It's a ritual to hit a record store whenever I'm out of town. With Memphis being historically deep into music, it was fitting to make sure to make it happen this trip. Shangri- La Records was up the street from where we had BBQ & as soon as we walked in, the records covered wall to wall. So much to choose from. There was a section with a setup of drums & a mic stand. Came to find out there was a jam session that ended right before we walked in. I really really enjoyed the Memphis sections, whether it was based off of a record label (like Stax) or an artist (like OV Wright). When I found the record I ended up buying, I instantly told myself that I was going to back as long as I'm ever in Memphis. 'B-Ball's Best Kept Secret' is super rare. NBA players produced + performed on the album. I thought I was trippin' because I always heard about it on podcasts & when I saw the tracklist I was like "OH SNAP!!". The individual who helped at the register (who might've been the manager/owner) was really nice & hooked us up with a sticker (I collect local stickers). Great experience as a first time visitor + consumer. read more

Shangri-La Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Awesome record store! Super helpful staff and good prices. They had almost everything we were looking for.

A good time flipping through these stacks. Helpful, friendly staff. A good balance of new and used. The used sections revealed some fairly priced rarities. I will return. read more

Walked into Shangri-La and was immediately transported back in time as a live recording of Ike and Tina Turner was pumping through the speakers. The shop is fully stocked with new and used records in various genres - Jazz, Rock, R&B, etc.. There is also a back room that has new and used/decade old music magazines. I had a great time browsing through records and listening. I had visited this shop some years ago when I was last in Memphis and it was nice to stop through again. My current focus is more DJ and Electronica based which is lacking in this shop but I was able to find a cool old Stop Smiling magazine with Miles Davis on the cover. read more

Shangri-La Records - Music Magazines - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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The staff are wonderful, friendly and very knowledgeable about the type of music I was searching for! Great selection of rock, blues, soul, punk and metal. Great prices, clean records VG grade prices are perfect!! read more

Shangri-La Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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My favorite store in Memphis for used vinyl (with a smaller selection of used cds). A wonderful selection of rock, soul, and r&b, with prices much better than in my current hometown, St Louis. Other genres are also available, but I had limited time to browse on my first visit. Great selection of Stax records! Good organization, but sometimes overwhelming volume of product. Finally, kudos to the friendly, knowledgable staff. I expect that I will make a beeline for this shop every time I'm in Memphis! read more

Shangri-La Records - Exterior of Shangri-La Records. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Not a bad vinyl shop. Some cool albums to be had. The rarer items tend to be a little on the high end. Not sure if they'd take any offers. Enjoyed searching around. Not the best organization and it's a little hard to navigate the shop. Didn't find anything I was after but it would be worth a second try. read more

Love this store!!! The owner is passionate about music and knows his stuff!!!! A new employee Luke is exceptional and excited to interact with everyone browsing selections! I highly recommend!! read more

I prefer this store over Goner Records. Better selection and some decent prices. Made eye contact with the guy at the counter and spoke first. So not sure if he would have greeted me. I saw others come in and they were not greeted. I think this is a huge part of any store, especially a record store. read more

Great record store. Amazing selection. Well organized. Helpful staff A slight twinge if hipster exists, which's is to be expected, but it is palatable. read more

Shangri-La is by far and away one of the best record stores I have had the pleasure of stepping foot into. I cannot get over how huge the selection is! This place is 3 rooms full of vinyl, cds, LPs, books and posters. They also have a pretty large selection of music magazines- old of course. The staff here was tremendously helpful as well. They went out of their way to help me locate some local Memphis music I might like based on some other favorite bands of mine. Speaking of local music- Shangri-La takes the cake. They have a such a huge selection to choose from. As if that isn't enough, they have free in-store live shows on most Fridays featuring local bands trying to earn their mark in music history. They get major kudos for that. Not only is it great for the bands, but it allows me to hear some great local artists. read more

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Memphis is kind of a weird quirky town in a good way and Shangri-La is the same. There is a lot of music crammed into a small little place, I ended up picking up about a 1/2 dozen 45's which I was able to listen to before purchasing. If you are looking for Memphis music, it is a great place to go. I definitely will go back when I go. I also recommend it as a place to ask about what one should go see in terms of music because you probably will get recommendations that don't have to deal with Beale Street and might be a whole lot better. read more

What a cool, retro music store. It's fun just walking in here. The staff was great. My reason for visiting was to sell some vinyl records and they purchased most of them. While I was there I looked around and loved the Memphis music section. There was a great variety. They also sell CDs and amps and the staff is great. read more

