Great store, everything is organized well. The guys there know what they are talking about. I…read morecouldn't recommend the place more. They sold me my dream book Jurassic Mall. www.jurrasicmall.com

Crusty, dismissive buyer. Prepare to be lowballed. Be sure to check with them before selling as…read morethey claim to have high inventory and they're very choosey. Won't go back.

Exactly what I expect from a great record store. Clean, sensibly organized, lots of new albums,…read moregreat music on the speakers and a chill atmosphere to browse. Will definitely return.

The people running the shop were friendly and cordial without being overbearing. Records were…read morereasonably priced and a bit lower than what I have typically seen online across multiple websites. There was a nice and diverse selection which was well-organized, though for some records there were more than one option. I really like that the store was clean and spaced nicely despite the vintage feel.

This review is for the record store portion of this establishment-- I love any record store, and…read moreseeing one plopped down in midtown manhattan in the middle of a busy, business-y district does my heart good. It's not what I expected to find here, and if I worked or lived in this area I'm sure I'd want to pop in often to browse or shop. Having said that... the shop is a bit cramped, which makes comfortable browsing a challenge--understood it is the city and real estate is a challenge, but the layout does make for a less than comfortable experience. Perhaps it is the hybrid portion record shop/portion club that means there isn't a ton of room for the shop portion. As for the browsing, it was a bit frustrating -- I was looking for a holiday gift and was having issues and wound up asking for help - "Do you have anything by Tori Amos?" "i dunno" (not super helpful) "...but you can look under T. Yep... they alphabetize by artist first name. I found Weird Al Yankovic under "A". I don't even know where to start there...I would personally expect to find this under Y...if you want to try to make a case to have it under W and treat "Weird" like a band or entity name I won't agree but I'll listen... but under A? For Al? We're alphabetizing by first name? Come on!! Mock outrage aside, it just felt too hard to find anything, not a fun place to browse and not a lot of assistance available to do so. Decent amount of records though, prices seemed a bit all over the map to me--some reasonable, some a bit outlandish--perhaps more careless than trying to rip people off--but I'd wager you can make some finds here. Might not have been my favorite record shop, but it's a record shop nonetheless--I'm sure I'll be back.

Records are very hard to flip through (small store and stacked to the ceiling, requiring…read moreladders/stools or crouching WAY down to the floor to see what's there), are packed in too tight, are really overpriced (to be fair, their rent in midtown must be high), are not always clean/of good quality (the one I bought was dusty), and are sold in the static-friendly crinkly polypropylene sleeves I HATE (personal preference is polyethylene). Folks running the shop are friendly and knowledgeable, and there's a great selection, so all good there. But it's not my favorite place.

This was my primary record store for 30 years. I am a vinyl record collector (4.5k lps). I've…read morebought so many records over the years, the records are in pristine condition and the prices are great. And since I love classical, baroque, opera music this was my go to store. Along with Princeton Record Exchange and Westsider Records, Academy is the finest record store for Classical Music in the entire NYC Area (greater than 100 record stores). This is a caveat to this post, I haven't been to the store since before Covid. The other caveat is the staff, typical NYC, not friendly but they leave you alone, but don't ask questions which was never an issue for me. I called the store a few days ago and they informed me they still have a large inventory of used classical records. But, given the state of NYC, I don't believe I will be taking any trek's from northern nj to nyc in the near future.

Stopped by to see what they had and scored a live James brown vinyl for a decent price! Friendly…read morecashier and good music playing in the background for your search.

I am by no means an expert in jazz records, but I'm confident in what I do know. I do know this…read morestore is an absolute gem, racks and racks of jazz records. Some people are saying the prices are high, but every record I checked via Discogs fell within the median range as far as pricing goes. To me if it's a record you really want and the price is a few $ more than normal, I am ok with paying the extra for the convenience of not having to keep hunting. The owner is a quiet guy who says hello when you walk in the door and then lets you do your thing. I didn't have an extensive conversation with him, but when I was ready to pay I asked what was playing on the sound system. He was stoked I asked and told me it was a live recording of Herbie Hancock live in Germany. I swiped my card and he gave me kudos for bringing my own bag. FYI, the store is located in an office building and you have to buzz up to get to the actual store on the 8th floor. This was my first visit, but I will certainly be back when I return to the city.

