HD2 is a pretty cool little second hand DVD games and music store that is filled to bursting. Walk…read morein, and you feel swamped by boxes with the shelves tottering under the sheer volume of DVDs that line the place like wallpaper. Prices are also pretty reasonable, especially on CDs which are sold as 2 for 1 on anything. However, actually finding something you'd like to buy is slightly more of a challenge, as there doesn't seem to have been much organisation other than tenuous genres. Is Alien a horror or a Sci-fi? Either way, it may be here for a very good price for all I know, but I couldn't afford to spend two hours looking... There's a... unique and possibly pleasant vibe about the place too, with whoever is working here watching a film or two on a portable DVD player while you browse around, meaning you often overhear familiar lines from old films while you search the shelves.

HD2 is a second hand shop, specialising in DVDs, video games and music, just up St James Street on…read morethe way into Kemptown. As second-hand shops go, this is a viable alternative to a lot of the big chains around town, although the selection is a bit peculiar, and the presentation is somewhat lacking. Still, if you're looking for that one special DVD/video game/music that you can't find anywhere else, try here before resorting to Amazon. As second hand shops go, HD2 does exactly what it says on the can: buys and sells second hand media. There's loads of stuff on offer here, although the mix is somewhat strange. I guess the DVDs and music that ends up in second hand shops isn't always the most popular, but I couldn't find one band I knew on a 5 minute browse! Still, you might find a buried treasure in here, and I do mean buried: everything is piled on top of each other in a rather hodge-podge manner, and the filing system can, at best, be described as 'lazy'. Still, as second hand shops go, the atmosphere is the place does bring to mind the hidden den of some new media afficionnado, unlike the sterile colours of places like Game. However, is atmosphere worth more than being able to find what you want? I find it hard to directly recommend HD2, as it's impossible to find anything, and the chance of them having the one thing you're looking for is pretty remote. If you fancy a browse, the filing system makes it a bit of a nightmare to find anything that might even interest you in the slightest! Still, the kooky charm here is quite pleasant: worth a short visit at least.

Sadly, I had to sell my decks and mixer when I moved to Sweden. Before this there was nothing I…read moreliked more than whiling a few hours away in a record shop,, searching through stacks of vinyl and sampling my finds on a store's turn table. Rarekind wasn't on Trafalgar street back inn my dj days, but I decided to have a little snoop the other day for old times sake. They specialise in UK/US Hip-hop and vintage funk. There are also complimentary genres such as dub step and soul on the shelves. Whilst I was given a general education into the old school roots of funk from a vinyl head flat mate, I must admit that a lot of the records are not directed at an electronica fan like myself. This being said, there is enough records to satisfy the avid collector who likes nothing more than leafing therough stack after stack of vinyl on a mission for that elusive classic to add to the collection and also for up to date hip hop and dub step dj's who are looking for the latest sounds to play at their next set. The staff were happy for me to sample a handful of funk 45's and my old flat mate would have been able to talk 'shop' to the guy behind the counter for hours. If you are unable to get tot he shop they also offer a mail order service and their website would be a good port of call to get a feel of the type of tunes they are offering. Again, not being a connoisseur of the genres, I reckon you should check it out in person if this kind of music is your thing.

A must for deejays and crate diggers, RareKind Records specialises in new and second hand vinyl and…read moreCDs. Positioned near the end of Trafalgar Street, it's a friendly shop that's packed with boxes of new and vintage funk, soul, jazz, electro, hip hop, grime, drum'n'bass, disco, reggae, downtempo, dubstep and psychadelic rock. All the records are marked Excellent, Very Good or Good and the prices are reasonable - think £7 for Kraftwerk, £8 for Minnie Riperton and Bettye LaVette. There's a deck near the counter so you can check out your records before you buy them and a small selection of brilliant 45s from specialist record labels like Jazzman and Daptone. They also stock slipmats, needles, headphones and DJ equipment - which is handy for those lucky enough to scratch a living spinning tracks!

The sheer range of LPs on offer stops me from giving this place a 2, but I must admit I'm not…read morestruck on Across the Tracks at all. Where as "Monkey Music Emporium" and "Borderline" can't hope to compete with the volume at ATT, they both have something that Across the Tracks really craves... A personality. I just feel this place doesn't care, from its general lack of ordering, absence of a stock sheet (the owners themselves won't be able to tell you if they have what you want), and surprisingly steep prices for second hand LPs, it feels soulless. Save your money, and head over to Monkey Music Emporium for a great store, with fantastic prices, and the feeling that both you and the music you crave matters.