Shangri-La Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Walked in with family and NO OTHER CUSTOMERS in store. Staffperson did not speak or look up. We perused for a few minutes before my cousin said "Do you feel unwanted? I'm going back to the car. Why spend money here?" When I asked worker what was up with ignoring us his answer was "Let me get the manager. He came out and just looked at us, listened, then apologized as worker just stood there. I asked why was he speaking for the worker and got disgusted with his blah, blah, blah and just left. Followed couple back in to check their reception and saw them warmly greeted and engaged. Punchline--all but my family were white. Haven't experienced that kind of ugly for a while. read more

I'm from Los Angeles, and i just simply enjoyed this place! Biggs ups!! Marc' read more

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Great Selection of new and used Vinyl Records, my favorite record store in Memphis. I recommend buying a gift certificate with them. Staff is very friendly there is no pressure from them for you to buy something right away, a person could look for hours if they wanted to. The staff was so helpful on helping me find my buddy holly section I was looking for. Only complaint I have about this place the prices can be a little "steep" if you will, depending on what you are looking for. read more

Oh, Shangri-La. I love this place. I think at this point I've been to every record store in town (I own over 400 records so it's required a bit of stepping to get that many), and this one is my favourite. Why? - The size. The place is huge. They have, what, three rooms of stuff? It's impossible for me to come out of this place empty-handed (unless I physically will myself away from the shelves). I always find something I want, which is saying something. - The selection. They have EVERYTHING. Pick any genre. They have a little of everything of said genre. I promise you. They sell old LPs and new LPs. There's 45s (including some really cool ones like picture discs and stuff, and all those are separated off I believe). Of course there's plenty of local stuff, so you can grab an Elvis record or any Memphis musician that you fancy. And all the genres you associate with Memphis like blues? They've got heaps of records. Of course there's plenty of rock records too, as well as punk, they have every genre you could possibly want. There's electronic, soul, country. All over the wall too is lots of groovy records (all for sale of course), stuff that's maybe rare or just interesting. - The staff. They're friendly and knowledgeable. They're helpful. Go on, ask them a question. Since there's so many subcategories of rock, maybe you have no clue where to find a particular group you like. They can probably help you out. There's also some CDs (not heaps, but there's some right up front, I think it's just limited to local artists?) and another room full of music memorabilia. This place isn't just a record store, it's a music store, in the sense that they sell all things music-related. It's the kind of place you can go and just spend an hour or four combing every bin looking for a hidden treasure. The best part? At no point will you feel like the staff is annoyed by your presence as can happen at some places. It's all purely no pressure. There's no hovering, no staring. One final tidbit: if you buy a used record and it turns out to be scratched, you can bring it back. There's no hassle or anything. Out of the many purchases I've made, only one record I've bought from here had a scratch that made the record skip, and I wasn't made to feel like I should just deal with it or anything. They happened to have another copy of it, so I just exchanged it. read more

A good record shop - maybe I'm not being fair because I had just returned from 2 other shops and was a bit burnt out. The vinyl was in good shape and is very well organized. By that point I was shopping more for post-punk and rock vinyl. What I found was new and priced fairly, but nothing that I couldn't really find at another shop. There wasn't a big selection of what I was looking for, but if you're a big blues or jazz fan then hit this place up. One of the best parts was the staff: the guy behind the counter was kind and when I asked him what he was playing he answered me without that snotty "how did you not know what was playing gosh" tone that I get all too often. He even found the record for me, which I promptly bought. read more

There's a reason that 20 year-old Shangri-La Records was named the best record store in Memphis last year in the Flyer's readers' poll. It's three rooms full of LPs, singles, CDs, books, posters and back issues of music magazines. Their selection is impressive and well organized. I'm always most impressed with their selection of Memphis music. They've got it all - rockabilly, blues, indie rock, punk, rare singles and limited releases, all made by bands that call the Bluff City home. If you're visiting Memphis, it's a good place to stop in and get your bearings. They produce the Kreature Comforts guide, a guide to Memphis for people who want to get to know the city like a local. read more

Great shop! Good used and new selection of vinyl, lots of the old Memphis and Mississippi bluesmen, some Hi/Stax, reasonable prices, a few new guys, local stuff... what's not to love! Also, the staff was friendly and un-pretentious, which is pretty cool. I currently live near Nashville, and have spent a lot of time in Grimey's, and if you're familiar, this place is as good or better. That's saying something. read more

I don't believe there is a better spot in the world for soul 45's. It took 3 people pulling my shirt to finally get me to leave. What a cool store. read more

Hands down best selects. Always no-scratches. By with confidence. To the other reviewer that found it overpriced: This is a primarily Used/ New Vinyl record store staying in business in 2010. No small feat. If you want to save a few bucks, dig at the thrift store or the other record stores. But I assure you, you will not find the range of selection in VG condition. No attitudes within. Great local insight. read more

