Bigger store than you think from the outside looking in, and a gem in Five Points area! Pure definition of quaint, small, and quiet as you browse selections. Love the old fashioned vibes here and less of the hustle and bustle of larger shops. Staff was very helpful to assist us in finding what we were looking for, and knowledgeable. Prices were higher for used records than another local store, but lower than one we have stopped at out of town, so a good middle ground for sure. And, lots of 2 set record albums too! A sweet surprise that allowed me to go home with two records sets. Support your local business and remember: tomorrow is Record Store Day! read more

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Upon entry of the vinyl shop it was a bit overwhelming. There are so many vinyls, however, this shop has something for everyone. Great selections of vinyls and cd's. I ended up purchasing a vinyl and two cd's. The man that works here was very helpful in providing direction on where the genres are located. I would definitely visit this location again. Street parking is available. read more

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Located in the 5 points south district this place has tons of Music. Albums, CDs and more. The proprietor was down to earth and greeted us when we entered. He asked us what we liked so I chose R&B and Jazz so he walked us to that location. I found Billy Preston, the Neville Brothers and more. Some under $6.00 and a few for right at $12. Of course not all are that inexpensive but prices are competitive. read more

Renaissance Records - Example of what's inside - Vinyl Records Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

The Good: :: it's a local business! :: lots and lots and lots of records from all time periods and eras as well as genres and artists and formats The Bad: :: it's a bit disorganized inside. you're talking boxes and bins of records. it's really great if you are in browse mode but if you are in a rush or if you suffer from OCD tendencies, this is probably not the best place for you :D if you struggle with finding what you're looking for, don't hesitate to ask the people who work there...they can find the method in the madness somehow to get what you need The Ugly: :: none Would I go back? Sure thing! It's a gem to find a vinyl store anywhere and it's great to help support them to keep them around, as they add charm to the local vibe. This place is IN. read more

Great shop packed to the rafters with records of all kind with a very knowledgeable staff. Asked if they had three rather eclectic artists and the answer was "yep, he's over there, she's over there and they are over here." Great place tucked away on a side street in Bham. read more

After a therapeutic experience down the street at another record store, I honestly walked into Renaissance with little to no expectation. Yet again, I found myself examining through an above average vinyl selection. As I searched, new releases from Alabama Shakes and Mumford & Sons served as the soundtrack backdrop. Thumbs up. Unsure of what to select, I half-heartedly decided on the new Alabama Shakes album. I thought to myself, "Hell, I'm in Alabama. They're playing the lead single as I speak. Alright, I'll buy it." Then as I approached the counter, I realized there was a stack of LPs I didn't sort through. What turned out to be a prized possession laid in the middle of the pile: An exceptionally rare, 12" single of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box." I call this pure, unadulterated vinyl bliss. All record stores are treasure maps. Except as a customer, you aren't provided with a map for your convenience. You must search until you discover your buried treasure. And this particular record may very well be buried along side me when my time on Earth comes to a close. Can you tell how enthused I am? Personal anecdotes aside, Renaissance fills a void in the vinyl municipal. I'm incredibly jealous Birmingham houses two independent record empires in walking distance of each other. The owner, thick in Southern hospitality, voiced campfire stories for all ears to sink in. If you're looking for an excellent record, book or movie, Renaissance has your needs covered. read more

Renaissance Records - Vinyl Records Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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This is a a crate diggers paradise! It's well organized and there is a huge selection of used vinyl and some new RSD stuff. The manager, Jimmy, knows the inventory and he pulled out a few Residents records by memory. Plus he's got a great laugh and is a music historian. The prices are fair and there are some real deals here if you hunt. This is the last record store in the once bustling area of Highlands that is know being co-opted by high rents and greedy landlords. This is a tale often told by historic vinyl stores that made a neighborhood cool, but are unfortunately being run out of business. Keep independent record stores alive! read more

I've got to go with three stars for Rennaisance. I travel quite a bit on business and always scope out vinyl shops before a trip. I was surprised to find only one in Birmingham (well, there used to be two). I was expecting to find at least a few vinyl shops in Birmingham. Perhaps another one in Tuscaloosa. I guess not. One other reviewer mentioned the store's lack of organization. It's true. Patience is the operative word here. Example: Spirit's "Twelve Dreams of Dr Sardonicus". They had three copies (that I know of) in three different bins. The same with several Moody Blues LP's. Most of the bins are semi-sorta alphabetized. But it's still a crap-shoot if you're looking for something specific. I did not find anything that got me super-excited. I found their overall quality to be somewhat sub-par. Then again, their prices are not obscene. Lots of $6 records. But, not that much that was worth a whole lot more than $6. If you're in the area, definitely stop by. But I wouldn't drive too far out of my way. read more

This is what you want a record store to be. If you want to super organized, then maybe you will be disappointed. But if you want the experience of digging through wonderful piles of treasure to find your personal pot of gold and this is Nirvana --my only complaint would be that no customer ever wants to hear somebody who works in the shop dogging out another employee. The older lady there is knowledgeable and really friendly to customers, but twice I've heard her just reaming out someone else that works there. It was unpleasant enough for me to leave. That really is my only complaint though I love the charm of the place, the ambience and the really knowledgeable and friendly staff. read more

Insane!!! Look here... i've been to a lot of record stores and this one of the best! Great customer service and great conversation. Great prices. Mr. Jimmy is is a good guy and very knowledgeable. I walked out of the place with literally a box and a bag full of records. Angry because i kept finding more and more records that I had to buy. What a selection! I can wait to visit Birmingham again so I can find more treasures. They really took care of me. read more

