The best music store in Central Texas! The best music store in the Live Music Capital of the World! This place is amazing. They actually bring in many of the artists to come by and play a set right there in the store! Dig it! They have a wide variety of CDs, of course. But what I like about this place is that the clerks who know their music put out little signs that show what they're listening to, and make some really cool recommendations! They've got a really cool book section, and their T-Shirts are awesome! They will let you listen to whatever you wanna here, so there's no surprises on what you're getting. Plus, this place has some of the coolest literature and band flyers around Austin! Right by the front window, all kinds of local bands drop off their demos and posters. read more

Seriously the coolest record store I've been to. Everything was really well priced, and the selection was great. I live 2 hours away, but I would make the drive just to come here. Definitely got a repeat customer! Also, I purchased "Black Holes and Revelations" by Muse and "Art Angels" by Grimes if you're wondering :) read more

For variety of titles you can't do better at a brick & mortar store. Certainly not in central Texas. There's apparently even greater selection at W'loo's online store, but I prefer walking through the door of a good local record store -- that most endangered species of arts & leisure. If you have a specific shopping list, don't expect to find it on your own on your first visit. Ask for help from a staff member while you learn the layout of the inventory. In my experience Waterloo's staff is reliably knowledgeable & helpful. Recently the young woman who helped me seemed to have a short attention span for what I was looking for, but was more than happy to get me listening to what she'd rather I was looking for. Not in a snobbish way, but a charming, "You might like this." Along with CDs & vinyl, a surprisingly good selection of DVDs. However, the DVDs are packed into a small area. Especially the used DVDs. Appreciated the Texas/local music selection. When the clerk behind the register could not answer my question, he called over a white-haired walking encyclopedia who gave me several suggestions and made a couple jokes I didn't understand. I left smiling with two CDs I'd never heard of. I liked the Warren Hood disc a little better than the Sam Baker. I'm still scratching my head about the whole thing. The store stereo seemed schizophrenic during my last half hour visit. From squawking sounds to an old Sarah Vaughan song. I would've waited to see what played next if I had more time. read more

I never thought, when I was young, that I would say something like, "for those of you old enough to know what a music store is like..." but alas, this younger generation (holds cane and wags finger) doesn't know the bliss of losing an entire afternoon browsing through records or CDs, talking to people who know everything about music, ever, or *gasp* listening to a tune or two on something other than Pandora. Waterloo is such a place. Beloved by the denizens of Austin, it's one of those stubborn music stores that refuses to die the death so willed it long ago by Apple and the other new gods of the music industry. Great and cool special events here too. read more

I've been shopping at Waterloo since I moved to Austin in 2009. It is one of Austin's last great indie businesses standing and has an international reputation for being one the best record stores on the planet. So it pains me to see the handful of nasty comments here on Yelp regarding how Waterloo is handling the Covid19 crisis. Can't you shortsighted, selfish fools give the store credit for doing its best to keep its customers and staff safe during the pandemic? We're all trying to figure out how to operate businesses in the face of an unprecedented catastrophe. Waterloo needs your support, not a chorus of pathetic whining. I find it sadly ironic that one of the complaints is coming from a numbskull from El Paso who dismisses the Corona19 threat as nonsense while his home city has among the highest cases of the virus in the USA. Stupid is as stupid does. read more

Waterloo has an amazing selection of records and a really nice system layout. However, in customer service they're very lacking. I've had odd experiences with staff at Waterloo but today took the cake. Standing in line with a friend ready to purchase our records and both of us were obviously waiting in line to buy. They serviced the man in front of us, but refused to call us up to be serviced. Instead, we waited listening to an older employee and a younger one talk about Alice Cooper conspiracy theories for 5-10 minutes. My friend and I got very annoyed with this, seeing as we were money in hand ready to purchase and walked away. As soon as we walked away the man behind us goes up to counter and they immediately serve him. During a pandemic I feel as if it's standard practice to call customers up when they are waiting in line to purchase, due to sanitization reasons. It's not standard to let them wait there until they demand to be serviced. Unfortunate experience that left a bad taste in my mouth, which sucks because Waterloo is arguably the best record store in Austin. I hope their team members resolve this issue. read more

