(Shopped 09/17/2026 TH @ 4:00pm): Nothing but tasty tunes at this music shop!…read more
In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City (specifically the Heights) and by extension nearby Hoboken, I found the only music store in the area... Tunes Hoboken. If you knew me, my primary travel trinity once I had my feet on the ground included beer, cuisine, and music. Independent music stores were rapidly becoming extinct with the proliferation of digital media, but with the resurgence of vinyl records thanks to hipsters, some of these shops had a fighting chance. Opened in December 1995 by then co-owners Chip Heuisler and a friend, it became solely owned by Heuisler in 2018, and as of this review was celebrating more than 30 years in business. Was I able to find the right tunes to keep my head bobbing and my toes tapping!?
PURCHASE(S)
Jeff Buckley "Live At Sin-é" New Deluxe 2CD Set ($17.99): An awesome version with more previously-unreleased songs than its original issue.
M. Ward "A Wasteland Companion" Used CD ($4.99): My first CD purchase of his, and it had a nice moody vibe.
The Revivalists "Get It Honest" Used CD ($8.99): Their latest release of good Southern soulful rock music.
"Lilith Fair A Celebration Of Women In Music" Used 2CD Set ($3.99): With Olivia Rodrigo's recent "Daisy Chain Fields Music Festival", I was psyched to find this relic that I attended in its second year.
"Thumbsucker" Soundtrack Used CD ($3.99): Familiar with this film, it had cool music by The Polyphonic Spree and Elliott Smith.
Ben Folds Five "Ben Folds Five 30th Anniversary Re-Issue" New Deluxe 2CD Set ($21.99): As a fan, this was my first purchase of their music, and a special one of their first release.
Madeleine Peyroux "Careless Love" Used CD ($1.00): Also a fan and my first purchase of her music, she was the pre-Laufey, and it was a fun listen.
Bumper Sticker ($2.00): I loved stickers and proudly stuck them on the walls of other shops if available.
Logo T-Shirt Grey M ($20.00): Not that I needed ANOTHER t-shirt, this was for support and to promote them back home.
SERVICE
Casually greeted by a young man at the front counter as I entered, I was then left to my own devices as I slowly looked through every bin, rack, and shelf for anything that caught my attention. There were a handful of employees, but the same person rang me up as we chit-chatted about the shop. They also did mail order and provided special orders. I was fine with the hands-off approach - rock on!
PARKING
(Varied; N/A this instance): This was a moot point since I walked the slightly flat-to-downhill leisure 25-minute distance from my friend's place. No parking lots in sight, there seemed to be plenty of spots along the main drag of Washington St. and all surrounding side streets - 'nuff said.
ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE
A compact one-level floorplan with bins, crates, racks and shelves thoroughly stocked with cassettes, CDs, vinyls, DVDs, and more, while other items and materials were displayed from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. The back half of the store was dedicated to vinyl records while the front half dealt with everything else. A decent amount of natural lighting filtered through the front glass doors and windows while electric ceiling track lights filled in the rest. There weren't any TVs while an eclectic mix of music played in the background.
ATTIRE
Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops.
OVERALL
I was so happy to visit Tunes Hoboken, and I would definitely return the next time I was in town. I loved scouring independent music shops one bin at a time for bargains, new artists to try, anything to fill in my collection, any odds-and-ends, and more. I lived in L.A. where Amoeba Music was my music church, but these indie shops always had a vibe of their own albeit limited in scale and quantity. Plus, I always preferred to support small mom & pop businesses. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $89.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS
