Visited Amoeba today, after a not so favorable stop at Rasputin's and am happy to say it was a way…read morebetter experience. Customer Service compared to Rasputin's is a definite 10! We walked in and yes, there's a gentleman at the door. However, he was polite and advised us that our food bag was ok but to please keep it closed. No problem. Then as we proceeded to walk in we passed the cashiers counter and there were at least 3-4 people working there (all non-minorities) and none of them watched us. They were genuinely focused on doing their real jobs, which included ringing up a legitimate purchase being made by a person of color. Yes, he PURCHASED his item! So not being really noticed or treated any different from anyone else shopping/looking at what was available was nice and appreciated. That was the case the entire time we were in the store! Lots to browse through too. They even had a variety of the cool lunch boxes I remembered from years ago... not the Brady Bunch one I hoped would be there but a good selection nonetheless. They also had a cool mix of music playing from 80's Stacy Q, to Deep Blues playing. I couldn't find the Olivia Newton-John CD selection and asked a gentleman at the front for help and he kindly pointed me in the right direction. Unfortunately, they didn't have the cool one I saw at Rasputin's but that's ok, I'll look online and pay whatever crazy price it's for versus giving them my money. I did make a point to also thank the gentleman at the front for being nice and not following me or profiling me like they'd just done at Rasputin's. Really wanted to purchase something but maybe next time if on that side again. Would definitely go back and refer them versus... well you know by now. Shaking my head thinking about being labeled as giving "fatigue" when the encounter from earlier today has left ME exhausted, especially because I'm tired of being treated like I was. Yeah, fatigued! Anyway, Go Amoeba Records and thank you for still being a pleasant place to visit 29 years later! Thank you!

We visited Amoeba Music yesterday, and the staff there were so welcoming to our doggie Meatball…read more They even gave him some treats. So nice! :) I bookmarked this spot to visit since it was my boyfriend's 1st visit in Berkeley, and I thought this was a cool store to check out. We did have to check in his backpack at the entrance of the store, which is no issue. They have lots of selection of music, and my bf found a vinyl that he has been looking for a long time - The Big Lebowski one. He was so happy! This is definitely a good spot to check out if you're into music and especially if you want to get vinyls and cds. They also have some cool lunch boxes and posters as well plus other interesting items. Parking in Berkeley can be tough though. We drive around for about 18 minutes before we finally found a spot to park.

I went to 4 non-chain record stores when visiting the East Bay and this was by far my favorite. In…read morefact of all the indy record stores I've visited in the last 3 years, this is my favorite. Well organized, easy to browse bins. Collectables and dollar bin affordables. I picked up some great lounge records in excellent condition. Great sound system in the store and excellent music selection by the owner. When I got there I saw that he was cleaning records, a welcome site! Put this shop on your must visit lis.

Whenever I'm in town, I go to Dave's. Whenever I go to Dave's I spend money on his impressive stock.read more

Another excellent music store with a huge selection and reasonable prices on a lot of the items…read more Both Rasputin and Ameba (when they both open, check hours) make for a perfect record shopping day in Berkeley. Really happy with the selection here but of course that opinion is bit subjective, its well worth the trip if you are a tourist staying in San Francisco. Easy to get to on the bart, a short walk from the station.

Cool spot near Amoeba, making it easy to check out both stores while you're in the area. They have…read morea decent selection of CDs and vinyl across almost every genre, along with movies downstairs. The basement and main floors are open for browsing, while you'll need to ask the front desk to access the classical section upstairs. Prices are fair at the most part, and it's a great place to revisit occasionally to see what rare or collectible items have come in. There is also plenty of good restaurants and coffee spots nearby too.

Great store, great owner! This is the best old school used vinyl shop I know of. A great place to…read morebrowse. I have found many gems there.

ABSOLUTE GEM This is…read morea hidden gem of a record store. It is very close to the corner of San Pablo Avenue and Solano Avenue. It is a carefully curated, discerning selection of wonderful music. The owner, David, is a terrific guy will gladly help you with all of your music needs. He is really knowledgeable. He even sells rock memorabilia, including original 3 day admission tickets to the Woodstock festival in 1969. Check this place out. You won't be disappointed. Easy parking, great neighborhood, and an incredible selection of music.

Over the past winter, I sold Rick the very large collection of jazz LPs I had accumulated over…read moreabout 30 years (ending in the mid-'80s, when I switched to CDs). I was referred to Rick by a friend who had done the same with his collection. Rick went through them very carefully over a period of about a year, in some cases, playing them through before deciding what to pay me. I've been VERY pleased with the way I was treated and what he's paid me for my collection. I'm expecting a check for the last box in the next month or two. Based on my experience, I'd say he's running a first class operation.

