What a fun spot. I'll admit I walked around way more times than I care to admit trying to find the entrance so just look out for the 836 on the door. We actually had to buzz in! They have a funky collection of new and used vinyl and books. I enjoyed the variety and it was a fun afternoon. Definitely recommend! read more

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This is a very cool space chocked full of things you want to peruse at length. Tons of records, books, and figurines. Yesterday I stopped by to purchase a gift card. It's a process that rarely happens so it took a minute for that to be complete. Overall, good visit. read more

I typed the address into maps to walk here and was found it tucked away on a side street, look for the blue door. It's a fantastic used record and book shop. Genres were clearly labeled, the staff really knew their products and could answer questions easily. I loved the cook genres which included zombie lol. You can easily spend an hour here flipping through records and (at my age) remembering the first time you heard the artist. I was able to score a Bon Marley record for my son who is building his record collection. I loved Protean and wish I lived closer to visit more often. Definitely stop in if you are in the area and love music. read more

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I went to a comedy show here and also checked out the main area with all of the books and records. I've been here once before that as well. This place is a total gem, one of those offbeat places with tons of character. All kinds of weird, goofy, cool, nerdy stuff. I plan to go back for old video games and maybe some used books. read more

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I'm not big into books or records myself, I don't see the point. But my girlfriend is heavily into the scene and I picked this place out for her and I to go to. You can tell the guys working there are genuinely into the scene as well and the entire place is very aesthetic. They have a large variety of everything including old Xbox games, dvds, books, records, cds, even large replica figures of popular fictional characters. Like I said I'm not into it myself however if I were this would be my go to place to shop! If you're in the area I'd highly recommend it. Side note: the bathroom is a vibe! A lot nicer than other places in the area too. read more

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Protean Books & Records is an awesome store. They've got an amazing selection of retro toys, retro video games, used books, and vinyl. I spent quite awhile browsing around. They have an interesting "occult" section filled with books about really wacky conspiracy theories and witchcraft, which was fun to just peruse. They also have a lot of Star Wars merchandise, especially action figures. The space itself is huge (it's a warehouse), and from the outside the building is relatively unmarked and nondescript. You'll want to ask to see the "Crypt of Curiosities," which sits in a room off the main sales floor. It's a campy, sideshow attraction type exhibit filled with gaff taxidermy and creepy stuff with funny, tongue-in-cheek museum wall labels. It's goofy, but it's unique and made me smile read more

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This is a great shop. So many records and books. I can easily spend an hour in there each time just searching until I decide to buy an addition to my small collection at home. Records are well organized in genre. They will help you find what you need as well if it is just missing your grasp. Records are reasonably priced and there is a bargain section too. I have purchased from both and have been pleased. The side room is quite large and they have it set up for events. We attended one recently for halloween but needed to leave before the festivities began. Still walked away with a couple of albums. Come check it out. read more

Protean Books is the definition of hidden gem, emphasis on hidden. It is not near other stores, and the street number above the door is larger than the tiny sign on the wall that says "Books". Inside is a huge layout of books, records, and other collectibles. The books are arranged by category and include a large selection of manga and graphic novels. I had no idea what they may have, but I found a few items my niece needed for school in the Literature section. The emphasis is on vinyl records here and if you know anyone who is even peripherally interested in old records this is the place to send them. There is something for everyone here, and they even have a $2 room is you just need a handful of items for a quick gift or treat. This place is worth coming to just to take your time and explore. read more

I loved every corner of this place! You walk in and it feels like am amazing time capsule of all things coo. Books, records, cassettes, merchandising, all of it. Old and Newer. I spent quite some time in here despite the infernal heat going through so many records. The only issue I had is that there were too many records crammed into a lot of the shelves which made it uncomfortable to sift through. This place is like a museum and every inch has you smiling like a child in amazement. I picked up an MC5 12", so yay! read more

Loved walking here! Immediately got fantastic vibes from the place. I was taking the Sprossling on a mom and son trip to the quirky side of Baltimore before he heads off to college and this was a great place to really introduce him to the wonderful world of used books and records. The music that was playing gave the perfect ambiance to feeling back in college (for me). The gentleman running the place was kind, friendly, and responsive. Everything was well organized and easy to find. The Sprossling was amazed at the prices, and we bought several things. I would have stayed longer but we had a lunch date with a friend to get to. PS: Did I mention the crazy fun 'freak' show they have in the back of the store? read more

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This place.. is AMAZING !! I stumbled upon due to my parked car at the lot across the street from this place when I was picking my car up from Firestone. I heard great music playing from the open door and I was like go check it out. I'm so glad I did. The atmosphere is amazing it makes you enveloped into the mission of the store. Stepping back in time of the good ol days of vinyl and board games and books galore. Please go and support this local gem. Will definitely be back. read more

I visited this place once on a recommendation, and I am so glad that I did. This place has a great variety of everything- from books and records to collectibles. The prices are very good to, ranging from $4 for records to $25 for some collectibles. If you get the time to go down there, I would definitely go. The variety of things they have will surprise you. read more

Food was very good, place was busy and service a bit slow, sat at counter, watched operations. Hometown diner experience. Tables too close

If the American Visionary Art Museum had a yard sale curated by your strange, eccentric uncle, it would resemble this awesome, off-kilter shop of records and sundry other curios. The owner is an affable, esoterically knowledgeable dude who will help you find your favorite album on vinyl, a collection of Garbage Pail Kid trading cards or a book on livestock slaughter throughout the ages. Stop by and browse this independently owned gem, bringing a little bit of that strange Bmore charm to the increasingly uniform Fed Hill! read more

I wandered in here one day (at the old location), when I was working as a nanny in Federal Hill, and I'm so glad I did. It was a tight squeeze then, but the literature selection is truly one of the bests I've ever encountered, and definitely my favorite in Baltimore. It felt surprisingly tailored to my affinity for 1940s-1960s literature and poetry (Raymond Chandler, Dawn Powell, Jack Kerouac, Vladimir Nabokov, Ralph Ellison, Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Bukowski, Ken Kesey, Truman Capote, Flannery O'Connor, as some examples). I found so many great reads here, I began reading at the fervent and fast pace I'd kept growing up, when I could easily lose myself in a book, without distraction. Steve is always friendly, and even kept a list of books I was interested in finding, under the register for me. Although I'm unfortunately no longer just around the corner to drop in regularly, I recently visited their new location on Leadenhall, and was really happy to see them expanded (and easier parking too, if you're driving). With a finally working 3-speed record player, I've been delving into the record side, and enjoying the vinyl they have on hand. Having been to most the used bookshops and record shops in the city--and there are several great ones--Protean Records is always my first recommendation. read more

We stopped in last week and browsed the vast vinyl collection. Prices were reasonable and everything was well organized. Wish we'd had time to check out all the books and the oddities in the back. Steve was very nice and helpful. We left with a stack of great records. Lots of parking. read more

Dropped in with my wife last week. Picked up some good finds in the vinyl selection. Steve was very friendly. Lots of cool stuff to look through. Definitely a place to check out! read more

I have been coming to this great local book and records store since the opened at their original location on Charles St. Great selection and very helpful and friendly staff to assist. Don't forget to check on out the oddities display in the back full or local folk lore. read more