Great store, but you won't find any bargains. Do your research before buying anything pricey here. Every record that comes through the door is looked up on the internet and priced at the higher end of (and sometimes well above) its value. (Example: 1984 promo copy of Prince's "Purple Rain" on purple vinyl marked at $250, Discogs has them starting at $60.) If you're going to pay internet prices for merchandise, save yourself the hours of digging and just get it from the internet. That said, I always find something to buy here, and the staff is friendly & knowledgeable. Plus, they have a bathroom available for customers! read more

I love coming here, but you have to allow plenty of time to look around! For someone from the 50's, it takes me back to the days when you could walk in a music store and just get lost going from one artist to another. The thing that makes them so special is they employees who truly love music and know everything about all kinds of genres. In addition, they have a rich history of Memphis music which can be very enlightening. Pick any genre and you will be pleasantly surprised at the huge selection. Every time we go, we always come home with something "new" to add to our collection. We have always preferred vinyl in music. That familiar "crackle" you hear when the needle meets the record is still the best way to enjoy your records. I cannot say enough good things about Shangri-La! For local music lovers and anyone making a trip to Memphis, this is one fun thing to do!! read more

I recently made my rock pilgrimage to Memphis and checked out Shangri-la for some vinyl. It should be noted from the get-go that Shangri-la has an impressively large selection of records but they generally know what they're worth. Prices are roughly 15 - 20% less than what you'd pay in NY or LA but I also came across a few records priced at $10 that I'd purchased elsewhere for $1. So, you're not going to find any major "steals" here but possibly some nice bargains depending on what you like. The place has definitely been picked over but there were about 4 crates of new arrivals. That said, I spent a good hour and a half flipping through records and I really only got through about half of the store, so there's much to explore. Surprisingly, I didn't find too much stuff that I wanted to buy despite a huge selection. You won't find any library records and you won't find any soundtracks you haven't seen a million times before. I hoped that there would be a secret cache of Staxx and Hi rarities waiting for rescue but that was a pipe dream. What I did leave with was a mint 7" of Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce" ($1); a Geater Davis 7" ($1); Isaac Hayes' "Walk On By"/"By the Time I Get to Phoenix" 7" ($1); a mint copy of Curtis Mayfield/Staple Singers "Let's Do It Again" OST ($2); the Rotary Connection LP with "Memory Band" ($7); and a NM copy of The Dells' "Love is Blue" LP ($9.99, not so much a bargain but I collect different versions of Love is Blue, so it's worth it to me.) So, go there knowing that no secret Satxx/Hi cache exists (although there are some); the place has been picked over; but there are some decent records at fair prices. I highly recommend it if you're a record lover and find yourself in the Memphis area. read more

Shangri-La Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

Every time I'm in Memphis, I make it a point to stop into Shangri-La. When I was a youngun, I loved this shop with all my little teenaged heart and so perhaps that's why I continue to visit long after their prices started to rise (or were they always that high and my memory is just rose-tinted?) and the sections devoted to the music that interests me have dwindled. If you are looking for blues, local music, jazz, old country in CDs or vinyl, Shangri-La has a seemingly enormous selection that is really well organized and easy to browse through. If you're looking for 80s, punk, new wave, no wave, post-punk, goth, industrial, metal, or anything even vaguely related then there are slim pickings. And the prices tend toward the higher end of moderate. For instance, new rock vinyl (of which there is a small selection) ranges from $14.99 for singles to $19.99+ for albums. Average price for a used piece of vinyl is around $9. While I admit to being a miserly bargain-hunter, that's a little too high for someone like me who often resells her doubles (and triples). One great bonus, the staff went out of their way to greet us and to offer assistance which might possibly be a first in the dozen or so music stores we've visited over the last week. read more

Due to these silly pandemic times, you do need an appointment for visiting. You get around 25 minutes, but when my time was up nobody came chasing me out. I think you get the "heave-Ho" when the next people arrive. However, 25 minutes is nowhere near enough time. The store isn't huge, but they definitely have a lot, and all of it is worth the time to look. Sooooo many hard to find titles, so many unique titles! I could spend days just learning what everything is that I was finding! To the people who claim over-pricing, that's not entirely correct. The majority of the prices I was seeing were Discogs "middle of the road" prices, but the quality was usually deserving of the upper end of pricing. Everything I found was pretty fair. As for the staff, I believe they leave the customers be to dig. They were extremely friendly when I dealt with them at all he end. This is a store it pains me to live 8 hours away from. read more

Great selection and prices on new and used. Fun atmosphere, easy access, good parking. Neat collectibles make killer presents. And you get the SJW BS for free: he knows how to run his life and yours as well. read more

