It's been at least four years since I've lived in Rochester, but I still think Bop Shop is one of the best record shops I've been to! Bop Shop was one of the two or three places I made it a point to visit when I visited ROC a few weekends ago for a film festival. Not only was the selection of LPs and CDs as vast as I remember, but the staff was *extremely* helpful. The gentleman who helped me and my friend went out of his way to recommend other artists we might enjoy based on our current selections. You could feel his enthusiasm for music, and it was quite welcome after some of the other record shops I've been to in the past! He encouraged us to go to the "listening station" to listen to the recommended records before purchasing. I ended up leaving with the LP I came in for and two CDs, but I have a new artist to look into! Prices can be a tad high, but it doesn't bother me because of the exceptional customer service. read more

Nice little music shop with good selection of vinyl, CDs and a small amount of audio equipment. They are great about advertising local music. They have live music in the store on select Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights Pretty chill vibe - Definitely coming to life again after Covid read more

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The Bop Shop! Cool independent record store. I always find something I want here and sometimes I find albums I didn't know I needed. Definitely deals in more used vinyl but they do carry some new. Also something that I enjoy is their classical selection. It's not something most stores have. read more

What a fun place!! Row after row of vinyl! My daughter got a ton of CD's and the guys there could not have been nicer! Great place for a music lover to spend an afternoon! read more

Great article here @ the Rochester D&C about this much-loved vinyl destination: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20111105/LIVING/111050314/Bop-Shop-losing-its-lease-Village-Gate-Square?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome When I *actually* moved to Rochester in 1981, record stores were my salvation. I wound up working @ the Record Archive in '82 and spinning records on 88.5 WRUR FM. It was around that time that the Bop Shop opened. While both stores are current & vital, it looks like the existence of the Bop Shop is being threatened by, of all things, their landlord. I know I'll be going to the Gate House and Dark Horse much less often without Bop Arts events to lead me there. The Village Gate will suffer when it loses the Bop Shop as one of it's anchors. read more

Bop Shop Records - New Bop Shop store location in progress. - Vinyl Records Near Me - Rochester, New York

Is this the best record shop in the world? It just might be! The selection is massive and ever changing, the sales people are kind, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the prices are about as reasonable as I've seen anywhere in the USA. Impossible-to-find jazz records, weird Japanese imports of your favorite bands, and plenty of great stuff you've never heard of but will probably love. If you're searching for records in upstate NY, DO NOT miss this place! read more

Love the Bop Shop. I've been in a few times to just look and recently went in to find some random records for my collection. I was with a friend who was shopping for her and her husband. They had a list of records they wanted to find. The employee that was helping my friend seemed to genuinely love finding the records on her list. So, if you don't see something you are looking for first, ask, as they may have it elsewhere. Two reasons why this store beats the other bigger local stores: - The records are super clean! Skip the bargain bins at other places, spend a little bit more to buy clean records here. - You can actually leaf through their bins without having to pull a stack of records out to maneuver. Nor do you have random obstacles on the floor to view anything. I can't wait to go vinyl hunting here again! read more

So overwhelming, but in a good way! They have everything for the music-minded. It's awesome to see the selection, new and old, CDs and records, used and new. The people who work here are super helpful too. Always ask questions because they are the really informed about what's in the store in general (plus extra stuff in the back/basement, etc.) and also cool bands/albums you may not discover on your own. At home, we have a newly acquired record player and have been popping in here to pick up some new/used records to slowly build up our collection. So far, it's a few random finds like a Bill Cosby comedy act, Simon & Garfunkel, ELO, and a couple Beatles albums. It also won't break the bank -- the used stuff is mostly in good condition. Tom does some cool stuff with the place too, hosting music events on occasion during Record Store Day, great sales, and bringing in quality acts that perform at music venues (like Abilene and Lovin' Cup). read more

Bop Shop Records - Rows of records! - Vinyl Records Near Me - Rochester, New York