Was in there and a lady kept bugging me and my friend about our mask sliding down and not covering our nose enough the first time i'll admit it wasn't covering our nose but the next three times are nose was fully covered she was so rude and snarky about it, not good customer service at all! Maybe if you don't want people in the store you should go back to curb side pick up and send your employees to a customer service class!! read more

When I visit a city, I almost always hit a record store. I'm old--it's a thing. Besides I managed music stores all the way through young adulthood, so I like to just go in and organize the albums. Waterloo has a good selection, fairly well organized, and the prices are okay. No a lot in the way of customer service. I do not know if this is the typical pretentious record store vibe or if I caught them on a bad day. read more

I try to support local businesses whenever I can especially during the pandemic, so when I needed some last minute Christmas gifts I donned my kn95 mask and went to Waterloo with my one year old son. After waiting in line for 20 minutes we were turned away because my son didn't have a mask. They provided one. I attempted to put it on him. It would not fit and even if it did, he would have pulled it off anyway. The citywide mask mandate does not apply to children under ten. So I left. I didn't make a scene. I wear a mask everywhere. The fact is their policy is discriminatory when applied to babies. This is especially discriminatory when you consider single parents. I won't be shopping here again read more

This is one of my top five record stores of all time. Clearly one of those places where you don't leave without some musical gem in your hot paws. The selection is massive, but maneuverable with the help of several dedicated, knowledgeable and friendly employees. The in-stores are awesome and MY DAD GIVES THEM A THUMBS UP for their "free" beer. Waterloo gets the dad nod. They always have the latest and greatest before any of those corporate a-holes do, including an astounding and comprehensive local (Texas) collection that will make you proud to call the Lone Star State home. They seem to set the standard for indie music stores with their listening stations and picks (check the Austin Chronicle) and their truly passionate staff. Waterloo...I heart you. read more

Everybody knows that the music section of this store is phenomenal - enough to where employees will work here for just over minimum wage. (Someone told me there's a documentary and book in the works about the employees who worked here from '99 to 2004.) Okay, but did you know the video section is pretty cool, too? You can rent almost anything: Custeau underwater films and documentaries on Beat writers, even. I checked out the new documentary on Bukowski and one on Burroughs, and lucky me, I got two for the price of one because it was a Monday (or maybe a Tuesday). Be aware of their daily specials and check out the employee's favorites. read more

Waterloo Records & Video - Gogol Bordello - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

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My review is one star for the following reason. The pros- top notch selections . Reasonable prices. Some nice rarities and audiophile pressings which I love. Great layout of the store and lots of extras. The con, and it's a big one. I made an appointment at the store on 1/26/21 and showed up early. Paid $15 for the honor to shop there. No problem, I was pretty confident that I would leave with some vinyl. As an out of town shopper, which I mentioned, the 30 minute time limit is not enough time to shop in this store. About 25 minutes into my visit with 6 new records in my hand I was informed my time was almost up. I was the ONLY SHOPPER IN THE STORE. Fine I said, but I intent to finish the new records section. At the prompt 30 min mark a different employee informed me it was time to go. I politely informed him I was at the H section (working backwards) and I would make my way as quickly as I could to get done. I was rushed to get done in about 5 minutes. I had over $100 of records in my hand and made a quick run of the store. I WAS THE ONLY SHOPPER IN THE STORE. I realize the employees are just sheep here but how RUDE and stupid is it that I am trying to support a brick and mortar independent record store, have a stack of records in my hand and am being asked to leave. No one else in the store, 4 o'clock in the afternoon, no one outside waiting to get in. It is my understanding that this is against the common business of goods for money. Paying the idiots salary that told me to leave. I would have purchased so much more if they had allowed me to. I get what they are trying to accomplish with covid and all but use some common sense for the good of your own economy! EVERY RECORD I PURCHASED COULD HAVE BEEN PURCHASED ON AMAZON WITH FREE SHIPPING. read more

What a fun and quirky little record shop that is totally representative of Austin! They have an amazing selection of not only CDs but vinyls as well (I have found some pretty cool rare and vintage vinyls here) and they even carry books and other music memorabilia. The staff here can be very hit of miss...they can be extremely helpful and passionate about making recommendations or finding whatever you are looking for or they can be very "disenfranchised youth" who can't be bothered because they are just "that cool". But, as far as the store goes, I honestly love to just come and browse through selections old and new and peruse the funny odd ball merch sections. For local or tourist alike, this is a great record shop to check out in downtown Austin! read more

This is a really neat place to.go and get CDs and DVDs from. They also have lots of vinyl records to choose from if you still have a record player. It was really neat to.see albums from back.in the day. Such vintage stuff! I found every CD I was looking for and they allnsoind great in my car and home. I will be visiting again some day. read more

SUPPORT LOCAL!!!! I love this place. Great selection and prices. Super helpful staff and easy pick up options during covid.

I like Waterloo. When you walk in, it *feels* different from most sterile record shops and CD stores. Waterloo has a personality. Maybe that's why so many people (myself included) have Waterloo bumper stickers on their cars and bikes. I'm not much of a CD-buying person, but lately I've actually been going in the store and browsing their new stuff. I stopped buying CDs back in 2000 when everywhere I went I had to pay $18 for a disc. Waterloo has good prices for new CDs -- recently I bought a few new releases for $12. The entire little block of 6th and Lamar is a great place to be. Buy some CDs, eat some food at Waterloo Ice House (their tater tots are great), have some ice cream at Amy's, and rent some movies from Waterloo Video. read more

Deep catalog store with great used record and cd selection. Don't miss it if you're in Austin

A super cool store with lots of CDs and records, very organized, very clean. Awesome staff. Great covid safety protocols. I had a great time

Shop local. If you can't get what you want at/from Waterloo, it never existed. I go to other record stores and they're all lame compared to Waterloo. I am sad they don't have the video rental store. Not that I got to rent much from there (it wasn't too convenient for me), but their selection was excellent. I have also seen some excellent in store shows here. When someone good comes to the store, the show can be as exciting as an ACL taping. If you haven't been, parking on the weekend can be a nightmare. They are at the single most popular intersection in town. Be prepared to park somewhere else (that may not exist). read more

One of Austin's classic record stores - they sell records, CDs, DVDs, and other merchandise. Great place to shop for gifts! They also have a great selection of music by Texas artists - a whole wall of it, in fact. Definitely check it out! read more

Waterloo Records & Video - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

The mind, body, and soul of Austin music shopping. No better place to shop for music in the "Live Music Capitol of the World." Amazing lay out of records, books, and other random music gets. This is on the level of Amoeba Music in LA or The Drama Book Shop in NYC. Both are treasures to their community as much as Waterloo is the treasure trove of ours. read more

Attentive staff, cleanest record shop I've been to and a good selection of many things vinyl related. If you're looking for a specific record, they can order it for you. There are also many other types of media int his place, I'm sure you'll be happy to browse. read more

A must for music lovers. This place has vinyl CD's and even cassettes. The staff is not under the mistaken belief they are Rockstars, although there is a fair amount of musicians that work there . Music of all genres . Used new vinyl etc... ample parking. Great location. Great inshore performances read more

Waterloo Records & Video - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

I love waterloo its so fun the staff are always friendly and helpful and they always have new inventory cool environment

Amazing! This place was amazing and deserves accolades. It is rightfully noted as a place to check out in Austin. Waterloo Records has a great selection and organization. I could see myself spending a paycheck here. They have friendly, attentive staff and a pleasant atmosphere. I'll definitely be going back! read more

This place bruh. It's a must see. Love the variety of music. From vinyls, cds, books, dvds. It's definitely one of the few places you can actually purchase a physical cd or vinyl with an endless supply of variety. Cool atmosphere and little trinkets near cash wrap read more

So HAPPY I found Waterloo Records! They have an excellent selection and the staff was pleasant and very knowledgeable. This is by far my favorite store in Austin and I often find excuses to stop by, even if I am not looking for anything specific. I have to give them a huge kudos for this Covid guidelines! Regardless of all the noise around TX, they are still looking out for customers and taking precautions to keep people safe! Great job! I will keep coming back! read more

Stood in line with my 9 month old and was not allowed because she did not have a mask on. CDC guidelines only require 2 year old or older!