It's the best record store in town, but I am holding a star back because of the female employee that is sometimes there. She is brash, loud, rude and can crash a mellow mood faster than anyone I've ever seen before. She MUST be either the owner or owners wife, because no business owner in their right mind would allow someone with her attitude and temperment to work there. She would be fired by absolutely ANYONE else who COULD fire her. I'm sorry I'm harping on this but I had my 4th truly awful interaction with her. Example: you are chatting with any of the male employees there. They tell you, "oh go grad that one there." This older crab of a woman comes in to a scene she wasn't there to know anything about and thinks it's a great idea to humiliate the customer by yelling, "UR NOT SPOSED TO BE THERE." I feel deep,y sorry for whomever is stuck dealing with her. Go to the store. It's great. But if you see a crazy, angry lady just leave. I'm assuming she owns the store or someone would have figured out a way to get her to quit just...pooping on the vibe in there. I wondering why someone doesn't explain to her that eventually she will put the store out of business. ***some people are NOT MEANT TO INTERACT WITH CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS. she needs to be back room only if they can't find a way to get rid of her...or someone needs to grow a set and put their foot down about how she behaves in front of people. The store has one problem and it is her. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS. IT IS OPENLY DISCUSSED. IVE SEEN PEOPLE HIDING OUT waiting to decide if they will go in and shop or not...asking people is the bitchy lady is on or not. If she's there...they leave. Dude, deal with this. Please. The music needs you to. read more

Stacking Renaissance against Charlemagne Records, just a skip away, is a no brainer. Charlemagne is the clear winner. With that in mind, I was initially annoyed I'd come here, having already visited the other record store. After digging and digging through a lot of records I had no interest in, however, I ended up finding some solid keepers. Ah--the joy of vinyl hunting! Not the best record store I've ever been in by far, but nothing to turn your nose up at either. Lesson learned ;) read more

I work in food industry, and almost every week I go into Renaissance to spend a bit of my tip money on records. I used to go to Charlemagne around the corner, but renaissance has more helpful staff, a more open area, and I think the organization of it is more of what I like when looking for records. They constantly have new records coming in, and opposed to other reviews, I find their prices to be pretty fair. I got a Jackson Five album for $3, a good Whitney Houston album for $1, and a Sam Cooke for $5. Those were all great finds. The man who typically works there is extremely helpful if you use him as a resource. Sometimes he will help you more than you want, but he's really friendly and knowledgable. I was looking thru random albums the other day and he came up after noting a few I'd picked up with similar artists and other albums by the same artists. It's the best record store I know of in town, and if you really take the time to look through the albums on the tables and under, you'll get some great albums like I did. I will continue to shop here because I like their records and I like to support it as a small local business. read more

A great record store. You'll find more indie records here than you will at Charlemagne and there's still tons of old records here to go through as well. I have found 2001: A Space Odyssey Soundtrack and Kraftwerk before. Lots of hidden treasures. Great prices too. Also, the owner of this place is the most friendly guy you'll ever meet. He is super helpful and you can strike up a conversation with him about anything. read more

Renaissance Records is a nice addition to the downtown 5 pts bham scene! The shop has nice people, good records, always good songs playing, and you'll never know what kind of a conversation or record youll come out of the store with...overall, Renaissance is a worth while visit if passing thru birmingham or if you're around town and haven't visited the 5 pts area before. -scott,ensley read more

I will always chose to visit renaissanse over charlemagne but only because their collection of classic books is vastly superior. I used to be an avid browser of their records but one day the prices started going through the roof. The final straw was a used copy of Louder Than Bombs going for $50! This is a compilation record! Not rare! We're talking a $10-$12 record. While this is an extreme example, I don't find myself buying records here anymore. So, 2 1/2 stars really. read more

This is a quaint little store and can yield some good finds. If you have the time to spare and don't mind digging, this is a good place to score a decent record or two. The owner is real cool and that is a rarity for a record store. Had fun here. read more

A different experience from Charlemagne, but definitely a pleasant shopping experience. While it seems a little disorganized, the guy working there just asked me what I was looking for and pulled out the record from the voluminous piles. All the while chatting with me and giving me suggestions. I ended up with a zydeco sampler I had never seen. Prices were reasonable. Definitely worthwhile checking out when in town. read more

I love going in to Renaissance. in college I spent a lot of time in there and the owner always offered to order any vinyl they didn't have. he even specifically started stocking a certain band's vinyl for me. they have a much better selection of newer vinyl than Charlemagne and I thoroughly enjoy Renaissance Much More!!! read more

My couple of visits to Renaissance have been very cordial, with nice folks and good music. Couldnt find a record I was looking for but they are good to make special orders on LP or CD and books too. JOhn, 26 read more

The main problem with this shop is the lack of organization. Everything is jumbled together and scattered about. Always check condition or you may be disappointed when you get home. Persistence pays off as I usually find at least one item. This store is not terrible but it is not great either. Still the staff is very nice and helpful and most of the prices are reasonable. read more

I see allot of comparison here between Charlamagne and Renaissance, however both of these establishments send business to each other and Gary (of Ren) worked at Charlemagne for years and years. I frequent both of these stores. I like Ren because there are always great prices that are not as steep as collector prices you find online-or even sometimes at Charlamagne. I love Charlemagne because Charlemagne has Jimmy. Everyone needs to meet Jimmy. Anytime there is a new release that I want on the day it comes out I go see Jimmy. Charlemegne is smaller so sometimes it seems that there are records just stuffed everywhere,but then there are times I go to Ren,and people have brought records all day long and the same is true there-with the added boxes of books. Basically these stores are not even a brisk walk from each other so there need be no heavy comparison-and neither Gary nor Jimmy ever allows for ill talk against the other record store,which is why they both keep my business. read more