Really cool place, and the proprietor seems like a real nice guy. I came in late on a Tuesday. I had picked up a few LP's from the truly excellent selection, and asked the owner to play one that I wasn't familiar with. He obliged. When it popped a couple times he said, very clearly and without my asking, that he puts records with any serious skipping into the dollar bin, and that the main shelves have items that may hiss or pop a bit, but no recurring skips/loops. All the albums I wanted were from the main shelves. On the strength of his statement, I ended up buying about ~$120 of albums, without demo. (That's a lot of money for me, but there aren't any good stores where I live.) When I got them home, I was disappointed to find that the majority of them have skips so bad the records just loop, and I have to get up and physically move the needle past the problem areas. I usually would just accept my loss, but these were a total of more than $60 worth of records and the owner seemed like an honest guy. So, I called to tell him about it. I called 4 times during business hours, but never got an answer. I got a message system once, and left a message with my phone number, saying I had some issues and wanted to hear back from him. A week later and still no reply. I really liked this place, and I'm disappointed because I feel like I got tricked into not demo-ing records because I trusted the owner. He told me something, and I relied on it. It could be an honest mistake, but after making a real effort I wasn't able to get in touch with him to rectify it. read more

Everyone thing was amazing. There were tons of records in perfect condition, some were only 4 dollars! I love the records I bought they are in great condition . They also had a great selections of books in any genre, from sci-fi to fiction. I plan to go again as soon as I get the chance. read more

What a magical place this is. If you go looking for something in particular, you will likely find it. But better, I think, to go with a mind open to the influence of this superbly curated collection. I found some real gems at Protean, and look forward to returning soon. Also, the prices are very competitive, so you can support your local small business without whining about how much cheaper you could have gotten whatever online. As if you'd have found it online, in the first place! read more

I was passing through Baltimore on my way to DC and had a little extra time so I decided to see if there were any record/vintage vinyl stores around to do some treasure hunting! PAY DIRT!!! Great selection, reasonable prices and above average condition (but always check each record). I spent about an hour hunting through a very well organized and clean assortment of rock/jazz/soul/blues/r&b new and used records. I found 8 absolute gems, 1 new and 7 used. Wish I had more time that day, I could have spent another 5 hours digging through the massive inventory. I hate to think about the treasures I left behind but that's the nature of the vintage vinyl hunt!!! This place also has a great selection of books and other stuff but that day I was only interested in gettin a fix of vintage vinyl. Steve was very helpful and friendly. I'm sure to stop by again when my travels take me near here!!! read more

I've walked by Protean so many times and never stopped in until last night. My roommate is a huge fan of the shop and showed me around. They had so many records! They are all alphabetized making it really easy to find what you're looking for. I noticed that they are all reasonably priced as well. What I wasn't expecting to see were shelves and shelves of books. I had a great time browsing their selection while my roommate dug through the records. I will definitely be back! read more

Customer service is outstanding here. Place is cluttered. And cold. But the gentleman was so friendly, helpful and nice that it was worth the trip. Visiting the odd museum in back was fun. And I even found a book I had been looking for. read more

This was a small little shop, but had lots of records to sort through. Also, books!

Really cool selection, really chill employees. Overall friendly vibe. Will definitely visit again

Awesome store, great selection, clean records, tons of books, all quality and very knowledgeable staff. As a repeat customer I will continue to support this awesome small business. read more

A tremendously varied selection of vinyl and a sizeable collection of CDs. If you don't see what you want or are looking for something specific, just ask, since a lot of the stock is not out on the floor, and the staff seems to have encyclopedic and photographic memories. And even though the name of the shop is "Protean Records," they have a sizable collection of books on all subjects, from the arcane to the most recent fiction, and all at shockingly reasonable prices. Again, you might have the best of luck just asking if you're searching for a specific title. I think they should rent out their brains, as well. read more

I love this place. Always open early on RSD just follow them on facebook. They have some awesome records here every time. Well priced and generally cool people. It's like a miniature high fidelity in there without the judgment read more

Protean has the largest selection of used records in Baltimore. And, more importantly, they are fairly priced. They have a huge selection of $4 records, and most LPs are in the $5-$15 range. Great rock and jazz sections. An insane number of cassettes. Tons of books too if you're in to that sort of thing. read more

Huge selection of vinyl, books, toys and trinkets. Friendly and helpful staff, cool location, just ask for what you're shopping for. Big stash of $4 records and decent selection of new arrivals. Maybe you'll even have a beer with the owner and talk music with other patrons. Check it out, I'll be back read more