Conveniently located in downtown Champaign near the Illinois Terminal (Amtrak, MTD buses) and a stone's throw from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, Exile on Main Street has a fantastic selection of new and previously loved vinyl, CDs, cassette tapes, and more. I recently met the owner, Jeff Brandt, at the store while my partner was on the hunt for Taylor Swift and Charli XCX vinyls. Jeff was immediately attentive and we struck up conversations about Taylor Swift, the positives and areas of improvement downtown Champaign could use, the area's history as a musical mecca, and much more. It was easy to see how much love and sweat equity he's put into the community and the store. An adjacent vintage store has closed but Exile regularly hosts pop-ups, underscoring its community-first vibes. When you're looking for vinyl finds, skip online, Target and chains and support institutions like Exile on Main! read more

This is the THE record store to visit in Champaign-Urbana. Yeah, there's Record Swap if you want used classic rock or See You Vinyl with their dozens of records, but Exile is the place to be. The store itself has an interesting layout that promotes exploration and discovery. There's a nice mix of used and new vinyl, (mostly used) CDs, and even some cassettes and VHS tapes. I'd say Exile's strengths are all things indie, major artists from the 90s onward, classic rock, and a bunch of niche stuff. I like to find reissues of 90s and 00s electronic stuff there, and they typically stock new jazz releases from Blue Note and some of the other big labels (not a huge selection, but everything they have is good). Of course, this is just my perception. You'll find each genre well represented. If you don't see what you want, the owner is happy to get it for you. He's a great guy with a deep knowledge of music. He actually has a whole section that he's selling from his personal collection, which is an interesting category. It's like a bunch of great titles that have been out of circulation for a long time. Overall, this is a fun place to find good music. Check it out. read more

I don't think there are a lot of choices in the area so you have to appreciate a store that sells vintage items like this because it's a lot of work behind the scenes (keep in mind they can't just place another order from the warehouse...) Prices are a bit high for video game stuff but they do have a wide variety. read more

I always come here when I'm in Champaign!! Such a cool vibe, the sweetest workers & always a good music selection to pick through! I always find good deals, too, here read more

Exile on Main Street - In the court of the crimson king on the record floor ! - Music & DVDs Near Me - Champaign, Illinois

Can't honestly say I've ever had a great experience with Exile, but today took the cake. Went for RSD 2024 (which, I am aware, is a pretty stressful day for most indie record stores). Arrived later into the morning because we camped out at See You CD & Vinyl and hopped in line. Waited for about 30 minutes using an arbitrary numbering system, which allowed people to have a second pass of the RSD section ahead of me and allowed people to grab picks who were behind in line, which immediately didn't feel fair. Overheard the short owner with glasses cursing and yelling at his employee. Finally got my number called and he announces that we can now ask him if certain picks are available, asked for mine.. of course, it wasn't available. However, I got my response from the owner with him laughing in my face "Nope! It was gone a while ago! HA!" and got laughed out of the store. It's 7:30AM sir, way too early for that kind of behavior. You just lost four customers who had previously purchased from you - NEVER again will I give a single dollar to that establishment. If you need records in the C-U area, visit stores like See You or Record Swap who value your patronage. read more

Cool - a local store with records, good bands' posters adorning the wall, and tons of old-school (Playstation 2 = not old school, people born in 1995) video games. There have been many a'time where I wanted to buy an N64 game, but... Holy crap, the prices. I understand that rent can't be affordable in somewhere as bustling and urban as the 3-blocks of downtown Champaign, but seriously... Common LPs for $10, easily found at another store for half the price. DVDs are priced like the first price on an infomercial before they say "BUT WAIT!" Staff has been nothing but nice, if not a bit lackadaisical. Lower your prices a little and I will be buying - but for now its Ebay, Reckless Records, and Half Price Books in Chicago for me. read more

The new location (well to me), is just down the block in the old train station and a great upgrade. Boxes of used vinyl, new releases, CD's and the rest of their assorted selection...which includes vintage clothes as well, go figure. What I like best is the great expansion of their used vinyl. Pretty much everything I saw is in ready to play condition. They just got several boxes of jazz vinyl with the 2 record Blue Note reissues, and these are all near impossible to find anymore. Not a scratch on them. Found some used BB King and first pressing Coltrane on Impulse (his famous quartet) as well. Records were priced accordingly, so some things might seem a little pricy, but nothing is over the top. I am also very willing to pay for this kind of quality and selection. The owner as always is great to talk to and knows his stuff. I can spend all day and all my money here in a heart beat. I still love the Record Swap, but I think Exile is now the best record store in Chambana. A much needed update from my old review. Even more so, a must stop for me when I come back and visit this great town. I also love how physical record stores all over are expanding and thriving. read more

Having recently moved to C-U and being a fairly obsessive vinyl record nerd, I was excited to check out the various shops in town(s). I was surprised that there are so many record shops in town (3 by my reckoning). I can't really imagine the undergrad population of UIUC is supporting them, but maybe I'm wrong. I had a sense that Exile would be the best, and I can now say confidently that this is the case -- it is fairly well-stocked. As some other reviewers have noted, this is a somewhat idiosyncratic shop. It's a solid shop, however. I'd say it is the best place in town to buy new records. The prices on used vinyl are on the higher side (compared to similar shops around the country -- including those in much larger towns). I saw some nice titles in the recent arrivals bins, but they were just a little too pricey for me to jump on (around $20 each, where I'm used to seeing similar quality/rarity priced at $13-15). This is a shame, as it will keep me from becoming a regular. The allure of a deal is what keeps me coming into stores now that my collection has fewer gaps than it once did, and given that I do travel a fair amount... annnnddd... given that there is an internet... Exile does seem to have occasional sales on new vinyl. I bought Bob Mould's Workbook reissue for 30% off, which was a fair deal on a record that's hard to come by in its original pressing (and thus pricey) and also typically overpriced in its new pressing. It seems like Exile could afford to price their used records $3-4 cheaper on average. They would probably come out ahead in the long run and keep their stock moving, but maybe the customer traffic just isn't substantial enough. Lord knows, it's tough out there... read more

Overall selection had a lot of commons and titles found in just about any store (heavy on Led Zep, Billy Joel, etc). Layout was confusing as it shares space with another store (vintage clothing?) that often had random pairs of shoes intertwined with CD's and other music merch. To their credit, and to the size of the store, they did have a good amount of vinyl to look through. Jazz & hip hop had a few titles I hadn't seen before. Also still had some solid RSD titles that had long sold out at my local stores. They also keep new/sealed vinyl stock separate from pre-owed. Would recommend dropping by if in the area, but not making a substantial drive if a hard core collector. read more

One of the best places in town to do business IMO. A great place to vinyl and video game hunting. In my experience, if there's something you want they don't have, they're happy to special order it for you which reminds me of ma and pa stores of old. The place also has great sales from time to time and the only real place to go for Record store day in the area. If you frequent the joint enough, you'll be on a first name basis with all who work there in no time. I've frequently walked out of there with something I had never anticipated based on good advice and recommendations from those who work there and owner Jeff. check it out! read more

So the owner sells me a N64 version of Goldeneye at full resale value, and it has clearly a loose piece in it,but the game works. Ok, $26. I go later to sell it because I was done with it and needed a few dollars, and HE OFFERS ME $1 because of the loose thing inside of it!!!!!!! read more

This place is huge! I'm not much of a music snob but they've got a huge selection of stuff and they've got pretty much every local artist you can think of! This is a great spot to check out on Record Store Day too where you can guarantee that there will be free live music! read more

My favorite record store! Jeff always does his best to get me the wierd records I want. This place is a real CU treasure.

Not a bad store the prices are again a little high for my liking, but I'm a cheap skate. They have a decent selection not a huge, but far amount of mixed genres. Store operator was nice. I would maybe go back after they get a dollar LP section ;). read more

When I walk into Exile, I feel like Frasier walking into Cheers. Well, maybe not Frasier. Maybe I'm Norm or Cliff. It's hard to say. I guess that makes Jeff our very own Sam Malone. Who would be Woody? I'll leave that up to Mike to decide. Before I moved to Champaign and started shopping here, I was honestly just a CD and digital music man. Exile changed that. I never really considered vinyl as a "current" format until I started talking to Jeff and the rest of the crew. I think I've probably gotten somewhere close to 70ish records and countless CDs from Exile and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. Don't forget the local section! It's one of the best archives of music from the Champaign-Urbana scene and it's always got something in there to catch your ears. read more

Dope place for vintage goodies. Nice prices and a bunch of great records. Check the back for super cheap cds and LPS.

A rad spot, and now in a new location along with Dandelion that I think is extra rad. There's a lot more space, a small stage for shows and the staff is great. If you like music (or vintage clothes for that matter), definitely stop in and say hey. read more

This store has some interesting stock, but everything is terribly over priced. The staff is apathetic about everything and is not very helpful. the shelves are unorganized and often have multiple copies of the same item with different prices. There are condescending hand-written post it notes on some products and the whole place just smells unpleasant. read more

There are very few independent businesses like Exile on Main in town, offering new and used movies, games and music. I like browsing here from time-to-time, but it's always a crapshoot if I'll find something I like. I'm glad to see they're expanding their used "old-school" video game section - another thing that will set them apart. They carry some interesting magazines now, too. The staff isn't always the most welcoming, and (at the risk of sounding like an old man) some of the music they blare out is on the obnoxious side. Overall, a nice destination for music/movie/game nerds who want to support a local business. read more

Independent local business, knowledgeable staff, great selections and MOUNTAINS OF VINTAGE GOODIES AND YOU CAN STILL ORDER NEW STUFF TOO! if you cant find what you wanted, they will order it for you, or if you are a regular, keep an eye out for a rare item for ya. They also take pre-orders on vinyl and new video games as well, and they video games are the exact same price as Lamestop anyway. The video game selection is amazing and always changing. They have new and used, vintage and modern cds and records for fair prices. They will also take store credit for cool use stuff, so you can trade old records and game for that new game you want if ya got the right stuff at the right time! People keep saying it's expensive, but i disagree. i believe the prices are very fair for their quality, and the cash goes right back into our local economy. i think most people don't understand the cost of local and niche goods. i used to work at a record store, and shipping vinyl is expensive! so if you are used to wal-mart prices, then go there. OH THATS RIGHT wal-mart doesnt carry ANY GOOD MUSIC, let alone support local musicians with events and sell their merch. gee, funny how that works. If you are a treasure hunter, i highly recommend this place. I have found some real gems simply because i was rooting through a random spot in the store. read more

Independent, awesome, friendly, great selection. Done... OK... yelps admin wouldn't let me end my review with Done. Was too short? So.... in a long winded kind of way that I don't really like to review things, I really dig what Exile does. Great events throughout the year in addition to just being a retail spot. Get your Wax Poetics, Get your game one, Get some god damn records read more

The radio advertisement for Exile on Main compares this place to the store in the movie High Fidelity and it's hard not to go along with that. Except it's so much more than that! I don't even know if you can get some of these magazines and DVDs at other locations in town. The selection is unique and worth looking through if you're interested in independent music, films, etc. Oh, and you can play Donkey Kong or Joust for free on their vintage arcade machines. And they sell candy! And do PC repairs and upgrades for less than other places! read more

Possibly my favorite place in Urbana-Champaign. The new LPs they stock are in my opinion curated very well. Mostly recent releases and reissues by popular independent artists, but I always find something surprising when I visit. Large stock of used LPs as well. They also carry used and new video games (retro and current-gen) and CDs, zines, audio equipment, etc. Staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. Definitely a must-visit if you're in Urbana-Champaign and you value independent culture; record stores like this are a dying breed and this is one of the best. read more

The people at Exile are knowledgable. They provide an excellent way to broaden your musical horizons. Exile on Main Street is a place in which you can fan the flames of your love of music through an exchange with a real human being. To put it even more metaphorically read this: Hunter S. Thompson called music fuel for life. Exile on Main Street is like that fuel additive that clears out all the gunk in your pipes so the fuel flows freely through your brain. Go there. Let your music geek out of its cage to run around a little. Bang your head to some Mozart. Dig in and hear some live, local bands, some live local DJ's . Hang out and flip through some used cds. Heal your collection from the inevitable "Who did I loan my Eurythmics album to?" In short Exile on Main Street is a my favorite place to revel in all things music. read more

It's a cool little shop with character and a lot of variety packed in, considering the size of the store. If the owner is still the same, then we even have the same name (Jeff Brandt). I've been in several times, though, and for one reason or another I never came out with anything. read more

Game collectors shouldn't waste their time here. There's a fairly large selection of very common titles, but it's all overpriced. Meh.

This is a unique collaboration of records, cds, video games, and clothing. The pricing is a bit steep on their items, but they do carry games and albums that others dont in town. read more

I'm so glad we still have a record store in Champaign. Great, helpful staff. If what you're looking for is not in stock, they will order it. Orders are usually in within the week by my experience. They offer a really nice record collection and have great deals (sidewalk sales) on used CDs. Can you find cheaper prices online? Sure, but buying here shows support to not only Exile, but Champaign and the downtown area. The town is better for having Exile here...let's keep it that way! read more

Lots of records. Alot of them overpriced but lots of them - new, used, etc. Found a couple cool things, and some oddities (random oi! like Templars/Oxblood split, First Strike ep etc.) Purchased a MEATMEN LP with the Mother Murphy's sticker still on it, funny thing is, I remember this exact copy of the LP from when I used to buy records at Mother Murphy's. Oh, and if anyone is looking to pay $60 for the NAKED HIPPY LP, they have it here for that much...or you could just buy it for $20 from Jeff who was actually in Naked Hippy, at his record store in Bloomington for $15. Anyway, Exile is OK. read more

This is the most ideal local record store I can imagine, and we have it right here in Champaign! A great selection for every kind of person and an owner who should win awards...DAILY! This is the place. read more

One of my favorite places and a frequent stop anytime I am in the Neighborhood. Or not in the neighborhood. Or all the way across town. I loooove there selection of DVDs and that they always have Mountain Dew in stock. Not only that but the staff are always friendly and willing to help me find anything I cant find. Overall, an amazing business with amazing customer service and amazing merchandise. YOU SHOULD GO THERE NOW!!! read more

Best place in town to sell records. Owner is thorough when evaluating for buy back whether in-store/cash credit. Great selection of new releases, too. Willing to order whatever you want! read more

My favorite record store! Great selection of new and used records on both vinyl and CD. As people have mentioned, the prices can be a bit high at times, but conversely there are pretty good sales from time to time. Jeff (the owner) is super knowledgeable and helpful. He knows his customers well and always has new stuff that he knows his regular customers will like. The local music section is awesome and has a ton of new and classic stuff. Definitely worth a trip here! read more

Great store. Anything I'm looking-if they don't have-they'll order. Happy to support local businesses.