This new north end vinyl purveyor blew its doors open on the 22nd with an in store showcase of…read morelocal talent. I did not attend the shindig, but heard the festivities were groovy and schmoozy, with a touch of bop and pop to boot. I took a little jaunt in today to check out this greatly welcomed music shop. The space is stark, more gallery chic though than bland, with chalk walls as a backdrop to midnight hued music stands. The vinyl selection was grand, featuring what seemed to be mainly newbie merch and not vintage/used offerings. There were also tons of CDs of the new and used variety. I sussed out She & Him, The Buzzcocks and Television, as I enjoyed the clean crisp space. Downfall was, that the dude at the counter didn't even acknowledge my friend and I as he yapped away on the tele. A little nod or a hand wave would have been sufficient salutation, but he didn't even muster that - must have been a seriously serious call, maybe Obama or someone like that on the line. There's no sign out front yet, so don't blink or you'll miss it. This shop is hip and happening, but loses a mark for customer service. Maybe next time we'll be able to bump this baby up to a 4.

As most of you know I have a sick obsession with vinyl, so you can only imagine my excitement when…read moreI stumbled on a new record shop last week on my morning walk. This hidden gem is Obsolete Records. Located in the North End of Halifax, Obsolete Records is a small open concept shop, decorated in lots of local art . The lay out is super clean and really well organized so it was easy to find what I was looking for. I was really impressed when I walked in to find they carry so much local music .Not only do they carry tons of local 45's but they also have a large selection on and rare records that you may not find anywhere else. My only beef with the place is the staffing. I'm not one to give a bad review however I was the only customer in the shop , was in there for over a half hour and had several records in hand . Not once was I acknowledge or asked if I needed help finding what I was looking for . When I finally asked if they had a copy of a record I've been searching for, the staff behind the counter , who was reading a book acted as if it was a chore to look up the 45 on his data base. I felt that my overall experience with the place would have been far more enjoyable with a simple " Hi, can I help you with anything ? " But I digress ... Overall this place is pretty great and their prices are reasonable. It's definitely a fierce competitor ..let's just hope their customer service amps up so it will be unstoppable !

This is my go to spot for Vinyl. There's a great selection. And if you sign up for the mailing…read morelist, you can get some awesome deals before the records hit the web-site.

If you're hunting for vinyl, this is where to go: great selection, huge catalog, great prices,…read moreawesome finds. About a year ago I decided to try to rebuild the core of the record collection I had in the 80's. I started with flea markets and picked up a good album here and there. But things only really took off when I found this site. They've got thousands of records, many for under 10 bucks. The owner is a great guy, friendly, and easy to deal with. He once emailed me just to let me know that I had purchased the same album twice. The second one was for my son, but he didn't want me to have 2 of the same in case it was a mistake. Who does that? Seriously, check this site out. Make sure you use the search in the top right to look for bands, or albums, or artists. Of course you could spend over an hour and go through the whole site like I did the first time I saw it. :)

With all of the recent happenings of Halifax's Obey (Music & Art) Convention, it seems appropriate…read morethat Divorce Records be officially recognized (Yelp Style) as one super local provider. A business within a business-- Divorce Records main place of purchase is held within Agricola Street's "Lost and Found". As a fine source of independent music, the label is dedicated to both local and international talent that strays from the usual. Peek through the selection for some stellar anti-industry music variety. Vinyl and CDs are for sale, and allow an opportunity to acquire new tastes without the commercial bloat. The label has been open since the 90s (1999.. but still!) and in indie music world, thats a substantial amount of time. Its admirable to see Haligonians putting it out there, and pushing through the waste that IS the music industry. There's lots of great music out there, and Divorce is a local label to provide us with a taste.

Darcy, the dude who runs Divorce, does a slam up job at providing some serious music to ravenous…read moreHaligonians. Not only does this company provide an outlet for local bands to be represented, Divorce also delves into the distribution side of things; bringing in unhinged artistic albums to this seaside town and offering them to the masses, via Lost & Found. Laura P. is in the right giving Divorce a send up "Yelp Style." This label and distribution corps, although relatively small, is well known on the indie Halifax scene and is respected as a purveyor of sovereign sound; music existing outside of the trendy pervasive airwaves. Shop Divorce's selection while perusing Lost & Found's treasures and eccentricities. If you're interesting in armchair surfing, scan their offerings via the world wide web. Their website is informative and provides distribution details as well as signed artists. Divorce ain't no sad custody battle; they've got their ducks in a row and enough solid sound to rock the socks off of any grandma.

The tiny little bookstore (owned by the largest book-selling retain chain in Canada) that could!…read more Having worked downtown for many years, I became quite familiar with this little bookstore. And it is small. But they manage to pack quite a diverse selection into their small space. You'd expect to just find best-sellers and the like but I've been pleasantly surprised by their offerings on more than one occasion. Staff are friendly and helpful without being all up in your face about it. If you want to browse, they'll let you browse. If you have questions, they'll do what they can to help you. You can also find quite a few bargain books here. And they're often displayed prominently near the entrance. As much as I love it, please keep in mind, they're not going to have everything. They're more likely to have the latest Stephanie Meyer over Stephanie Chandler. But it is what it is.

