I'm a fan of old school record stores and so I'm happy to see a place like this still in business. I grew up working in music/record stores so feel a bit jaded by most accounts, but this place looked to be doing it right. Even within the small space, there was lots of variety, well labeled shelves, even plenty of formats for the discerning shopper. There wasn't a huge selection, but when was the last time you found cassette tapes in a store like this? The employees I was less impressed by, wrapped up in discussion behind the counter, actively ignoring the clientele. Whatever. At one point I sincerely thought they were trying to drive people out of the store with their in store music selection. We get it, you control what we're listening to, you can play death metal if you want...lol. Grow up, or you can go back to your parents basement because stores like this won't survive if you don't play nice with your customers. Regardless, found a couple of bargains and bailed after a longer than necessary check out procedure. Yay, to see old school music formats still around, boo to the less than friendly staff who currently peddle it. read more

Reckless Records - Plenty of variety. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love that this place is 2 blocks from my office. I also love that since my office is business dress, I feel like the I guy I smirk at whenever I'm in a record store and it's not my lunch hour. For a record store in The Loop, Reckless is remarkably complete, it even has employees that are fully prepared to judge your selection and make you feel bad about yourself. The kind of record store employee that would probably burn their favorite album if you bought it from them. Oddly, I love a good and condescending record store employee. It's conveniently located for us cube-farmers and has a solid selection of music on vinyl (or CD if you're not as hip as me and those wicked employees who will undoubtedly look down on you for buying a CD). read more

This little place fulfills my hankering vinyl fix. Although not as big as I'd like it to be, it serves the purpose for that close-by cheap thrill in the loop. If you are a lover of classic rock, a head banger to metal/punk, love all that jazz or have the classical airs about you, yep, this is the place to be. Huge selections of punk and metal in particular. They sell used and new 180-gram vinyl, and keep all of the actual vinyl records at the counter. Only the jackets are out on display. There is also a tiny DVD section against the walls, nothing spectacular. The CDs range from $3.99 to $7.99, (others cost a bit more) and they have a small clearance strip on the floor for $0.99. The tees are also a marvel of work. $15 for a great quality shirt. Next time I plan on purchasing one to support our record shops! If you're strolling the Magnificent Mile or find yourself fresh out of Millennium Station, stop by and let the good times roll. read more

Where can you go to purchase, The Fenderman Mule skinners blues, and here comes the Judge, all on 45 for 29 cents each!? Not here because I bought them! They have a great rating system of good to mint on all their records and unlike other record resale stores they do not have flat across the board prices. Every thing is priced by condition and consumer demand, Example: Smothers Brother good condition LP $1.99 Michale Jackson Thriller LP Mint $24.99 This keeps good items in stock for people who are will to pay for them and hidden gems easily affordable. read more

Are my eyes deceiving me - $0.99 for used CDs and $1.99 for DVDs! Unfortunate for me it's nothing but the truth! All right I blame reckless spending endless hours at the store instead of work and most of all making me "broke!" read more

Even though it's the smallest of the 3 locations; it's well stocked for vinyl and CD's. It all depends on how often you frequent, but for sure you'll find some nice gems! My review is all about the cash for your music, & Reckless is pretty good. Not the best but very good. I've been selling to Reckless forever and I noticed that they have an average payout for your stuff. Now what makes them worthwhile is they will take your vinyl in all conditions (specifically if it's a great title they are more willing to take it in so so condition). Unlike some shops that are more picky about selling top condition vinyl only. Store credit will gain you an like added 20% in payback so this is the best way to go over cash. If you really want to maximize your payback on a large collection to sell it may be worth doing some research on who pays the best. For sure, Reckless is a worthy consideration. Every place is different and you will get a wild range in prices depending on the shop and who they cater to. It also helps if you know the value of what you are selling. At Reckless, they no doubt have top staff handling the buying and have a system on getting you a fair value and pretty quick too. So usually the waiting at a minimum. Anyways, happy selling & buying! read more

A good local record store. The selection isn't huge, but it's decent. The prices are fair, and the employees are usually helpful. My only complaint is that I wish that the bargain bins weren't on the ground, because it makes it hard to dig through them. I recommend this store to anyone who is looking for some records in the Loop. read more

This one is okay, but I tend to prefer the Wicker Park and Broadway locations. Like the other two, the prices tend to be fair and the vinyl quality ratings tend to be accurate. However, the smallness of this particular store location means they just don't have the wide and diverse selection the other two branches usually have. Although oddly enough, I find half the time they do seem to give the Broadway location a good run for it's money when it comes to Classical*. Maybe here the Loop location is a plus? (* They clearly outdo Wicker Park on Classical, but that's because Classical is not something the Wicker Park location really does much of anything with. Broadway is typically viewed as the Reckless for Classical.) (Update: 7/18/2012-I used to think the employees here where a little snobby compared to other locations. Not so much in the last few months though. That is, they seem less snotty here now, not that other Recklesses are getting snottier.) read more