I really enjoyed my visit to this record shop! Before going here, I had never heard of it before. But thanks to a friends suggestion since we recently got a record player, I checked out this hidden gem! We walked in and were greeted with rows and rows of vinyl. There were a few "regular" customers, chatting with the helpful girls behind the counter. After looking through the records in the front with moderate prices, we found the clearance area in the back right corner. We found at least 10 records that we could not leave without, for between $2 to $5 each! Genesis, The Who, James Taylor, the Beatles, The Carpenters... many great artists and the sections are well-labeled and easy to peruse. read more

Bop Shop Records - Several albums from the clearance section, $2-$5! - Vinyl Records Near Me - Rochester, New York

This place is the real deal. You gotta stop here if you're in Rochester and listen to records. One of the staff showed me through all of their classical, and they have everything. A whole shelf of RCA Living Stereo, a shelf of classical guitar, etc. I was able to find lots of stuff that I've been thinking I'd have to either search around for or order online. read more

Love, love, love the Bop Shop!!! I can always find some vinyl I've been looking for or surprised by a new find. I got a mint condition Arthur Brown LP for a great price as well as some rare Robin Trower albums for my husband. I could spend hours here browsing the inventory. If you want something really obscure they have it. Plus you gotta stop in to hail the god of hell fire John Gallo....he's a legend. read more

Need vinyl or a VHS tape? Go here! Very cool people working there, the owner is a cool guy &, while we were there getting advice on how to get my mother's 30 yr old turntable working again they helped out a woman who was looking for classic jazz performances on VHS & treated her VERY well. She was floored! As for Mom's turntable, the guys figured out the problem in a few mins -- the thing needed a new belt & they recommended we check out Sound Source a few blocks away. My brother's very much into vinyl & now I know where to go to shop for him. read more

Record Archive may have a larger selection, but I always spend most of my time (and probably way too much money) at the Bop Shop. It is located in kind of an unassuming shopping center, so be sure to keep your eyes open for it. The records they stock here are in unreal good condition. For records that have come out 30, 40, 50, years ago already, it really is a rarity. The prices are excellent as well, depending on what you're in the market for. I usually spend between $8-$12 per record. They've got a great Blues/Soul/Funk area to sort through. The ska/punk area is great as well, I found a Screeching Weasel record I had loved growing up in great condition. I really enjoyed how they handled Record Store Day this year. While other shops promoted the limited releases, the Bop Shop chose to display a massive collection they had acquired. Tons and tons of great selections. They had a few bands come in as well that were great. read more

The Bop Shop is a real gem, with a dizzying array of LPs from all artists and genres. Not everything is out on the floor for customers to paw through, but if they have it in back, they are more than happy to get it for you. The owner, Tom, is really great; he always has something positive to say about whatever purchase you are about to make, and often recommends similar albums or releases if you are looking for more. He is such a refreshing break from the aloof clerks you usually find at other record shops. Outside of Tom's knowledge and friendliness, what really brings me back is that every single LP I have purchased from The Bop Shop is flawless. Everything is VG or better and modestly priced. The Record Archive may have the largest shop, Lakeshore may have the newest stuff, but The Bop Shop is, in my opinion, the one loaded with the best records. read more

Bop Shop was the first record store I stopped into during my two-day visit to Rochester last month. It was a Sunday, and the place is closed on Mondays, so I arrived right after they opened to make sure I gave myself plenty of time to look around. The shop is located in a little strip mall type thing, but don't be fooled by the generic look of the place. There are thrilling exotic treasures inside! The guys working there that day were all really friendly; they even let me charge my phone and camera batteries while I shopped. I spent most of my time digging through the thousands of 45s in the bins at the back of the store. I found all sorts of terrific stuff, most of it priced between $4-$8, which is within my budget, though a few popular rarities (The Beatles and Rolling Stones w/ picture sleeves, for example) were priced way out of my range. Still, I did splurge and pick up The Stones' "Honky Tonk Women" w/ picture sleeve in good shape for $15, which may be the most I've ever spent on a single 45. I ended up with singles by Grace Jones, Jay & the Americans, The Walker Brothers, Celia and the Mutations, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Monkees, Wreckless Eric, The Honeycombs, and more. Also left with two old LPs by The Dells plus a Betty Davis and a Kim Weston LP. There's a good listening station for used vinyl, so I was able to discover some neat artists I'd never heard of before. I always like that. If you enjoy digging for vinyl, especially for rare and unusual treasures, this place is definitely one of the best. Check it out! read more