Price, range, volume and personality, I was blown away by my unexpectedly idyllic experience at…read morethis veritable vinyl heaven. It ain't pretty, but it sure provided the goods in abundance. And the prices were the lowest I found throughout Brighton. From the old vinyl buffs that were behind the counter to the salty characters who were, in effect, record store roadies - this place oozes a lack of care for anything but the music itself, which I can definitely get behind. As soon as they found out I actually knew what I was talking about, they completely changed their aloof tune, pointed out some new treats for the pickin' and even showed me some rare gems they stash in the back for their treasure hunters. It's not about the hype or the decor or the chipper staff, ATT is all about the music. If you are as well, I'd highly recommend a good browse.

(The following occurred July 7th 2023 ~ 3pm) My wife…read moreJennifer and I have traveled extensively throughout the EU and UK and speak from experience when noting the stunning rudeness we experienced in Cult Hero was unprecedented, here or anywhere. It can't be a cultural misunderstanding, we've made friends and spent thousands of pounds & euros across Europe in record shops and always made new friends as a result. We take cues from Ted Lasso & Brenee Brown to leave good karma and positive first impressions in our wake when out and about. Somehow our best efforts crashed and burned at Cult Hero. We noted the 'no food or drinks' sign at the entrance and we finished our tiny paper cups of espresso before entering. Jennifer combined them into one small folded up fragment and entered, looking for a waste bin to place them in. Not seeing one she asked one of the two men behind the counter "do you have a trash bin so I may throw this away?" Without answering, he slowly reached out and took the bit of paper from her hand as if grasping a foul object and stared at her, his face communicating absolute contempt and disgust. They locked eyes for an uncomfortable span at which point Jennifer said "you could've simply said 'no' ..." I missed this and asked her why she looked so upset and intent on leaving the shop we'd made pains to arrive at. I then turned to the sallow, glaring guy and noted: "Generally my friend, it's a given you should be kind to your patrons and not ignore their queries or be rude to them." To which he leaned towards me and affected an exaggerated pantomime of appearing menacing for a span of time. "That's exactly what I'm talking about" I added, "that weird thing you're doing right now". His comrade then hissed under his breath "fa**ot". Astonished at this insult, especially in Brighton a city known for its inclusiveness, I said "Really? That's your reply?" then added "we drop hundreds of pounds in most every record shop we've entered. Congratulations on running us out." I surmise the stocky, angry and mute guy was either massively hungover, constipated or impotent (all of the above?) though that wouldn't warrant being an complete knob to a random couple. His punishment is that he has to live with himself for the rest of his life. Please: shop elsewhere. They don't deserve your money.

This gem of a music shop used to be on Duke Street nestled in between the chocolate and clothes…read morestores. Earlier this year, it moved to this bigger location on North Street - where it seems to attract more passersby. The layout and aesthetic of the shop is reminiscent of Fopp with racks of CDs, DVDs, books and vinyl all making good use of the space. There's special offers introducing new albums and re-issues for the bargain price of £5 and the rest of the stock is reasonably priced too. Rock, pop and indie lovers will find what they're looking for but there's also strong mini-sections devoted to everything from techno, drum'n'bass and electronica to R&B, soul, funk, classical music and soundtracks. The DVDs range from music to cult and world cinema flicks and the books are great too. Think Bukoswki, Burroughs and books on classic cities and design eras. If you're new to Brighton and fancy going to some gigs, they also sell tickets for most of the local venues and have lots of posters and flyers advertising forthcoming shows from Peaches to Florence and The Machine.

This is a cool and cheap DVD shop at the back end of the North Laine…read more Whilst they will have a fair range of generic movies that all 2nd hand stores seem to stock, there is also a decent World cinema and retro selection of cult films. Well this is Brighton after all. I picked up a copy of spirited away, run Lola run and tideland for £15. A total bargain!!! It's the kind of shop that is worth investing time leafing through the shelves of cases as there can definitely be a gem hidden away. The shop is a bit small, but you will still have space to spend some time searching most days. Well worth a look and prices are about he same as renting a movie anyhow, so you may as well try here first and get to keep it.

Aaaaaaah the joy of cinema. Isn't it great that in this age of technical wonderment we can watch…read moreour favourite Hollywood stars in the comfort of our own homes? I love this idea and have an impressive DVD collection as a result. It might be something to do with being a control freak that attracts me. The ability to pause, rewind, or slow down the action in films, but I cannot get enough of the home-cinema experience. Now over to the review... Timeslip is not the technical name for when Dr Who falls over whilst teleporting (or whatever it is he does in that bleedin' Tardis), but rather a DVD store in the North Laines. The selection here is pretty vast and pretty colourful. You can get your standard Hollywood features, but also foreign-language and some niche gems. I would recommend anyone to have a look, because there are some great finds here: all at reasonable prices. DVDs might be on their way out, but they still offer good picture and sound quality and are often cheaper than going to the cinema if you're on a budget. Also, you get to keep them; watch them over again and have the nice packaging decorate your shelf. Beat that!

