This record store in Walnut Creek has got a lot going for it: they've got a large selection of records in the front room and an equally large selection of budget/used records in the side room, to the left, when you walk in (that's where the real treasures are). They have live music upfront, as well as a dedicated performance space in the back of their store. They also had a great selection of free stickers that we saw on our way out. And they sell skateboards and skate paraphernalia. The only downside, which is the case for most modern records stores, is the prices reflect how popular vinyl is these days and most of the records in the front section are selling for at least $30. However... to contrast that, I saw records in their used section for as cheap as $.97, which is really great. Highly recommend. read more

Really great record store with pretty large footprint/ space. The selection here was also large and well organized. The folks were very friendly and helpful. The pricing for new vinyl is pretty consistent with what you see or find at similar independent record stores. I really like the vibe and layout of this store. It's so large that you have separate rooms for primarily their used stuff and a separate area that looks like a hang out area. There's even a room towards the back where I think they have live shows. During out visit, it was used to hold the records that came in for Black Friday or Record Store Day 2025. Came here with some family to do some holiday shopping and just generally looking for stuff. There was a coffee cart there serving up free beverages, which was a nice touch. I ended up getting a couple of records I've been looking for awhile and being able to buy a couple records my nephew wanted for Christmas. There's also plenty of street and lot parking that makes the place easily accessible. read more

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First time to this shop. Was extremely impressed by the comprehensive range of new and used records. Importantly, everything was organized and marked extremely well: no need to treat every search as a treasure hunt. Prices seemed consistent with the market. Everyone was very helpful and gracious. Highly recommended! read more

Really cool space and owner is awesome. We went to an event at their music venue in the back and had a blast! Had a great community vibe to it. read more

Nic was GREAT. I visited the store on Record Day. I was very overwhelmed with the long line. I had just gotten out of the hospital and was using a walker. Nic took the time to help me and make sure I got the one thing I was looking for. Thanks Nic. read more

This place is great and I'm so glad they are here in WC. Knowledgeable staff and great selection. I now make semi-monthly trips here and look forward to checking out the new albums that have come in. A much needed break from mindless and soulless digital streaming. read more

I just want to give these guys a shout for bringing some real culture and opportunities for local musicians to play in this great suburb, but otherwise lacking in any kind of real music venues or antyhing outside of the vanilla norm in Walnut Creek. Please support this local business! read more

Great place! Owner was wonderful and gave a fair price for old albums! He was very knowledgeable!

This place is a honest place I brought a bunch of old records in to sale to them I think I got a fair price . Cory was a great help he even help my old ass bring them in from the car . It's a nice set up inside very clean for selling used records not like Rasputin dirty this place was very clean they sold so new stuff also it's kinda a skate / records / clothing store cool place like a shop you would find in Santa Cruz but again a lot cleaner. I don't know if my old ass would go back in there but for you young asses it's a place for you check out read more

Do not miss an opportunity to visit this store before you go anywhere else!!!! With the current storms "raging" through the Bay Area ;) we decided it was best to postpone our trip to the Haight to visit Amoeba, so we were headed to Rasputin in Pleasant Hill... til I randomly Yelp'd to see if there are any other locally owned vinyl stores... so happy I did! We stumbled on Up The Creek. The location is in an unassuming, 70's-esque strip mall; but so much goodness is packed in their location. They've got a great variety of new and vintage vinyl; plus it's a skate shop. The workers/owners there are hella cool. Great suggestions, recommendations and genuinely nice to talk with. They'll be my first stop for future shopping and I will definitely go back there when my girls are ready to finish building their decks! read more

Up The Creek Records - Vinyl Records Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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Great place for vinyl! The prices are beyond reasonable, almost mirroring amazon & the giant resell room is full of hidden gems that won't break the bank. the staff is so friendly & knowledgeable about everything music, I almost want to go there just to chat with them instead of shopping. The selection is out of this world, almost everything mainstream and quite a few indie artists that can be hard to find on vinyl. I haven't been yet, but it's so cool that they have a performance space for local up & coming bands, and ticket prices with a sliding scale! This is not just a record shop, it's a community space. From the few times I've gone, there has been people of all ages coming together to talk & shop for music. I will recommend this to all the music lovers in my life read more

