I live on Whidbey Island and visit mainland record stores when I have to visit America for an…read moreappointment or to do errands: Easy Street, Sonic Boom, Daybreak, Seattle Records, Wall of Sound, Zion's Gate, Neptune Music Company, Apollo Exos Records & Beer, and now Hex Enduction. I arrived just before 5:00 PM on a Thursday. An older man with purple hair was leaving as I arrived. I was the only customer in the store for the hour or so I was there. The owner was behind the counter and we chatted for most that time. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. if it were close to where I live, I'd make it my hangout. Named after an album by The Fall, it's maybe 20x35 ft, with racks lining three walls and another rack in the middle. I shop for vinyl but I saw some CDs and cassettes. Hex Enduction has the best-curated selection of new records I've encountered, and by "new" I mean not new releases but records that are not previously owned. (There are also some new releases.) It has a big selection of used records, too. I ended up with new copies of the Buzzcocks' Singles Going Steady, Radiohead's OK Computer OKNOTOK, and Nirvana's In Utero, plus a clean-looking used copy of CCR's Cosmo's Factory, all from my running list of must-haves. Impulse buys included Brian Eno's Discreet Music, which I'd had on cassette in the early 80s but had never encountered on vinyl; Out in the Storm, by Waxahatchee; and Moon Beams by the Bill Evans Trio. I added a used copy of Hackney Diamonds, by the Stones, because I remembered enjoying it when it came out, and the price was good. There were many more options for future trips. I'm not a punk/hardcore/metal guy, so I didn't spend time with that part of the inventory, but based on my conversation with the owner, I'd expect that section to be very well-selected. I also didn't spend much time with the books, because that wasn't my focus, but they, like the records, appeared well-curated. I will definitely go back!

I love this spot! I especially love the people that run this record store! Record stores are local…read moreand special, it makes a difference when the owners know music! All music! Top rating on boutique record stores!

Frank's a great guy! I had a few boxes of CDs to sell and it was amazing how quickly he picked out…read morethe more worthwhile ones, in my opinion. Over 60 years of music in my collection.

On a recent trip in town for a work conference I happened to come here by tagging along with a…read morefellow record collector/buyer/seller as he had it on his list to hit this spot. I am happy I did because I found some really cool 7inch singles here (see photos) to bring back home to Austin with me. Walking in to Fat Cat Records I immediately loved the vibe in here. It really feels like you are walking into a friends top-of-the-hill apartment to hang and look through their record collection in a super welcoming place. I really loved the overlook down off the street and neighborhood of N. Stone Way. You will find cassettes, CDs, 45 singles, books, and all mediums amongst new and collector's issues and selections. You definitely want to come in here and be curious because you WILL find something unique. Here is what I found and brought back: - I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher (45 single) - Only the Lonely by Roy Orbison (45 single) -Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee (45 single) - King Tut by Steve Martin - a rare Modest Mouse 7inch (white vinyl) Pricing is excellent for what I got and everything was fantastically in good shape especially for the ones I found that are from the 1950-1960s. Many of the singles had typed out/inventory markings on them too which makes me wonder where they were before showing up to this cool record store?!?! My friend got some pretty rad and rare vinyl too! Everyone was super impressed by the selection they had here. This record store will be a must when I come back again next year for conference things.

Sherman is the man! He loves helping you find exactly what your ear is craving. Great one of a kind…read moreselection of electronic music and more. This is 100% a gem for the Seattle music community.

Just saw Kingston_sounds do an awesome set at Selector records today. The shop is really cool and…read morefilled with a lot of cool vinyl records! Highly recommend checking this shop out!

Great selection with surprisingly wide variety of genres. Staff knew about my random 80s punk…read moreinterests and were very helpful too.

This record store was such a great find during our vacation to WA! The selection he has was…read moreawesome, and there were so many vinyls to browse through. We spent over two hours looking around and enjoyed every minute of it. A really cool spot with a great vibe. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

Very well organized and reasonably priced record store. Was able to find what I was looking for and…read moremore. Service was friendly and helpful too.