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Amazing record store! The place is packed to the brim with records, and chances are you'll find something you've been looking for. They have all genres (except for hip-hop unfortunately, though I'm sure they're working on it.) They have a great selection of Metal, Punk, Hard Rock, etc. Even though they're named "Bop Shop", don't be mistaken. They got plenty of Beatles, too, just look at the display cabinet they have. The genres and artists are all organized very well too. They don't just have records, they also have plenty of CD's, cassettes, and I'm sure other formats too. Besides the records, the staff are really friendly too. Shutouts to Tom! If you're selling or trading in records, he offers fair prices, and explains why. Definitely one of my favorite record stores to go to. read more

Twenty years ago this was one of the best record stores in the country. Now that record stores are all either frozen in glaciers or preserved in tar pits, the Bop Shop moves up to one of the best record stores in the universe, known or unknown. On a personal level, the owner introduced me to The Fugs when I was 14 and changed my life. And he made me a tape of the Kerouac records too, long before they were available on anything other than scratched vinyl. Do ya like Boobsalot? The Bop Shop likes Boobsalot. read more

A great record store, but their areas of focus can seem a little myopic, so don't be surprised if you can't find certain things here ever. My advice to collector scum is to search their website for stuff you might be interested in and then bring in a list. Many of the rare interesting and valuable records are kept in non-public crates. I was able to pick up a handful of Magma, Gong, Holger Czukay (of Can) and Godz records. I wish I had been more familiar with the back catalogs of BYG/Actuel and ESP. Hands down the best store in Rochester for collector scum. read more

The Bop Shop has an incredible atmosphere thanks to a wonderful staff; most notably, the proprietor, Tom Kohn. He went out of his way to help me find a few records. The selection is OUT OF THIS WORLD too! read more

Nobody greeted me...which i found unbecoming. They had a nice selection of used records, although the selection of new ones were slim. The man working there could have been more knowleagable on newer music. overall a decent experience, if you are looking for used records go here. read more

This place is great! I have a renewed interest in bluegrass and olde tyme music and they have a ton of great records and CDs! Thanks to Tom for keeping the old music alive. A great service to this old banjo picker! read more

In the time that the Bop Shop has been around, any number of other good small record stores--some perhaps more "hip" but none better--have come and gone, but the Bop Shop, thankfully, survives. Nestled quietly into its well-worn niche at Rochester's eclectic Village Gate center, this store is everything you could ask a small music shop to be. They know their niche and have stayed true to it--jazz, blues, old r&b, rockabilly, and rock 'n' roll. Owner Tom Kohn is both vastly knowledgeable and personable, a really approachable guy whose customers trust him to know his stuff--with good reason. He's a borderline obsessive, in the best possible way, and has opened his store to local musicians not only by carrying more of their work than any other store in town, but by employing any number of them. They're all swell and well-informed guys, too, and if you need to know who recorded a half-remembered doo-wop ballad back in 1952, well...don't say I didn't tell you who to ask. read more

The Bop Shop is the best place in Rochester to buy records and CDs. There is another shop in town with a greater inventory, but Tom Kohn, owner of The Bop Shop, is very selective about the quality of his inventory. The Bop Shop is sure to have what your looking for - - somewhere in there. Tom personally peruses every record he buys and prices them fairly. He doesn't delegate the quality control to anyone. Ever. I've witnessed it myself. Oh, and Tom knows more about music than anyone alive. Even me. If you get to know Tom, he'll make personalized recommendations. My advice: listen to him. I've added a great deal of music to my collection that I would not have known about were it not for him. read more

Absolutely my favorite place for vinyl in Rochester. Owners, Tom and Jan, are great, as are their staff. They only offer high quality used vinyl. read more

A real gem. More wonderful music than you can imagine, but the best part of the Bop Shop is it's owner Tom. He is a great guy with an encyclopedic knowledge and always willing to help out with ideas and suggestions. read more