Tied for best record store in Austin, and definitely the largest. Not a great selection of used LPs, but deep representation across all genres in new condition. Pricing is competitive for a local shop, but not always so against Discogs or Amazon. One side of the shop houses the fantastic record selection and some equipment, while the other has CDs, cassettes, movies, memorabilia, etc. there's also a small stage in the middle where live acts perform. There always seems to be a release or listening party on the calendar, so definitely follow these guys on social media. One note of caution: do not come here on Record Store Day. Insane crowds, lines, and disappointment. Also, parking can be tough on weekends due to shared lot with a restaurant. read more

Wozwers! Now this is a record store! This place is huge and has a giant selection of new and used CD's, records, blu-rays, dvds, collectables, and more! This place could be dangerous when you can find albums that I havent been able to find anywhere else...and for such a great price! Just when you think you've hit all the sections...BAM! There is more to look for. I could be in here for hours...and we were. The service is super friendly and the place in general was clean and inviting. It's a great place to sell your items. One persons trash is another persons treasure. I know i got plenty of treasures. I'll be back the next time I'm in Austin! read more

Waterloo Records & Video - This is only part of this giant store. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

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One of my all-time favorite record stores. The selection is fantastic! The new arrivals is a great section to start at. They also have a solid metal section which can be hard to come by. They do fun in-store performances with free beer for those 21+. There always seems to be a good amount of traffic in store which tells me they're doing it right and just makes me happy to see a record store doing well. If you're in Austin this is a must check out shop. read more

This is one of the best record stores I've been to, up there with the likes of Amoeba Music (in SF & Berkeley), Lou's (San Diego), Reckless (Chicago), and Easy Street (Seattle). I visited during our trip to Austin, and was amazed at the selection of CDs (new and used), vinyl, books, and other goodies. It was also really crowded, which was nice to see--lots of people out perusing the CD racks. Definitely worth a trip, if you're in Austin. Lots of cool stores around the neighborhood, too. read more

Waterloo Records & Video - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was on business in Austin and I came across Waterloo records. The selection this store has is honestly awesome. I'm a huge horror and metal buff, and their selection of both of those movie/music genres was wild. They also have exclusive collectors copies of some great titles, of all genres. The low score is due to the prices. My goodness are they steep. Really steep. Even on some of the older used movies that should be 5 or 7 bucks were way overpriced. So great selection, but be prepared to pay a little more than most other places. read more

You must stop here if you visit Austin. I always find something because they have a great selection. They also have in store music performances, and they buy your used CDs and DVDs. Such a great location too. Go! read more

Great selection and staff very helpful & friendly. Found some great vintage vinyls that I've been looking for. Great atmosphere as well.

What a nice music shop Austin has with lots of excellent finds ! What I especially liked was their international section with the Latin music specifically categorized according to what region of Latin America the genre or artist is from. So many great records and CD's, I even discovered some new artists and albums here that I'll definitely be listening to back home in LA. Their shirt selection was fantastic too, my personal favorite was the Debbie Harry with David Bowie one. In the end I bought a shirt with the record store's London tube inspired logo on it. Loved this place and hope it stays open for many more years to come. You've got a musical treasure here Austin ! read more

Later that night I drove to Waterloo with a mission. I wanted to share music that was important to me with my peers at work that was as closely paired with their preference and taste, not an easy task as my peers have some pretty mainstream favorites. Shopping for others is always nice as it's grand to give. Shopping for music for people that you really only know through your job is a bit more daunting. I first delivered a six pack of tasty cupcakes on the staff because holiday retail is a MF'er. Then I forgot the list of things in my head that I picked for each person and just started reading as I strolled through the listings. I had to find seven selections in all and some of these I knew would work right away for the recipient while others might need a few listens for the bridge of my taste to theirs to form. When I went to work I was well received as it was my day off and I had visible signs of gift wrapping. Getting to explain my rationale for the gifts was heart warming as it was to see each gift opened. I wish you could have seen all those smiling faces. read more

Like my 5 star rating says, "good as it gets!". They have an amazing selection of vinyl, cds, and film. The only problem is they don't have quite a few albums on vinyl. I couldn't find AM by Arctic Monkeys, or 1989 By Taylor Swift, but I did end up buying rock or bust by AC/DC for about $7, so that was nice. Overall this is a great music and film store that we are lucky to have in Austin. Also the Rock or Bust 45' I bought was $3 cheaper than what they were selling on Amazon ($10). And the cheaper the better. UPDATE 4/18/15: It was record store day so I had to look around. And I did. I was mainly looking for new releases but, a lot were sold out. We got there pretty late. But I was able to font Taylor swifts 1989 album and that was awesome. But I still couldn't find AM by Arctic Monkeys. But that's alright :) read more

Waterloo Records & Video - New album!!! - Music & DVDs Near Me - Austin, Texas

Been coming here for years but I never used their turntable service. I finally came in to purchase a new belt, needle and turntable mat and the staff was super helpful! I got home and assembled myself on an old Sony turntable and it was a success in 5 min! Truly appreciate their patience and help. read more

Dear Waterloo Records, Never in a million years did I picture myself writing this, but I am writing this letter to officially announce our break up. I like to think that you are the main reason for the collection of over 10,000 records and cds I have amassed over my lifetime. Sure, I cheated on you a few times with Sound Exchange (for New Beat), Alien Records (for dance jams), Stashus Mule (for live bootleg recordings), and Tower Records (better pricing and a ton of imports). I even cheated on you out-of-state once with Amoeba Records. I don't think it counts because it was out-of-state. Over the years, I have enjoyed your in-stores (whether performances or signings only) like Lush, Diamanda Galas, Alec Empire, kd Lang, X, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Doyle Bramhall II (with Wendy and Lisa), Throwing Muses, and my first-ever in-store which was to meet Lene Lovich. I think there was even an acoustic My Bloody Valentine appearance in there somewhere. Over the years I have also had to deal with reeeeeeally bad customer service. I've dealt with rude employees who don't acknowledge my presence when making a transaction, talk to other employees about last night's show instead of creating a good customer experience, and who act like they are doing me a favor by looking up stock. Sure, some of the old guard have been extremely helpful, pleasant, etc., but in more recent years I have found many of the people at the front to be 'too cool for school' as the saying goes. Perhaps they should be considered 'too cool for front end service' and be kept busy with inventory or stocking product. If it wasn't for the older employees I would have bolted long ago. Today's final experience came unexpectedly as I visited your website to find out what today's new releases would be. I get excited about new release day. Go figure. I noticed that a new cd by Patrick Watson was being released today and the price on your website was $13.97 but a line was made through that price for a sale price of $11.97! I went to your store to pick up the cd and noticed that the price was $13.99 with no sale sticker (now there are 3 prices). Having shopped with you for over 20 years, I know that mistakes happen so I didn't think much about it other than to alert your cashier that it should have a sale price based on the home page of your website. Me: The price per your website says it's $11.97 (I even pulled it up on my phone so I would have proof ready in case there was a line) Cashier: No, it's ringing up at $13.99 Me: According to your website, it's $11.97 (and I showed him your site on my phone) Cashier: I don't really know. Let me find out. He then asks a female cashier and she explains that it's an online price. I mention that nowhere on the website does it state 'Web/Online price.' Female cashier: We lower the price online so people who buy online will pay the same price as they would in-store. It's $2.50 for shipping so it comes out the same. Wrong. $13.97 does not equal $11.97 + $2.50 (that equals $14.47) It also does not equal the same if I buy in-store as $13.97 + tax = $15.12 She says she is merely trying to help me understand the pricing. I mention that the website does NOT state that it's an online price only. I know it's only a $2 difference, but the point is that the pricing on their website is misleading and should be corrected. At this point a manager comes up and we have the same conversation. He says he will talk to their web guy about it. Okay. Fair enough. It's not as if you haven't had an online presence for quite some time, but sure. So........then I wait for the the 'Sorry this happened. We will get this fixed. Apologies for the miscommunication on our site. We will mark this down the $2 to keep a customer happy who is obviously right about this mistake.' Nope. Nothing. Nada. I am all about supporting local businesses, especially record stores as music is such a big part of my life; however, I will be purchasing my music elsewhere...perhaps online where the deals are, in fact, better! Today, on Amazon, I found that Patrick Watson cd (new!) for $9.30 + $2.98 shipping for a total of $12.28! This price is even better than your online price ($11.97 + $2.50 + tax = $15.66) Thanks for many great memories even if some are tarnished by poor customer service. It was a great run! read more