The Waterloo Records is a pretty nice spot though I admit it misses a little bit of the charm the…read moreoriginal had and replaces it with a more modern feeling. I don't fault Waterloo for that because they were asked to leave. The place is great and their collection is awesome just like the originally. I really think they just picked up their stock and moved it. It is in a great spot, they do great events with artists from in-store performances to listening parties, and I feel that they have so many great collections in genres that some record stores don't have like in electronic music and jazz. The genres represented at Waterloo are always eclectic and their stock is always pretty substantial. My wallet always hurts after visiting, but that's part of record collecting. RIYL: Record hunting

At first, I didn't want to bring it up, but the more I think about it the more annoyed I am, so I…read morereally hope the management/whoever was in charge of it sees and pays attention to the feedback. Last week, for 3/20, the store organized a listening party for BTS' new album "ARIRANG." The way it was presented on social media, it seemed like a fun event for the local ARMYs (fandom name) to attend and have fun together. This release is significant to us because it was the first comeback after a long hiatus. It was highly anticipated and people were genuinely stoked and excited. So when you see a local business organize an event, you want to be there and celebrate with people who share the love to this group. Calling it a listening party was an overstatement. You stand in line to register for a raffle. The girl who ran the raffle seemed like she didn't even want be there. She mentioned that people need to write names and last 4 digits of a phone number, which was odd (normally people ask for a full number or email) and she seemed irritated when I was confused about the last 4 digits. By the looks of it, it was under 100 people who were there specifically for the occasion (aside from just customers browsing), not a crazy crowd. So it shouldn't be that difficult to prepare for such a large business. Yet it felt not just underwhelming, but more like no effort was put into it at all. Most fan-organized events gather more people than that and they are in no way a well-known business with a budget and staff. The freebies ran out 10 minutes after stated start time, the CDs sold out even before that, no vinyl for this release was available, I was told they wouldn't get it. A raffle prize was a bootleg canvas print which the girl who ran the raffle announced as "official from the BTS label." Big Hit never released such item for this album merch lineup. Absoluetely nothing against fan-made merch, this community is super welcoming and encouraging to it. However, transparency matters. Overall, equally not a good look whether it was intentionally misrepresented as official item OR just ignorance about the matter. Nothing was done to create an exciting event and engage people who might have turned down other plans to attend this "listening party." Once dropped your name for the raffle, you just wait around and maybe flip through the records while the new album plays on the background (not even very loud). That's it. I can do that on any random Tuesday - come to the store and flip through records while listening to music on my headphones. If you don't know what to do but want to organize an event worth attending, connect with local fans! There's a whole community of enthusiasts in the city (and online) of people who regularly organize fan events locally and would be stoked to do this. It would've been less frustrating if Waterloo just ignored this release and did nothing. At the end of the day, kpop community wouldn't expect a business that doesn't specialize on kpop to participate in celebrating this new album. This "event" was a huge disappointment and a great example of what happens when non-enthusiasts try to capitalize on something they have no clue about.

I stumbled upon this record store during my trip to Austin when my friend and I were walking around…read morethe outdoor vintage marketing going on. I was so pleasantly surprised to see Antone's Record Shop in the midst of it all! They've got a massive selection of records, all organized and labeled properly. The whole store was well-kept and clean too. Nothing felt out of sorts at all. It was extremely hot that day so popping indoors to browse around was also a major plus.

Very cool music shop located near the University of Texas. You'll be listening to good music while…read moreyou shop, you can count on it. They mostly have vinyl records but their CD collection is pretty strong, especially for local Austin artists. I didn't check the vinyl prices but for used cds, many or most were $5 or less. For music lovers, I highly recommend stopping by.

I stumbled into this place while walking nearby, and what a gem of a record store. They have a…read morehighly curated collection of vintage vinyls and tapes spanning genres like reggae, salsa, Latin, Afro, etc. It's small but mighty. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan or collector. M ore niche than pop A mple parking G reat employees I impressive collection C ollect vintage

We came here as our city is being a jerk and closing this down. I know some of that is that our…read moreolder generation didn't want any new taxes on anything as they are selfish and don't want to pay taxes on the 3 houses they own or whatever. Still it sucks to see this going away. We came in, bought some books and browed a bit. They place had a fair amount of people, still quite a few books, music, and movies. I couldn't find much I was intersteied in but Shana did and even found me a book or two. The bathroom is weird, it is around a corner that looks like you are not allowed to go to and there is a key on a hanger that you take in with you, you don't need to unlock the door and I am not sure it even locks. If the key is missing that is how you know the bathroom has someone in it, there is a small hook on the inside to hang the key while you are in the restroom. So you have to hope people notice it is gone and you have to hope everyone puts the key back. But they are clean and they have a sign in the bathroom that the front desk can supply you with pads if needed. The one misstep here was the guy running the front desk, he was not super friendly, I heard his reaction to a lady gushing about how great the place was and how many books she found for such a good price, some were gifts and he could care less. He wasn't rude but he was doing that thing where you just nod and say uh huh. I also heard him later say he was from another branch of the library, I don't know which but I hope we don't run into him again. We got something like 7 or 8 books for 9 bucks which is fantastic. He checked us out fast, as he had better things to do and we headed out.

Recycled reads is a really interesting place. I found out about it from Google when I was looking…read morefor a used copy of a specific book. Let me start with - it's not a big place, and the selection isn't huge so it's not terribly likely you'll find something very specific, much less a popular title. However, it's a nice concept. They sell retired library books for VERY cheap, so if you're list looking for a new book in general, this is actually a pretty decent spot to get some and save money. They have a small lot out front but I had no trouble finding parking. The staff there were really friendly and helpful; they don't have a catalog because of all the turnover but they do have things arranged by genre so they could point me toward where I might find the book I was looking for.

Large, well set up HPB with an easy access location and ample parking. Lots of variety in all…read moredepartments, and usually a few surprising finds to be had. Staff has always been welcoming and friendly. I can't speak to selling books or the fairness of their offers, been many years since I've brought in books.

Apparently music has now been added ehich subtracts significantly from enjoying a book crawl thru…read morethe stacks. Find a quieter place to shop.

I'm always in search of record stores in any city/county I'm visiting. Vinyl records are becoming…read morepopular and an everlasting way to play music like it once was in the 40's-80's. My friend gave me the scoop on this spot during my January Austin trip so it was only appropriate we'd pay this place a visit and check it out. Located on Justin Lane, it fits right into the small shopping area on the slant. As you roll in, you'll be surrounded by crates upon crates of records that are new and pre-owned. While mostly classic rock, jazz, and some country, you will find rap/hip-hop, r&b, pop, international, and soundtracks here. There's also a listening station if you want to sample a record before purchase (anything that's not sealed of course). While prices of vinyl have gone up as the industry is under attack by that ugly thing called inflation, there are some bargain bin records available in the store. Most are in average to below-average condition but you can find some good things there if you're patient with your browsing. There's also some seating to rest yourself as you go through whatever purchases you have. T-shirts, CDs, stickers, and some posters are for sale too. But that's not why you're here, the vinyl is the main draw obviously. And this store is probably my favorite for that in Austin at the moment!

Too many scratched or damaged records being sold as if they are perfect condition. Gave me grief…read morewhen I went to return them and accused me of scratching them. High prices too. Had to file chargeback with credit card company. NEVER AGAIN!

We stopped in here to check out this little consignment store. Once inside you realize the entire…read morestore is about the size of your living room that's crammed full of vintage stuff. They've got records, lots of jewelry, shoes, silverware, and glassware. If you have some high-end clothing that you would like to consign, this would be a good place, but no cheap stuff. If someone you know or a loved one has passed away, the owner will come to your place and evaluate the estate, preferably within the Austin area.

People say Austin is changing, but it is stores like Armstrong's House of Vintage that remind me…read morewhat makes this town so special. On Black Friday I walked in for their soft launch after finding them on ig. I got my wife a vintage Gucci purse for HALF the normal price. I guess the owner does estate sales and comes across all kinds of things. Inside there was a really cool furniture mid century credenza, tons of jewelry, and clothing. The neighborhood is expensive, and all the stuff is high end but I think the prices were crazy low. The woman behind the counter - Renee?? even gave me a free cup of coffee. Thank you!