I've come here now two times after passing by for years but being too busy to stop in. It is…read morecrammed inside. Watch your step, and start browsing. When I came in a few weeks ago I was the only one inside and was looking for Queen - Hot Space. Who I assume to be the shop owner knew he didn't have it, but showed me the Queen section and I walked out with The Game. There was also a flyer at the checkout area advertising a record sale going on at USF, so props for advertising other record finding events. Everything isn't here. It's a local vinyl shop that has so much to look through, and if you're into that then this is the record shop for you. It gives me the thrill of thrifting back in 2007-2016, but for records. I walked out with international vinyls showcasing music from Brazil and Nicaragua last weekend, but finding the Thriller album was icing on the cake. I wasn't really looking for it, but there is a Jackson 5 section showcasing many of the Jackson 5 albums and their individual projects. Service - I had great service the first time I went because no one else was there. The second time I went, the service was still good but being that it was busy, he pointed me to the exact locations I could find what I was looking for if it was there. I feel like he really knows his shop, and that in itself is valuable. There are many, many vinyls. They're organized as well.

They have a diverse selection across genres, and what I love most of all is that if you can't find…read morea new release, they will order it for you! I love their fun chalkboard of new releases and recommendations of new arrivals as well. They have an excellent section of new and used record players and audio equipment near their listening station. The staff is always friendly and helpful, not uppity or acting bored and unhappy to be there like some other record shops you might be unlucky to go into. Oh, and they're dog friendly! Tip: follow their IG if you want to call dibs on new arrivals and a chance to win tickets to local shows.

I've always found the staff here to be friendly and helpful. Prices are very reasonable too.read more

The way brick and mortar bookstores are dwindling these are becoming unicorns…read more I have to admit that the last few books I bought were all online - one because it was independently published and no bookstore carried it - but the other two I didn't even bother looking after that first hunt. We need to support these bookstores. Let them know what you want and they might hear you for next time. I liked the cards and other items they had in stock too. Its great to pick up before you make a decision. Right now I have a few books in my 'to read pile' and once those are finished I will come back here for some more. Great to have this in the neighborhood.

A really good bookstore in Downtown Berkeley!!…read more I came in here looking for a calendar, and ended up browsing through the books. It's a classic old school style bookstore, with very friendly people working here. I didn't spend as much time in here that I wanted to, definitely have to come here again!!

5 stars I stumbled…read moreinto this vinyl store on a whim--and now it's one of my favorite spots in the city. The selection is incredible, with everything from classic rock staples to obscure gems I've never seen anywhere else. It's clear the staff truly loves music--they're super knowledgeable and happy to give recommendations .

A lot of my experiences here had been extremely positive but after today, I can confidently say,…read moreI'll be shopping for my records elsewhere. I placed an online order and got no contact, I'll own that partly was my fault because I guess I didn't enter my email? But I didn't receive an order text either. So, I decided to head in since I was around there to ask... One of the newer associates was very nice and helpful as much as she could be, but the other, Cam I believe her name was, was rude for absolutely no reason at all, unrelated to my issue but I heard Cam straight up lie to a customer on the phone while I was waiting for help telling the person that she couldn't help because it was a "big" store and it was SO busy she couldn't offer them the assistance they were asking for. It was me and one other person in the store browsing...she had time and I was being very patient. She just didn't want to be bothered. I guess their preorders are separately handled and sent over from a warehouse - which I didn't know, and my order wasn't ready. I found the vinyl I ordered on the wall and asked a simple question of if I could just purchase that one and they could cancel the order I placed for pick up since I don't live in the area. Instead of a customer-first answer (I would have even accepted a kind "I'm sorry, it's against our policy, we can't do that") I was met with attitude and blatant annoyance by Cam. It was as if I was being scolded rather than kindly informed of their process. Good thing there's lots of other really cool record shops around these days. If you're looking for a cool indie record store go somewhere else - peace out 1234 Go.

If I could give this place 10 stars I totally would. Mark went above and beyond for me with my…read morecustom vinyl request. Not only was it fast, easy, and super friendly but my record sounds great!! I highly recommend anyone that wants a custom vinyl to come here!! We will for sure be back!!

From the owner: 16kHz is the bay areas best vinyl record pressing manufacturer. We offer 12",10",7" pressing and…read morecustom printing. With decades of experience you can trust that your records are going to look and sound amazing. We create top quality products so bands and labels can give collectors what they're looking for. High quality pieces to add to their collections.

Absolutely delighted with my experience with Moe's Books Website…read more I ordered a beautiful book from France and everything was perfect from start to finish. The team was kind, responsive and very professional throughout our exchanges. The set arrived in wonderful condition, and I was especially impressed by the care taken with the packaging. It was extremely well protected for its international journey. Thank you very much to the Moe's Books team for your kindness, your attention to detail and the quality of your service. I would happily buy from you again and would definitely recommend Moe's Books.

I fell in love with this bookstore. I'm sure my sons regretted we went in because I spent time…read morehere. They have so much new and used selection. All types of books. I'm a non-fiction bookworm and this place is a heaven. The value for most books is reasonable and lower than a regular book store. I loved how organized it was on each floor and there were posted guides if you wanted to see more what floor to find them. They have a top floor with staff by appointment for special books. Other than that there's no staff interaction except at payment. I also loved they had table and chair seatings in random places be use you will get tired of checking out everything. Yes, I left with 7 books, no regrets and wish I could've taken more. I will def be back! They have straits and elevators but I recommend taking the stairs as they have interesting frames on the way and shop on lower level by stairwell.