I made ONE LAST attempt at having a good experience here, and was let down yet again…read more The owner is incredibly off putting. His communication skills (or lack there of) ruin my experiences here every time. This time he scoffed at me saying "I'll pass on this one" to a record with a 8" scuff. Even after I apologized and led with "I am admittedly picky with my vinyl". Customer is always wrong in this establishment. It's unlikely i'll be returning in the future, and if I do it'll be for the selection of CDs only as I find the used selection is rather out of style. Very little GOOD used stuff. The reissues are plentiful, well curated, and priced at MSRP. The CD selection is admittedly incredible, but the pricing reminds me of FYE prices circa 2003; height of CD era prices. If you decide to come here I'd suggest only coming for the great selection of CDs and reissues, despite the prices of the former. I am happy with the CDs I did buy, as well as the reissue, but am very let down by the condition of the used record I brought home. The lighting is plentiful, so I'll take full responsibility for picking out a subpar album. I will never take responsibility for being treated like I am a nuisance by the owner; time and time again despite always spending a good chunk of money every time I visit. I'd much rather spend my hard earned money where it is appreciated.

Such a cute store set in the heart of the theater district. Downstairs has lots of anime. Upstairs…read morefiction and non-fiction. I love that it's a store where you can sell and purchase. I feel the prices were very reasonable, even though I saw some comments about people saying the books are overpriced. No one bothered us when we spent quite a while looking through the various shelves and it felt like a very calm environment in a busy city. Left with a few books so the trip was a hit.

Buying and Selling at Book Off What a cool store. So much to…read moresee. Unfortunately, it is lousy to sell at and expensive to buy at. First, Selling. I brought in three statue items unopened in the original packaging. I checked on ebay for what the items sold for (not asking price but sold price) and it added up to about $600, I lugged the items over there and had to leave them there because they wouldn't get to them right away. The people/kids working there were very nice. I went to have lunch and got the text to return, and they are offering $150. So I picked up the items and turned down the offer. Again, they were very nice, it's just I wasn't willing to accept 25% of the value. I figured at worst it would be 50%. But I am better off getting closer to the actual price on ebay. Now, Buying. Lots of very expensive and exiting things to get, and I didn't have time to price check things so much, but my son is into the Nintendo switch and i spotted a used Marvel VS Capcom game he might like. It was $34.95. But just in case, I pulled up Amazon and looked the game up. A brand new one costs $21.79. So it would have been a terrible idea for me to buy it there. I guess if you are leaving work and need a quick gift, you might stop in and pay too much for an item. If you are in real trouble and don't have time to wait for an Ebay sale, you might consider selling your collectables for 25% the value, this place might come in handy.

Decent selection. Took me a while to find what I was looking for. The shop's a bit messy. And I…read morefound it a bit pricy.

Super cool record store! The prices are a little high but…read moreit's New York. Tons of options. There's a basement area that is filled too!

Great store, always have a really wide selection. Fairly priced. And usually always have some great…read morewall pieces. One of the best record stores in the city!

OMG. What a great selection of vinyl and what a good value. The store is no nonsense - the…read moreemployees aren't trying to befriend you - but you will find what you want. I scored some incredible El Gran Combo records. Definitely worth a visit. I'd love to go back.

Forwver the Best record store in NYC - great selection, rare vinyl and new releases - John is the…read moregreatest!

Great store has rare and fantastic collectibles . The owner John is very knowledgeable.read more

Yes, this is a proper bookstore. Fantastic selection of hidden gems, good prices, that old dusty…read moresmell. This is a treasure of a store and when these types of establishments are gone so will the age of enlightenment.

This place is gorgeous but The actual selection is pretty poor. Also the girl behind the desk was…read moreon her first day of the job and didn't know how to find anything for us. Owner was a complete jerk and told me not to take pictures even through I had a book in my hand ready to buy. Very rude and unfriendly. Apparently they have a "no pictures in the shop rule". A ridiculous rule to have when you know the first thing anyone under the age of 40 is going to do is take a picture of the unique setup. I put my book back. You won't get my business you grumpy old man. Try developing some manners and making customers feel welcome.