The Archive is a physical media retail store that opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut in June 2017…read more It was founded by friends and business partners Brandon Upson, James Neurath, Ryan Emerson and Ralph Stevens. The shop is the brick & mortar division of Vinegar Syndrome: a film restoration and distribution company that specializes in protecting and preserving genre films (mainly produced between the 1960s and 1980s). The company was founded in 2012 by Emerson and business partner Joe Rubin and named for the acidic smell of deteriorating film. It is considered a boutique Blu-ray label and to date has released well over 800 titles on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD. The Archive is dedicated to selling movies and music in a wide variety of physical media formats. Consumers will find all sorts of new and used titles available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, VHS, Betamax, Laserdisc, Vinyl, CD, and Cassette tape. A second location opened in Aurora (CO) in October 2022 and a third (named 'Vinegar Syndrome') opened in Toronto (ON) in October 2023. I've been doing business with the Archive for a number of years now. I'm a huge fan of collecting physical media. Although streaming media seems to be the way to go now, streaming services are only as good as your internet connection, the quality is too compressed and titles are disappearing all the time. I like having an actual vinyl record or 4K disc in my hands. Physical formats are also usually loaded with all sorts of liner notes, posters and bonus features that you won't get with streaming services. I try to stop at the shop every few months or so. While I sometimes leave empty handed, other times I leave with some great finds. They often carry great film releases from labels like Arrow Video, Blue Underground, The Criterion Collection, Severin Films, Shout! Factory, and of course Vinegar Syndrome. At times, the shop will even get a limited amount of new releases weeks before they are available on Amazon. If you're a fan of physical media then you need to get to the Archive right away!

Massive selection and great service. I got some anime and picked out a few of my favorite movies…read more Great place!

Nostalgia and all kind of good memories hit you from the moment you enter this amazing magical…read moreplace,

The new location is beautifully done. They have such a fun store. Gaming and arcade stations set…read moreup, a terrific selection of video games across multiple platforms, laser discs, vhs, vintage dvds, never opened vintage toys, comic books. It's such a fun throw back experience. The staff is very friendly and helpful, bordering on superlative (with the exception of one grumpy man, you know who you are). Great place for fans of all ages. Definitely a place I like to stop by once a week and look forward to the new things they're always putting out.

I love this little shop! I always visit when I'm in the area. Always friendly service and…read moreaffordable prices

"I don't like opera and I don't like ballet And new wave…read moreFrench movies, they just drive me away I guess I'm just dumb, 'cause I know I ain't smart But deep down inside, I got a rock 'n' roll heart" (Lou Reed) If you've been around for more than a few decades like I have, stop for a moment and think about all the different ways you've bought music over your lifetime. Here's my list: 45 RPM vinyl singles 33 RPM vinyl albums Eight track tapes Cassette Tapes Compact Disks Digital Downloads As the state of musical technology changed, it left music lovers with a dilemma -what to do with our old purchases if we don't  listen to them anymore in their original format? Years ago, I pitched my cassette and Eight Track tapes (Trouble Man by Marvin Gaye and Superfly by Curtis Mayfield were personal favorites). But I have hundreds of LPs and CDs and really didn't know what to do with them. Until now. Today I sold four of my albums to the Trading Post as a test, and I was very happy with the results. I will be going back with more of my LPs and CDs. I exchanged e-mails with Elise, and then met her at the store and she couldn't have been more personable, helpful, professional, and just plain nice. Trading Post is most interested in 1960's-2000's rock,  reggae, and metal genres. They inspect your records for quality, their inventory and pricing data and give you an offer in either cash or store credit. She researched my four albums while I wandered around the store.  It's crammed with records, CDs, video games, tie dye everything, posters, shirts, blankets and smoking accessories. Elise made me a very fair offer, and that was enough for me to know I'll be back with my CDs and vinyl after the Holidays.

