore experience.