Royal Records opened last month, found at the bottom of the Counterbalance at W Roy and Queen Anne…read moreAvenue N. The Homie and I finally had an opportunity to stop by today (11/13/21). Comply with the store requirement to wear masks while onsite. Street parking can be a challenge, especially with the nearby Climate Change Arena. If you like to truly browse, give yourself a minimum of an hour. Just make sure to pay attention as parking enforcement is out and about. Royal Records have an decent collection of 45/33.3 vinyl, cassettes, CDs, VHS, laser discs, and DVDs. Nice bright shop, welcoming staff and well organized. There are new and used/discounted merch. Looks like you can also sell and trade items onsite. It was duly noted that CDs are not displayed title side up. Quirky observation as I thumbed through cases A through Z. The Homie and I both found an eclectic collection of items. It is a nice addition to the indie music and film retail scene in Seattle. Nice diversion while in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood!

We were visiting from out of state last week, and were searching for local record stores because…read moreour oldest son is obsessed with vinyl records and hunting for rare ones. This place is a gem. From the customer service, to the wide selection of unique albums, to the fun and quirky decor, our entire family really enjoyed the experience. This is definitely a highlight for us on our 6 day trip to Seattle! If you haven't been here, you need to check it out!

Seriously, am I the first to post about this hidden gem? I had to put away 5 albums as I told…read moremyself to only buy 5 (plus a DVD). Clean and welcoming, this will be a new favorite in my Seattle record stores. Nice, intimate selections, but I found some great additions to my collection! Nice customer service and they have an awards program!

When I used to live in the area, I would always pass by the place on my downtown walks. I would…read morealways think its a children's bookstore based on the front look, but thanks to Seattle Independent Bookstore Day, i found an excuse to just take a peek without awkwardly walking away. I was wrong. Its more than a children's bookstore. They have books for all ages, greeting cards, games, and even toys. Each aisle/section is labeled easily for you to know what type of genre you are looking at. When walking in, was greeted immediately. Wasn't busy 30 minutes before close, but there were still a few people in here besides mem There is an abundance amount of books galore. One side is for kids and one side is for adults/young adults. They have used and new books. There are a few books that have creases on the bind though, but its a small bundle of them. Overall, will definitely come back again.

I love the selection of books and the staff was extremely helpful in making sure i felt welcome and…read morethat my questions were answered! Additionally the costs here are well worth it! I definitely will be coming back.

This is my record spot. I love the carefully curated selection of vinyl ranging from local Hip hop…read morelegends like Vitamin D, Blue Scholars and Source of Labor to international artists and hard to find Sade. Ken, the owner is super nice and we became good friends. I love learning about vinyl pressings and record store day releases. Ken also owns Inner Visions posters and records and you may catch Eva spinning some Missy Elliot or Tribe Called Quest. If you like giant sized posters this is the spot. I would highly recommend supporting both.

Seattle Records is a terrific find on the upper Ave - University Way. The Homie had visited it…read moreearlier in September. I had the opportunity to stop by this afternoon (12/31/23) to browse and drop off many retail bags for reuse. Seattle Records is adjacent to the retail and art gallery featuring works from Ryan Henry Ward. The individual at the shop was really welcoming. We had a nice convo about various other indie vinyl shops here in Seattle and across the sound. I enjoyed perusing the collection while listening to Sade and Heart. It was predominently vinyl, but there were CDs abd cassettes too. I was told that today's special was buy two albums, get one free. I lucked out when looking through the local Northwest artists and found three recent limited edition albums from Sky Cries Mary. This was quite the spontaneous splurge, but lucked out that one album was autographed by the band. Seattle has many indie record shops with their signature vibe. The collection here seems to be well curated, a little bit of this and that, spanning various styles and time frames.