About half the size of the one at Wicker Park, this expansion of the original store provides a good representation of how Reckless Records does things. It's got vinyl and cds, both at pretty good prices. It's also in a slightly more accessible location in the main city for those who can't make it out to Wicker Park (or aren't willing to sit on that somewhat slow blue line of a subway). They've got a decent amount of choices for each band and have a few good used box sets that were tempting. I sorta wish I bought one of the two used Misfits coffin boxes in hindsight! Solid stop in the city for music if you need a quick fix. The main store has more material, though, so if you can't find it at the Loop then go to Wicker Park. read more

This place made me LOVE records. I don't mean CDs, I mean that beautiful dying breed of music medium, the vinyl record. I now have a pretty good stack of records I got from this Reckless (and if you ask me this is the best Reckless in Chicago), I've also bought a LOT of really great DVDs here, but be prepared to look and look and look. It's very extensive. Like any good record store, not everything is always in its place. Take the time and I'm sure you'll find something special. When I was broke one Christmas I bought all the presents I gave to my family here and was still able to go to Arby's afterwards. How cool is that? Oh Reckless do me a solid. Just put some chairs in there somehow (I don't know how, the store is a bit small); sometimes it is hard being so tired and standing and looking through the collections. A sit-break would be nice from time to time. read more

I think I have been waiting forever to find a place like this in Chicago. It is reminiscent of little five points in Atlanta... Not quite Ear Wax though. Great selection on all kinds of movies, dvds, and vinyls. I still wish I had some tables to spin them on. I came up on a little treasure... Tiger Woods PGA Golf for 99 cents... Nice! read more

I am from Cincinnati, and I have yet to find a shop like this one. These guys just have what I am looking for every time... new releases, old albums, and everything in between... they are super friendly and they work diligently to help you find what you are looking for. If you are in the area, check these guys out. read more

The smallest of the store branches, but still the same spirit and worth checking out. I rarely buy anything new anymore and since the demise of classical music stores in general, Reckless is the main Chicago source for all kinds of used classical recordings, with a healthy selection of modern works. I "strike out" (i.e. can't find anything I want) here more than the other locations but it is still fun to see what is new every month or so. Fun to browse movies and see what random things you can find, lot of old classics. I found a very good cheap used copy of the Ring cycle here after my medical board exams which was an amazing find and a nice reward! read more

I found this location recently and made an unplanned stop here on my way back to my car recently while downtown. Walking in and seeing the smallness of the store and the vast amounts of inventory, I expected to be overwhelmed but it was still a pleasant experience. Add to that the fact I found a TV series on DVD that was reasonably priced AND a used CD of an artist I follow at a good price made this unplanned stop very much worth it. I don't get downtown that often but now will make an effort to get here when I can. read more

I am always pleasantly surprised that every time I come in here there is always at least one record on my long-time wants list just sitting there in used new arrivals. They're batting 1.000. read more

It's small. But it does the job. Love having a local record store downtown! No more walking to Rock Records (and they kind of suck anyway). No more Borders! Hooray for Reckless! read more

Amazing vinyl selection. None of the actual CDs are on display, they have paper tags with the title and artist on them instead. This seems annoying until you realize it actually makes it easier to flip through the inventory. Downside is this location is fairly cramped. There is still enough room to get around but just barely. Visit during off hours or expect to say "excuse me" a few times. When I was there they were playing some kind of extreme metal which was irritating. They don't have to play The Rippingtons or anything, but something less "AAAAARRGGHH" would make for a better browsing experience. Good spot for music well worth checking out. read more

I regularly shop at the Reckless in London and was happy to find out they had a couple in Chicago too. Popped in on a freezing cold November in Sunday and came out with a few gems. Truthfully I don't know why anyone would rate it down. It's a nice little store and is pretty much as full as the space allows. Mainly vinyl, which is what I shop for, and they have a good mix of stuff right across the board. The staff definitely do lean towards the cliche of 'record store guy' but I am a grown up and can deal with that. Great little shop and I'd visit again happily. read more

This would be a five star review if the store was a bit bigger and expanded their selection. That being said, the fact that they exist in the Loop at all is a godsend. The Tower chain closed, Borders is ridiculously priced, Virgin Megastore is gone, FYE is well, an FYE. and Rock Records although in theory is great, they NEVER have anything anymore and have been hanging on by a thread, SO.... Reckless gets my business as it is the ONLY decent music store option in the loop, I'm in there on my lunch break at least once a week. read more