What a great find in Walnut Creek! I had several old vinyl albums that I thought they might buy from me. After doing my research, I had a dollar value in mind and I found that they were very fair in their valuation of my records. In addition, the staff were very welcoming and helpful. I would definitely recommend Up the Creek Records as a resource to either sell your records or find some real interesting music in the racks. read more

What a fun place. Accidentally stumbled upon them and really enjoyed their shop. My son bought 3 records and is interested in coming back for some of their events. read more

I've collected a few vinyl albums the past few years but really got back into it recently. Found up The Creek Records on Yelp and made the drive over to check them out. They are Covid-safe with limits on how many people can be in the store at the same time, temperature checks, and hand sanitizes at the entrance. The shop sells both records and skateboards! How cool is that?! Nic, the owner was welcoming and knowledgable on all things vinyl. There's a huge selection of new releases, classics, pop, everything! Looking for something not in stock, Nic can most likely special order it. If you're into vinyl, swing by Up The Creek and check them out! read more

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They are outside only but they will search and pull records for you. I'm not a skater but they have both vinyl records and a skate shop. It is great to have a legit vinyl record store so close to home. Check them out! read more

Up The Creek Records - Cool little free bin for kids under 12 to get excited about vinyl! - Vinyl Records Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

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I was referred to Up The Creek Record by a worker at Rasputin Records, after visiting a couple of times looking for a recently re-released vinyl. I gave UTCR a call to see if they had the record and while they didn't have it, they immediately offered to order it for me. I got a call about a week later that the record was ready for pick up. What a great little shop. Super friendly service, locally owned and now my first stop for records. We plan to go by and pick up a new turntable as well. I highly recommend this shop. read more

This place is my husband's jam. I snuck over here during the holidays and they had EVERYTHING on my list like a rare unicorn! Also other merch like skateboards, sweatshirts, work by local artisans is available for purchase. read more

Great place to get skateboard supplies and awesome record collection. The employee who was working at the time was very knowledgeable and friendly, I will be a repeat customer. read more

Love the new location !! Great spot , great selection and prices . It's so fun to browse

I came to exchange some records here and the owner was the one to check out what we had. I really appreciated how kind and honest he was. Even though I ended up not exchanging any of the records I brought with me, I actually bought a new one from them! When I mentioned being Brazilian he even put on a Brazilian record for us. Great value, great service, good times! read more

Really enjoyed Black Friday RSD. Well organized, good location and friendly people. Will be back!

Great selection and service. The staff are always very helpful and friendly. I really enjoy shopping here, and recommend it to anyone looking for a top-notch record shop. read more

I am so happy we made trip to check this place out because i will be going back every weekend from now on. Incredible selection of new and old records, including new releases and record store day finds that you can usually never find at second hand stores. The prices are all very reasonable and cheaper than some of their competitors. Cool vibes, cool culture with skate and music items all over the store. Cashier was nice and knowledgable and told us to come back on Fridays for new drops. You know I'm gonna be doing that! Check this spot out, you wont regret it! read more

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I came here to see my son's band play here (yes, they have music sometimes) and was blown away. It's a perfectly curated record store and skate shop. While the record selection isn't Tower Records circa 1980 huge, it's just so freakin' thoughtful. You want current hits? Americana? Woody goddamn Guthrie? It's here. I could have spent a thousand dollars. Very cool skatewear too. The people who run it could not be more friendly. It's worth the somewhat weird path you need to take to turn into the parking lot. It feels good to spend money at an independent record store (and skate shop) that is so thoughtfully run. You should spend money here. read more

Up The Creek is a gem. A rare breed of store in the suburbs, or anywhere this day and age. It's truly a special place for the community. The owner Nic has created an inspiring space for artists, music lovers and all people that step inside. No Baal vibes here!! Skateboards and records! This place rules! Go check it out and if ya feel like hearing free live music go on a Saturday evening from 6-8. A record store that gives musicians a place to be heard! Like I said a very rare place! read more

Great record shop with an excellent inventory of new and used vinyl records. A little out of the way but worth the visit.

This place is the bomb.com.org!! Amazing selection! Love the message! It's all tight!

What a great place! I stopped in for the first time as I'm trying to update my vinyl collection. Nic was extremely helpful and you know he loves his craft and the store shows it. I hadn't been in a record store since my high school days and Up the Creek didn't disappoint. This will be my go to record shop from now on. read more

I love how unabashedly analog UTCR chooses to be. As a new record collector, I'm immediately drawn to the bargain bins as I've been trying to grab cheap finds to quickly build up my vinyl stash. After spending an hour digging through their bottom shelf, I was rewarded with four great gems: one I was looking specifically for and three others that I forgot I had wanted. We're talking Eagles "Greatest Hits" ($4), Lovin' Spoonful ($4), Michael Franks "The Art of Tea" (92 cents!), and Ace ($4), all in near-mint condition! My collection got that much more eclectic while my wallet barely got more svelte; cheap thrills indeed. I quickly browsed through their new section, and noticed that the pricing was very retail, a little too rich for my blood. No matter though, I came, I plundered, and couldn't think of a better way to spend $15. I shall return and conquer again. Bet! read more

Up The Creek Records - Pan for gold at Up The Creek! - Vinyl Records Near Me - Walnut Creek, California

My 6-year-old son just started skateboarding and the cheap Amazon one wasn't doing the trick. Called in to inquire about if they had sizes for kids and was assured they do by Cory (don't know if I'm spelling it correctly). Hopped in the car and went to the store and was pleasantly surprised with the selection of skateboards, not to mention the selection of vinyl. Cory was super helpful in finding the right setup for my son. Will definitely be going back there for our skateboarding needs and maybe some vinyl while we are at it! read more

I wish this place existed when I was growing up in Walnut Creek. The staff here is ridiculously nice, helpful and genuine. You won't confuse their collection with Amoeba's' but it's not a Sam Goody either. I don't skate much in my old age, but they have a legit skate legend on staff. How cool is that? My only complaint is that they don't price used LPs even remotely well. There seems to be no consideration of the condition of the records in the price, so you're paying the high end regardless of the condition. That said, this place has enough of a collection and customer friendly, community oriented vibe to add value to any Saturday shopping sesh. read more

I went in a couple weeks ago to pick out some records for my late 30's husband. I had a general idea of what he liked, but that was about it. The guy that helped me was so amazing, going through different options and helping pick out which record vs another. My husband is so stoked with all the choices, especially Californication, which was the suggestion be another RHCP option. Thank you so much for helping me win wife of the year! Will definitely be coming back! read more

My 13 y/o son just started skateboarding, so he wanted a skateboard. Cory (?) was very friendly and helpful. He shared his knowledge with us and helped my son pick one at a modest price point. My son is so happy with his Zero skateboard! There are various boards and parts to purchase. Also, this store has an impressive selection of records and memorabilia. Highly recommend! read more

Awesome record store! One of the favorites in the area. Theirs a huge selection and is wonderfully decorated and organized. They also have a small handful of skate supplies for all the skating needs. Definitely worth the drive! read more

I go here mainly with my lil music fan and get vinyls. They have a little of everything and they are so helpful. The most recent visit I bought a Amy Winehouse Picture book for the Wifey for the bday. I didn't know what the. Book entailed, so the clerk actually looked it up and told me exactly what the books content was. Shirts and merchandise as well as lots of vinyls and vintage mementos. If your a Music fan, this is the place for you. They also occasionally have Live music Friday's and Saturday. A great jeweled in Wc if you want to update your Music Collection. read more

Everybody here is always very friendly. I've bought bought records, skateboards and hardware from here and been very satisfied with every experience. First time here was RSD I believe two years ago now. The owner had coffee for everybody in line. You're not gonna see that at any other shop! I was able to get the few records I wanted. My go to spot for two of my many collecting addictions. read more

Amazing store with a great staff. Great selection with a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. If they don't have what you are looking for they will order it for you. If you are into vinyl and/or skateboards go NOW!!! read more

This is a hidden gem in Walnut Creek. Diverse selection of records, books, and skateboard accessories. In addition to new records, there is always an ample (and reasonably priced) selection of previously enjoyed albums. read more

I've spent so much money here (and in a really good way) I almost always find something I want here, the workers are extremely nice (shoutout to the dude with long hair and glasses ) and they're extremely safe with COVID and during the Cali fires. Very much a gem of a place read more

Great selection. Very nice and helpful staff. This is my go to for vinyl. If they don't have in stock they can order.