This place is awesome! Don't let the 'off the beaten path' industrial looking location deter you; IT'S WORTH IT!
I'm from out of town and went in just to see what was what and talk with some like-minded people. Because of their amazing selection of new and used vinyl, I left having purchased a bevy of killer albums of music I knew I'd have a hard time finding elsewhere at the high-quality of their stock. They said they'd safely box it all up for me and ship it to my home.
The guys who run the place are super passionate and knowledgeable about vintage audio equipment, and have an interesting stock for sale. Their vintage Marantz is to die for! While they love their tube gear, they're also just as informed on solid state.
They like to say their vinyl collection is "curated" and that's probably a great way of putting it, due to the selection they have (WIDE range of genres and artists) - AND, every album I removed from its sleeve was in excellent shape. While they're not 'graded,' I saw nothing I'd consider less than VG+ for the condition of vinyl itself. They take the quality of their inventory very seriously. Some of the jackets show wear but you're going to get that with older pressings; that's called 'life.' That said, they had many first pressing albums that had pristine covers as well, and many new/unopened items too.
Often the price of one album with a worn cover was higher than that of the same album with a nicer cover - clearly indicating the value is the vinyl and that they don't play tricks like swapping the record to a different cover to falsely inflate the price. Such a common practice is not only unethical, it also can pair mismatched covers and records, degrading the overall collectable value. A true collector can identify these things, but at Living In Stereo, you don't have to worry because this place has INTEGRITY!
They have obscurities, rarities, and mass pressed vinyl to choose from, and they know their music across MANY genres. They, like me have no musical taste - they seem to love it all! I knew I was in my kinda place within the first 2 minutes of entering when the playlist one of the owners had curated started playing some great vintage Pink Floyd that is NOT what you'd ever hear/heard on a radio station, etc. And the variety of music on said playlist was tops (David Byrne, Ry Cooder, Beastie Boys, Metal, Jazz, Prog Rock, Afrikans; obscure foreign artists, you name it - it played in no particular order and was all fantastic music!)
While I was there, they had customers who had issues with vintage audio pieces they'd brought in for the staff to look at and diagnose. Easily resolved issues seemed to be fixed for the customer without effort or demanding a charge for the service - they just wanted their customer to have an enjoyable piece of equipment. It was clear that more complex issues could also be handled here too if needed. Other customers purchased gear and were treated like they were the only customer in the world. Direct, uninterrupted/undistracted service to ensure the customer knew how much the staff care about them.
And there's no rushing customers here. Indeed, quite the opposite... If you want to talk music or gear, you're welcomed to stay as long as they're open. Heck, I was there for like 3 hours or something and it flew by because the experience was so fantastic.
If you want a source for vintage gear or great vinyl records from people who are passionate about both and the music that comes with it, and who are salt-of-the-earth honest with a deep caring for customer experience; THIS is the place to go.
I plan to continue to shop here first, even from afar, simply because I know I can trust them and that the products they sell are of the highest quality. This is THE place to start any search for great records and vintage audio equipment! (discogs? pfft; yeah, NO.)
Honestly, skip Living In Stereo at your system's and your ear's own peril. You are cheating yourself if you don't check this place out. I simply cannot recommend them highly enough. Stop reading and GO THERE! read more