Went to Reckless to browse, not exactly sure what I was looking for. I knew I would like the place when I saw a tab for "Eluvium" (even though there was nothing behind it). Ended up getting three records that I didn't necessarily know existed and for about $15 each, which didn't seem too bad. Small place, but (as other reviewers have noted) pretty broad selection. Place seemed pretty relaxed, too, which is a big plus. Stuff really isn't in order (at least not all of it), so look in the general areas of where you think something might be before giving up. Records, CDs, DVDs, etc. are all for the picking. I'll be back for more. read more

An independent record store opening in a downtown area in 2007? Now I've heard everything! When chain record stores are closing left and right--I never thought I'd actually be sad but I am!--it was a ballsy move on Reckless's part to greenlight an expansion in The Loop. And from what I hear, they're doing pretty well for themselves, offering tunes for way better prices than *puke* Borders up the street. It's actually very out of the way for me, since I work up nort', but when there's something out that I want, I'll get on a train downtown and make a day of it--you know, look at the tall buildings and pretty women, have some Garrett's popcorn, get my shoes shined, that sort of thing. read more

I'm sorry to say it everyone, but I think Reckless is mediocre. Any time I go in there with something specific in mind, you can bet I don't leave with it. This place is good for browsing and possibly finding something cool, but that's about it. It might be my fault that I don't find stuff here. If you want the newest "indie rock" record, you're probably set. But if you are looking for something besides My Morning Jacket's latest release or that album by Spoon, you're pretty much screwed. I'm not making an attack on this type of music, however. I'm just saying that's what they are loaded up on. Sometimes I just want something a little less "mainstream-underground." read more

I go here on my lunch break from work. I wish I was going to FlatTop Grill for my lunch, but I usually over-do it and feel really fat and full afterwards and kind of constipated. Great vinyl selection. read more

Just visited for the first time! Checked in downtown location and I loved the environment. They have decent amount of record selections which I think is great! I might visit the other location too read more

I can see the appeal of this place, I guess. Unfortunately I went in looking for a few specific CD's, and was unable to find any of them. Bands like The Lawrence Arms may not be the world's most popular, but they are well known in Chicago at least. Not only did they not have Oh! Calcutta, their latest release, they didn't have any of their albums. Went over to fye :( but at least I found what I was looking for. This place is ideal if you're going in with no particular selection in mind, hoping to find a hidden gem. The staff are friendly and conversant, so that's a plus too. But if you have a specific album in mind, check their online inventory beforehand. read more

Nice spot, my only complaint is that it's a small place but they have a big selection. The wicker park location is way better though, you mine as well go to wicker park. read more

This isn't really my cup of tea but the boyfriend loved it here! He said they have a huge selection and some of the prices were more than reasonable! Everything was organized in the right categories and in alphabetic order. read more

Over the years, I have spent more money than I'd like to admit at all of the Reckless locations. The Loop location is a smaller one compared to the others but it is still chock full of vinyl, cd's and dvd's. I generally focus on metal and punk of which they maintain a pretty wide selection for a brick and mortar store. I browse this location during my lunch every now and again. I usually end up walking out with something. Support record stores... especially good ones. They're a dying breed. read more

Located in the bustling city of Chicago is this hidden gem. Upon entering, the aroma of worn vinyls fills your nostrils. This store has racks upon racks of vinyls from every era and genre. You will come across vinyls in surprisingly good condition and the prices are all very reasonable. Whatever you're looking for, it's a guarantee this store will have something of your liking. It would be difficult walking out empty handed from this spot. read more

I was walking the streets rather militantly the wrong way up Madison avenue with about 30 or 40 pedestrians accompanying me on the sidewalk. We were unified by the belief that an objective world view is possible or remotely positive in influence. You might have seen us, it was a little alarming, we were like a small army of mildly distempered civilians. Please do not stop or question us or we may indifferently brush past you, its just a means by which we live so please do not insinuate it isn't a cohesive belief. We were enamored to be a part of the small cadre and I felt each and every individual was a familial relation as we strode next to each other, although I would feel the same were we facing opposite directions. We are bonding in this year of the pedestrian thoroughfare. One more time it would be best if you left us alone or we might accidentally bump limbs when passing you. Its a bonding experience, you better believe its real. WOLFPACK read more