Walking into this game store felt like stepping str8 back into my childhood. If you're into old…read moreschool gaming,this place is the place to be!They have everything even Atari systems which you don't see every day. It's the kind of spot where you instantly slow down just to take everything in. What really caught my eye was the collectibles. From Super Mario items to WWE figurines to Pokémon cards there's so much cool stuff to look at. Whether you're a serious collector or just someone who loves nostalgia,there's something here that'll make you say,"I remember this!" They also have walls of Funko pops,racks of dvds/blu-rays/video games, & boxes of comics. The setup is organized in the best way like a treasure hunt(heck even the games/dvds/blu-rays are in alphabetical order). You never know what you're going to find next. The staff was super chill & clearly passionate about games which wowed me even more. You can tell they actually care about what they sell & the history behind it. Overall, this store is perfect if you love classic games,rare finds,or just want to relive the good old days. I came in just to browse & left feeling like a kid again. Def a spot worth checking out if you're into retro gaming & iconic collectibles. The only complaint I have is it's kind of on the pricey side.

Why don't they ever answer the phone? Are they closed? I've tried 1/2 hour after they opened and…read moresometimes throughout the day then one day I pulled in and saw no customers inside and they still wouldn't answer.

So disappointed. In the beginning every encounter with the staff was pleasant. However when I went…read morereturn my third NS system that did not work, a man walked in name Nelson, clearly already angry about something previously and was aggressive, calling me a liar, saying I was mean to all his staff and rude, staying I'm trying to get over on him. I was so appalled when I specifically said the staff was sweet and pleasant. I informed him he must have me confused with someone else and story lines intertwined. He was loud, infantile, extremely unprofessional. When I asked him for store credit, he continued to say I did not pay 120 when I absolutely did. He, like a child goes show me then, I said I will, I will return with the bank statement, he continues go I'll wait and when I said I could not at that moment because I do not have my phone on me, he sarcastically goes how convenient! - I was disgusted and stated I'm no longer discussing this with you because you are clearly immature and acting very infantile and I do hope you grow. He continued with sarcasm and not completing out my store credit, I repeatedly said, please just get me store credit thank you, again and again until finally I stopped him and said, Can You Stop?! Gesh! I said im no longer discussing this with you, you clearly do not know how to be professional. Again- all in front of my child. He finally goes, we need the controllers back, which I am very confused about since I purchased the controllers with the original purchase. Needless to say I'm disgusted by this "mans" behavior, and has for the staff, with whom he goes to me " so your saying they are lying?" I said im saying you are wrong, I would never treat staff that way I praised her and said she was a sweetheart, same with the gentleman that originally helped me. And for clarity I was asked when did you speak to someone, I said I believe a day ago or a few days ago, thats when I was called a liar and everything else. Again, not sure if he himself was having a bad day but it was completely unnecessary to come at me with so much aggression without any communication. An if the staff lied on me, which I can not believe, I'm disgusted even further. An I'm sure if the stores have a camera in progress it will show I was not rude ,if anything laughing and excited with staff. ​

They are not clear on the refund policy- i was promised store credit if you return the games-…read morehowever they only give you the "TRADE -IN VALUE" in store credit- so it you buy a game for 40 bucks and you return it you'll get like 2 dollars in STORE CREDIT- terrible policy but thats not why I'm upset- Little details like that need to be explained so things like this don't happen- Extremely unsatisfactory service and professional business practices

Like Brian L., I, too, was a bit hesitant to order from them, due to the all the negative reviews…read moreand complaints I had read. Then, I noticed that most of those reviews were written in '08 and '09. So, I went on their website, and read some reviews there. They were all positive, and recent, most from just a few weeks ago. I gave them a call to see if there was actually anyone there. I first got a recording, but, after I dialed the extension for customer service, someone answered. So, I had a more confident feeling toward them. I placed an order with them on a Monday, the item was shipped less than 30 minutes after the order was placed and my item arrived Saturday afternoon. I'm satisfied with my purchase, and will most likely be ordering from them again. For all your classic TV and movie needs, try The Vintage Playhouse!