I was on the book trail and had been to Dragon's Lair Books and More, which accidentally put his…read moreinitials by Austin Books and Comics, so I was treated like I was crazy and had already been to the head store. That's why they call the store at the front. You have to be aware that they have four separate stores instead of one with four different departments. If you aren't and ask questions as I did, you will be treated as though you are demented. The tone I encountered was condescending at best. The manager, a woman, had no problem with their behaviour. She is okay with discriminating per age against customers. These employees are proud to make it clear that first-time customers and anyone over 40 are not welcome here. All customers should be treated with courtesy, regardless of age or familiarity with the store. If you are not familiar with the store or are over 40 they don't want you to shop here. I'd like to know how old the owner of this store, which is for some reason, made up of four little stores in the same location, even is.

Day 2...quest for Black Panther (Marvel Comic books) for my nephew for his birthday. Thus, I landed…read moreat Austin Books & Comics. My first impression...wow...this comic bookstore is super well organized. Large font hanging placards make it very easy to peruse rows of comics, graphic novels, and collectibles. The prices of the comic books were reasonable. One of the highlights of my visit was finally finding Black Panther Marvel comics after being on the hunt for them. Austin Books & Comics had a solid selection, making it clear they care about stocking both popular titles and meaningful characters. Seeing Black Panther prominently represented felt especially rewarding, and it turned my visit into a successful and memorable one. In addition, one of the sales representatives pointed me to the Black Panther section of comic books. Today, I learned that most comic books come out about monthly and they come in a series. For Black Panther, they had 4 comic books in the series. Now, I need to consult with my brother to determine which ones I should purchase for my nephew. Happy to have found the comics I have been searching for....

For those who seem to be monitoring when and how often I post reviews...please note that I'm still…read moreworking through a pile of drafts that I have. I post at my own pace. K, thanks. Anyway, I love Room Service and have been coming here for years. Long before I relocated to Austin from the East Coast. It's part of my North Loop Jaunt where I hit up all my fave places in the neighborhood every few months or so. Prior to relocating, I'd visit Austin twice a year and always made time to stop in. This is one of the most inspiring and well laid out vintage stores ever. You can just get lost for hours. So many ideas for home decor and styling. They've always got a grand selection of MCM (Mid-Century Modern) furniture and accessories. My house is 99% MCM. They've really just got the best collection of everything. Trinkets, knickknacks, patches, light fixtures, dishes, mirrors, art, clothing, records, jewelry...you get my drift. Service is so super friendly and welcoming. I am particularly fond of the pro-trans sign in the entrance window!! Everything they carry is in very good to pristine condition and pricing is reflective. With that said, the prices are extremely fair. I can't recommend Room Service enough. Support local. Support small business. Sustainability. Be creative.

This is a great store with a bunch of furniture, artwork, clothing, lighting, etc. I was shocked at…read morehow large it is and they restock every day.

Look, it a volunteer run anarchist leaning bookstore. So now lets revisit that statement -…read moreVolunteer run - sure you get some people that can be off putting and really just get lost in what they are reading or doing but thats not the point. The point of the bookstore is that you have an avenue to meet and associate with like minded people, maybe find a few books, maybe donate a few books you want them to have... Like another review mentioned there is some cognitive dissonance in the whole ""At Monkeywrench Books, the following things are not tolerated: sexism, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and/or any other behavior that is hateful and has the effect of policing others." but thats ok, not because of anything else, again its about the intent and spirit here. Sure the book selection is 3 star at best, but come on, this is truly about the community effort around it and nothing more. So here's to Monkeywrench books and the people that make it possible. 5 stars even if i disagree with you on certain levels. (Also my 200th review , you'll always be special to me :P )

This bookstore is incredible! It's part of my North Loop Jaunt (every few months I head over to the…read moreneighborhood and hit up my favorite places). Did you know it's run by volunteers? Yep, how wonderfully Austin. The book selections focus on social justice, economic justice, etc. It's a gathering space for like-minded people and I feel so at home when there. They have different events like creative art nights and study groups. There's an area that has a shelving unit containing free items. Sofas, lounge area, coffee/tea area. Space for kids to create. It's a welcoming and inclusive shop that's important in today's world. Support local.