I used to love going record shopping in the loop every Friday after work in the 1980s and now I've got that feeling once again. I can't explain. you would not understand (unless you were there, too). Someone noted this location at 28 E. Madison, is smaller than the other two in WIcker Park and near Broadway and Belmont, but it's still relatively spacious and right near the L. Something else I really love about this place is that if you go online looking for something you want, if it's not at the nearest location to you, you can call and ask the other shops to send the item closer to your location. It takes a few days, but it's worth the wait. No other record shop in Chicagoland history offers this type of service, and you can put something on hold for a week if you don't quite have the scratch at the moment. read more

This place is ridiculously convenient if you're in the Loop a lot, it's awesome. Most of the selection is in used CDs, but who cares? They still work and it's still awesome. The prices are great, especially when you compare to FYE and Borders. Which, uh, well, yeah. Anyway, the selection's pretty good, especially considering the size of the store, and the staff are pretty helpful. It's kinda fun to just flip through and read the little descriptions they write up for some of the CDs. read more

I had heard good things about this place, and it happened to be down the street from the hotel I was staying at for a conference. It didn't take long for me to decide that vinyl shopping was a better option that sitting through a few lectures. I'm not sure if it was just the time of day, but the place was filled with a good amount of people when I walked in. This normally isn't a big deal, but it's annoying when the store is small, and you have to wait in a mini-line just to look through a row or vinyl. They have a decent collection, and I saw a couple of records that I haven't seen at other stores. Definitely walked out of there with a few records that I was happy with. I also like the way their music was sorted--the genres were detailed enough that I didn't feel like I was sifting through a mountain. One thing I really disliked was not being able to check out the records on the spot. Instead, you bring the cover to the front, and they retrieve the vinyl from the back. I suppose I can understand why they do it, but I can be nitpicky about determining quality of a record (though the quality is rated and marked on a label attached to the cover). I figured that it would annoying as shit to walk up to the counter every 3 minutes with a new stack of covers asking to check it out the records. This is the one thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars. Sorry--other people might be okay with it, but it's deathly inconvenient for me. All in all, a solid place. I wasn't aware that there were other (and bigger) locations. I'll be sure to check those out when I'm back in Chicago. read more

Well it's hard not be happy about the presence of this shop.. Right at the heart of downtown Chicago, Reckless in the loop keeps pumping it straight to those poor working hearts. If you have a job with computer access, going online and seeing if they have a copy of what you just realized you needed to death a second ago is a great, great pleasure. Asides from convenience, they will not let you down with new releases. So as oppose to going here with hopes of finding "gems" (not saying you couldn't find some rare butt Dungen singles or a unique selection of African music goodness), buying recent releases is more common. They always seem somewhat overstaffed, since they are all behind the counter 9 out of 10 hours. But in the gray, windy corridors of Loop, you don't need a guiding hand. Just do your thing, make yourself happy, load up on brilliant wax and leaveeee.. read more

One of the best record stores I've been to. Great used records at unbeatable prices. The man helping us was awesome and put up with all our touristy questions about the place. read more

So many reasons to love this place A) & #1 They sort by genre!!! I don't have to look through 4 million of grandma's old polka records to find my punk gold. I go to the **angels singing** punk section! B) New releases and old stuff C) On-line database that includes all their locations so if sudden desire hits me at work that i NEED something. I can see if they have it. RIGHT NOW! D) Seconds from the j.o.b E) Immediate gratification. I don't have to stalk my mailbox for weeks read more

The reckless record stores are all the same! they practically have the same inventory. don't know why people have praised these stores so much but i was not impressed with their selection and their snotty staff. very disappointed. i don't like writing bad reviews but i must be honest read more

Love this store, my first time to this location. As my cohorts did touristy stuff, I wandered in. Always hitting the new arrivals section first, I found my first $25; which got me 8 albums! The mistake I made was going deeper in the store. It was there I had to make decisions. $75 poorer, I knew my ears and turntable would be happy. read more

I'd never go here again. So dumb that they open the "new" records and keep them separate from the jackets. Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Kinda ruins the whole buying-new experience. read more

This new Loop location for Reckless Records is open 7 days a week from 10am-6pm. Today was the opening day, so I went on my lunch to check it out. Now, I love the other two, but since this store's floor space is only about half or a third the size of either of the others, it will be carrying far less stock. So far though, they've covered their bases. There are lots of new and used indie rock, local, jazz, punk cds and records (The Mountain Goats, Pixies, Radiohead, Peter Bjorn & John, Amy Winehouse, etc. etc.). All the dvds they stock are quality. I look forward to escaping here this summer on my lunch break like I did today. I'd love for it to be my refuge from the daily grind, but there was a jackbag standing next to me talking stocks or whatnot on his bluetooth. Yuck-o, that should be banned. read more