I remember when Dance 2 first started up as I used to buy records there. There's been a lot of…read morerecord (vinyl) shops going out of business over the last few years or so and its nice to see one still thriving after so long! I guess its because they offer the whole enchilada; records, decks, phones PA systems etc that they've done so well. For any small business to survive these days though, you need to have exceptional customer service skills and this where the guys at Dance 2 really stand out.

Bring the noize!!! A…read moreone-stop shop for established and amateur deejays, Dance 2 is a record and equipment shop specialising in decks, amps, mixers and speakers. They stock all the big names - Numark, Ortofan, Stanton, Technics, Pioneer & Vestax - and sell all the bits and bobs you could need for from spare needles, cartridges and headphones to record boxes and flight cases. Handily, they also have a small selection of new and old techno, drum n bass, electro, breaks and hip hop 12"s too. If you don't want to buy your own decks yet, they also rent equipment out and have disco equipment, sound & PA systems and lights you can hire for parties, festivals or special events. Time for a block party I think!

They have an amazing selection, But I kept getting ignored by staff, maybe I wasn't looking my best…read morebut I still dressed appropriately. A grey hoodie blue baggy jeans and slip on pattened vans, I was definitely in hearing range and I still got ignored and all I wanted was some help trying to find "The Hers" and "Kansas" after looking for 45mins

Jasper (manager at Brighton store) thinking its ok to shout at and mock two young boys (paying…read morecustomers) because one placed some stickers in the wrong location. He clearly has an anger problem. Needless to say we didnt emd up buying anything and left. Worst service ever encountered.

This is what Vinyl is all about. The shop is located just opposite the station and is a soundtrack…read moreheaven. An old flatmate of mine used to be a big record junkie, always up for collecting rare music scores for remixing and sampling in DJ sets. Whilst my skills were certainly of a lesser calibre than him, I enjoyed having a mess about also. This shop is a literal goldmine of movie and TV scores, although I have never been able to find a copy of the Hawk the Slayer soundtrack yet. I like that there is a 'loose' filing system that means it's always worth having a root through the boxes and cases of 45's and 12 inches. It's the kind of shop that has that musty second hand smell and it's certainly worth popping to leaf through a point of nostalgia.

This is a small, obscure-looking and rather dusty shop, just up the road (on the right hand side of…read moreBrighton station as you exit). It's the sort of place that surprises you by its survival against the glitzy chains, but does so by having a loyal clientele of enthusiasts and by providing old stock that chain stores haven't touched for years. It's vinyl heaven, and even more so if you are interested in their specialty, which is film sound tracks. They are also good for anything before the 1980s. As you'd expect, the staff are knowledgeable in an encyclopaedic sort of way. Occasionally they also give away old unsold records.

Fine records specialises in new and second hand classical CDs and also has a good stock of Jazz and…read moremovie soundtracks. They stock a fair amount of rare LPs too so worth having a dig through those to see what you can find. Owner Julian Pelling prides himself on helping people look for what they're after and is more than happy to order in what he can't find in his vast stocks.

One of the few independent record shops left in Town (the only one in Hove I believe) specialising…read morein older and more niche music. You're more likely to find a variety of folk and classical vinyls here than the latest music. You tend to find a lot of record collectors here. I used to pop in from time to time as it reminded me of a record shop where I used to work back home. Sadly it seems to get emptier and emptier (much like the rest of George Street) as the high street starts to decline more and more. I hope they get a few more years trading as it's sad to see all the record stores go :(

Colin Page's is a very cool bookshop in the Lanes, selling antiques as well as a couple of second…read morehand classics and the like. It's not that great for fiction, theatre or modern art books (9/10ths of my bookshelf), so I don't come here very often, but it's the sort of place I can imagine liking more as I age and the books I like start to grace its shelves. It's not young, it's certainly not hip or cool, but it is impressive to behold, and a great place to find hidden gems. What I have looked for, and enjoyed the selection of, is non-fiction here. There are a huge variety of old classics here, especially in the psychology section: all of the classics are here, and in ample quantities. I suppose this is the kind of shop to look for strange old books over looking for modern and exciting pieces, but since that really isn't me... I'd recommend it if it's you though.

This ia a bookshop above bookshops and certainly the kind of place you don't see so often these…read moredays. Don't expect trendy music, a in store coffee bar or the latest fiction or Jordan biography. What you can expect are shelves well stocked with leather bound tomes and grimoires covering most fiction and non fiction genres. I am a bit of a collector of random metaphysical texts and such like and can spend hours in here searching through the shelves for something out of the ordinary. Usually, anything I come across is in my price range also, which is always nice. The gentlemen running the store are also very nice and always patient to indulge a heavy browser like myself. Sadly, I rarely walk in here with a clear title I am hunting for, but I get the impression that if this was the case they would be very helpful in sourcing a copy for me. If you are more into your contemporary paperback, they also have a selection of reasonably priced title out the front of the store and I have picked up a few bargains here by sorting through the fruit boxes. If you are in the city and after a title, you would do well to keep this place in mind.