Didn't realize that they were taking appoints so we called from the parking lot and they happened to have time right then to see us. We're able to score seven records our daughter was looking for. Big win! And the lady working was extremely helpful. Will stop again when we are in the area. read more

OH how sweet it is to be back at Shangri-La Records in Memphis! This is a fantastic landmark of a record store! It has one of the finest selections of singles I have ever seen! Really cool old soul and blues stuff that would be almost impossible to find anywhere else in the country! The lp selection is fantastic as well and if your going to Memphis on a Music trip (Graceland, Stax, Sun) you might want to also include this store! To pick up the records that made Memphis famous for being the birth place of rock n roll! The staff is super nice and generous and will chat with you about the tunes that inspire you! The location of this store was perfect for me, as I was working at Ardent Studios a couple blocks away! So it would be fun to shoot on over to the record store during the lunch hour and flip through the vinyl! I had been here once before and enjoyed it so much and I'm glad to have gotten the opportunity to come back and flip through the stacks! read more

Another out of town adventure, so naturally another out of town record store. Overall, a nice store. Variety definitely in the soul/funk section. Saw a copy of "Maggot Brain" by Parliament which was my first sighting in the wild. Organized well, relatively easy to find the different genres & bins. Forgot to check in to get the 10% discount. Highly recommend doing that. Pricing was fair, but still a discount is always a winner! Definitely recommend checking this place out. Would stop by again next time I pass through. read more

Although this is the best record store in Memphis, it is still not that impressive. It has a small selection of new music, but carries very few new releases and is definitely not the place to go to look for anything recent. The used selection is much larger, but new material doesn't seem to cycle through often. There is a decent selection of classic Memphis music, but it is often priced pretty high. The prices in general are a little high compared to other places. It's pretty cramped inside and hard not to bump into people as you shop. The staff is usually pleasant enough- but often seem a little zoned out and unwilling to interact much. read more

Very helpful staff. I walked in and asked if a Crosley was the type of turntable to buy, and the gentleman informed me that there were, indeed, better brands. I appreciated that, and I checked out the merchandise. A great selection of all the must-have records. I had my eye on Pink Floyd and The Beatles, as well as Michael Jackson's Thriller album. Anyone remember him with the tiger? Awesome. Also found was a great selection of local music on CD and a some nice used CDs. Spotted U2's Achtung Baby, for only $7.99. read more

Shangri-La Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Memphis, Tennessee

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Highly overpriced records, not great selection, and this app says it takes Apple Pay but that needs to be corrected...they do not. Look at the new releases and get on your phone and amazon price them... always $3-4 more than their prices including shipping! They also mark up record store releases to super inflated prices... for example, phish Junta went for $150 while other stores had it for less than $100. So I'd say avoid... there are other stores which are available for us vinyl-philes.. Staff always kinda rude and not very friendly. read more

One of, if not the best record shops I've visited. Great selection in most genres, I found some great blues records and soul records at a fair price. I didn't have time to go through the shop as deeply as I wanted but it seemed that the selection of indie and alternative were great too. Friendly and competent staff. I definitely would recommend this shop to anyone who's into jazz, soul, rock, blues and indie. read more

As good as it gets, places like this remind me how much I don't know about music. If you are a vinyl freak it will keep you busy for a long while, very nicely curated. I don't know about the prices, usually if I find something I want when I've been looking hard then it's worth it. read more

One of the best venues for vinyl in the city. The often have record swaps and in-store shows by local and visiting bands. The best in new, used local, regional and national music. Have a question about music or a record? Ask the staff, music is their religion and vinyl is their soul. read more

Dave is right...there's no better record store--locally owned or chain--in town. Extra Bonus: Proprietor Jared McStay is also in a groovy cover band called The Glitches (also featuring Lori McStay of the Ultracats as well as Robby Grant of Vending Machine/Big Ass Truck fame) who play outdoor shows at Shangri-La on occasion. read more

Awesome little record store in Memphis! It was recommended by a friend here in Louisville to go there and check out their collection! Awesome Blues/Memphis section of music, friendly workers and even had Edward Scissorhands playing in the shop! I bought a Leadbelly record for my boo and he loved it. Thanks for an awesome experience! read more

I don't buy cds so this review is based on vinyl only. I have a love-hate relationship with Shangri-La Records and here's why: they have everything you want, but it's all overpriced. I'm not an expert, but I saw plenty of records that should have been in the dollar bin marked up to $4.99-$9.99. Their collection of 45s is out of control & I wish I could have spent more time perusing it. They have an awesome collection of local artists as well. But that's the thing with this place: they have EVERYTHING you want so sometimes you have to pay for convenience. I paid about $80 worth but I got some new releases and old favorites. Definitely worth checking out if you're a vinyl nerd like me & Linda. read more