I don't make it out to Bayers Lake to go to the big Chapters often, so I appreciate having the…read moresmaller Coles store downtown. I usually go to local shops for my book needs, but Coles has such a great selection of stationary! Even with such a small space, they manage to pack in a lot of merchandise. Looking for a day planner? They've got 'em. What about a magazine? Yep. Books? Of course. The best part of the Coles stores though? The bargain books right at the front of the store. So many $5 books! They're usually ones that were popular a year ago that are probably not selling as well anymore, but that's okay with me. Coles certainly doesn't have everything, but they're a nice little bookstore to browse through.

I was lost, and then I was found…read more This is a special space of altered frocks, vintage finds, and a flavour of locally made. Eclectic musings come together to form Lost & Found's fashionably homemade North End boutique . The shop's mood is quiet and thoughtful, just as its clothes. Music is easy, and the store keeper sews away in a corner wooden chair. Piecing through the assorted racks, I become awe struck by the profuse selection of gorgeous things. Most times I am able to edit down final selections before the efforts of the fitting room; however, this was not the case. The clothing variety is of impeccable taste, as every item on display is hand picked, and/or altered with special detailing. And with such reasonable pricing-- it all seems too good to be true. (A large rack dedicated to post-season sales provides some gorgeous steals!) Clothing is displayed on thick wooden hangers, and well managed framework; the result is chic and polished confines. Divorce Records is an added bonus to the Lost & Found experience. Peek through this Halifax based label's selection for some stellar anti-industry music variety. Vinyl and CDs are for sale, and allow an opportunity to acquire new tastes, without commercial fluff. Also noteworthy: bin filled with $2 Vinyl picks. (Not Divorce Records) Besides glass encased jewelry and vintage frames, L&F is also decorated with DIY-styled trinkets and art. The space is fused with creative energy and wholesome goodness. I heart. My recent visit ended with the purchasing of a brilliant long sleeved crop top. With its subtle alterations-- front & back scoop neck with buttons, and adorable mini-shoulder pads + ruching-- its a dream piece. And only $18! The detailing of selections make for cool fits and one of a kind pieces. Lost & Found offers a creative and inspiring shopping experience, indeed. The carrier and creator of all things "special", this place is now top on my list.

Lost & Found is a fun little vintage shop that stocks some really great stuff. I just wish i was…read moreabout...oh, 10 sizes smaller so I could fit into all the great clothes there. *sigh.* Oh, well. I guess I need to accept that only the skinny kids get to look cool. Besides, I've heard that you're not supposed to wear stuff that you remember going by the first time around. So, dang it, no Mary Maxim sweaters for me.

My local used bookstore…read more As an avid reader, and a supporter of local stores, this is my first stop when in need for a new/used/different book. The lady who runs/owns the place, is very friendly, and seems to know where, and what everything is. It's amazing, if i am looking for a specific book, she will know if she has it, had it, and if not, she will take you info and try to find it/them for you! Just amazing customer service. I almost always walk out with a few books, but more importantly I always walk in with some to give back. If you haven't been, check it out, support the little folks, and enjoy the coffee shop as well!

Nice little store with a good selection of used books. Saw quite a few recent best sellers and…read morecurrent titles. My son found a large hardcover book in great shape in the children's section for $8 ($20 new). Small espresso bar at the cash. Taking off a star because the lowest % milk they have is 2%. I get not having skim if you aren't a big place, but at least do 1%. 2% feels like I'm drinking cream and is not good for the waistline either!

Friendly spot with good coffee and a great record selection! Always a fun stop to get a warm drink,…read morea treat, and pick up a record or a book.

I got two books from here. The place is organized properly. However, most of the books are older…read more You may not find newer books there, but there are many nice old collections there!

Look closely for Schooner because it could be easy to miss. This little store is actually a…read morehouse-turned-shop, which means it looks exactly like someone's house from the outside. Inside isn't much different. There are different rooms that you can go into, some appearing to pop out of nowhere. I was pretty shocked at how large this place was. It seemed so tiny from the outside, but it's deceivingly large. Schooner specializes in rare and out-of-print books, although I did notice some regular old books there too. They have paper signs indicating which sections are which and what each shelf contains. I was drawn to the mystery section which, oddly enough, was located right next to the children's section. Once I perused the mysteries I was drawn to the children's. I found one book that I remember reading when I was a child and was instantly pulled into a state of nostalgia. I think I spent a few minutes reading through it again. There was a nice older couple working the counters. They were both busying themselves on the computers while a couple other folks and I were browsing around. They were cute and the store was cute too. Top notch, I say!