I stumbled upon this gem of a site that has hard to find and classic DVD's for sale. Weary at…read morefirst as to how they could have such hard to find DVD's at original prices, not marked up like those re-sold on eBay or Amazon.com and finding bad reviews through BBB.org and other review sites, I contacted them to find out how they were able to stock these hard to find DVD's. My experience from that initial email has been such a pleasant one. I don't know how people could complain about this company. I did notice that past reviews were old, from years ago with a CT address. They are based in White Plains, NY now. This is my first time ordering from them so maybe things have changed in the last few years but I got a same day response from customer service alleviating my concerns about their DVD's. They processed my order and shipped the DVD's really quickly and I got them today. As a final check to ease my concerns, I just played each of them and they are all legit. I would highly recommend The Vintage Playhouse for your hard to find and classic DVD's. For myself, I purchased some difficult to find Disney DVD's that are in the "vault". My order was for Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. I know these are DVD's that my wife enjoyed growing up and our new daughter will enjoy as well now. I will be placing multiple orders with this business to get other DVD's I have been searching for. Do not hesitate to contact this business or place an order with them!

I've been coming to redscroll for years with my husband (even to their old store!) and love how big…read moreand organized the new store is. They have fun events including listening parties for new albums and do a great job with record store day. Their record store days throughout the years have been fun. They usually have several copies of popular releases and a very large inventory of used cds, records, and dvds. You can definitely spend some time here and find a gem. You've just got to be patient and look for it!

Absolutely the best. Best prices best service. All the records are in very good condition. No…read morebanged up garbage here. Everything you purchased. Here is also backed by their guarantee so you don't have to worry about returns or refunds or anything. This place is the best.

It's the kind of used bookstore you can get lost in. If I were a local, it would be part of my…read moredaily routine. The shelves are thoughtfully labeled, and the place has an energy that feels. You can tell when an owner genuinely loves the books and records they carry. The Bruised Apple is one of those stores. Worth stopping in if you want to get lost for a few hours.

What a lovely bookstore! We came across this hidden gem that has been here for more than 30 years…read more We parked our car right outside and saw the inviting window and warm lights of this cozy bookstore. The instrumental music was playing, the owner was very kind and welcoming. The customers were browsing and it was the most relaxing environment with so many wonderful resources. We will certainly be back! Thank you and Happy New Year!

Amazing store wide range of records from the newest record you can find to oldest Johnny's is the…read moreplace to be and the moment you walk in Johnny will greet and say hello he's just so nice and the prices were prefectly fine and there posters, stickers, and collectibles to

I came here before going to the Avon theater in Stanford to see some films. The owner of the store…read morewas there that day and he was very friendly. The store is laid out very nicely and has some interesting shelving for the records. It is like a drawer that pulls out and you can flip through the records. I picked up a Friday the 13th soundtrack on red vinyl and a Def Leppard record. I also saw on the front of the store they have many boxes of sealed cassette tape's.3 for $10.00 very reasonable for sealed mint cassette tapes. The store of course also carries compact discs and digital video discs. I found everything to be reasonably priced and very good selection of New and used records. I would definitely return here again to pick up some records tapes compact discs or DVDs to add to my collection and to enjoy watching and listening to

Penny's Bookshelf is a book lover's dream. I brought in a few paperbacks I've had at home since…read morereading. While you look through the store, the owner determines your store credit and can place the determined credit towards your book purchases that day. My 3 books brought in $10 in credit and I paid $19 for the 4 books pictured. I can bring the books back for credit when I'm finished reading. It's a great value and continuously saves books for the next reader! Also, check their Facebook to place a hold on books!

Penny's Bookshelf is a gem in Milford. Until I heard about it on a local Facebook group, She is so…read morefriendly and helpful. If you sell books, she gives you a good amount of credit and you pay half in cash. She has a wide selection of books that is pretty well organized for the small space it's in but you will have really spend time looking if you need something specific. I got some great cookbooks and biographies today.