(Shopped 09/17/2026 TH @ 4:00pm): Nothing but tasty tunes at this music shop!…read more In my quest to explore the various cuisine scenes and things to do throughout Jersey City (specifically the Heights) and by extension nearby Hoboken, I found the only music store in the area... Tunes Hoboken. If you knew me, my primary travel trinity once I had my feet on the ground included beer, cuisine, and music. Independent music stores were rapidly becoming extinct with the proliferation of digital media, but with the resurgence of vinyl records thanks to hipsters, some of these shops had a fighting chance. Opened in December 1995 by then co-owners Chip Heuisler and a friend, it became solely owned by Heuisler in 2018, and as of this review was celebrating more than 30 years in business. Was I able to find the right tunes to keep my head bobbing and my toes tapping!? PURCHASE(S) Jeff Buckley "Live At Sin-é" New Deluxe 2CD Set ($17.99): An awesome version with more previously-unreleased songs than its original issue. M. Ward "A Wasteland Companion" Used CD ($4.99): My first CD purchase of his, and it had a nice moody vibe. The Revivalists "Get It Honest" Used CD ($8.99): Their latest release of good Southern soulful rock music. "Lilith Fair A Celebration Of Women In Music" Used 2CD Set ($3.99): With Olivia Rodrigo's recent "Daisy Chain Fields Music Festival", I was psyched to find this relic that I attended in its second year. "Thumbsucker" Soundtrack Used CD ($3.99): Familiar with this film, it had cool music by The Polyphonic Spree and Elliott Smith. Ben Folds Five "Ben Folds Five 30th Anniversary Re-Issue" New Deluxe 2CD Set ($21.99): As a fan, this was my first purchase of their music, and a special one of their first release. Madeleine Peyroux "Careless Love" Used CD ($1.00): Also a fan and my first purchase of her music, she was the pre-Laufey, and it was a fun listen. Bumper Sticker ($2.00): I loved stickers and proudly stuck them on the walls of other shops if available. Logo T-Shirt Grey M ($20.00): Not that I needed ANOTHER t-shirt, this was for support and to promote them back home. SERVICE Casually greeted by a young man at the front counter as I entered, I was then left to my own devices as I slowly looked through every bin, rack, and shelf for anything that caught my attention. There were a handful of employees, but the same person rang me up as we chit-chatted about the shop. They also did mail order and provided special orders. I was fine with the hands-off approach - rock on! PARKING (Varied; N/A this instance): This was a moot point since I walked the slightly flat-to-downhill leisure 25-minute distance from my friend's place. No parking lots in sight, there seemed to be plenty of spots along the main drag of Washington St. and all surrounding side streets - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE A compact one-level floorplan with bins, crates, racks and shelves thoroughly stocked with cassettes, CDs, vinyls, DVDs, and more, while other items and materials were displayed from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. The back half of the store was dedicated to vinyl records while the front half dealt with everything else. A decent amount of natural lighting filtered through the front glass doors and windows while electric ceiling track lights filled in the rest. There weren't any TVs while an eclectic mix of music played in the background. ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL I was so happy to visit Tunes Hoboken, and I would definitely return the next time I was in town. I loved scouring independent music shops one bin at a time for bargains, new artists to try, anything to fill in my collection, any odds-and-ends, and more. I lived in L.A. where Amoeba Music was my music church, but these indie shops always had a vibe of their own albeit limited in scale and quantity. Plus, I always preferred to support small mom & pop businesses. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $89.00 BEFORE any discounts and/or tip). And, they accepted my credit card of choice... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

Each time I come here I learn something new. Thank goodness to their staff informing me and…read moreanswering my questions. They're terrific! I wasn't looking for anything specific but found and bought a vinyl very unique and endearing to me. I also found out their store hours: 12-7. I usually pass by at different times so I wasn't sure of their hours. I'm happy for this place. Keep going!!

Such a sweet shop, I stopped here by accident looking for stationary supplies, and I didn't find…read moreany stationary but I did find lots of gems

There's nothing I love more than finding a bookstore that's as perfect as Little City. It's…read moreorganized, has a multitude of different sections, an entire attached children's book store and a very helpful team. Find your new best seller, take a walk around 1st and grab a coffee somewhere and start your newest read. You'll love finding this Hoboken gem!

I love stopping into Symposia whenever I am walking around town. They have racks and tables of…read morediscount books outside every single day, and you can find lots of best sellers out there, so don't forget to give then a good browse. While they won't have every book under the sun, they have a lot. I'd say I find the particular book that I went in looking for 85% of the time. They also take donations! I always see folks carting in large bags of books, ready for their next life. The staff are always so helpful, the space is cozy and exactly what you'd want your neighborhood bookstore to feel like. Check it out!

High quality selection of used books. Well edited. Constant flow of new items…read moreComing in.

On an annual trip to NYC, I decided I would visit bookstores and take in all I could. B&B was right…read moreby my hotel, and I was delighted to find a comfortable room full of baseball memorabilia and a great variety. They specialize in 19th and 20th century English and American literature, which means you're going to see a lot of titles you're familiar with. I stopped in late in their day, so I wasn't surprised to be the only one there, but the team gave me space, answered very basic questions I had, and - gasp - LET ME TOUCH THE BOOKS. This is far from a stuffy environment, and when I finally convince my partner that I need that very expensive piece that has F. Scott Fitzgerald's music for Princeton, I know exactly where I'll go.

5 minutes before B&B books was closing, I buzzed the room located on the third floor to see if they…read morewould let me in "just to look." Well, 45 minutes later, I was still oohing and awing at the marvelous selection of first edition books they have to offer. This is the largest selection (aside from corporate-owned Bauman's) of rare books I've seen that include the dust jacket- a collectors actual dream. It's the biggest breath of fresh air to find a rare book store owned by a woman, and to be treated like a human being. I normally get side-eyed from rare bookstore owners and some of the conversations I've had sound like: "May I see the Portrait of a Lady in the case?" "All of these books are at least $100.00 and up." ".....I know." "Do you have any Wilde?" "The book about the woman hiking alone? That's too new to be in our shop, Barnes & Noble would have it." "I'm talking about the 1800s poet." "Oh." I take it personally because while I look like a millennial who doesn't know what she's talking about, I treasure my rare books like they're my children. Sunday stayed AN EXTRA HOUR at her store while I looked and answered all of my questions that I had, never making me feel rushed or unwelcome. After selecting a first edition Fitzgerald, she wrapped it in bubble wrap for my travels back home and gave me an updated book with all of the rare book sellers in the country.

Placed an online order for an item. Never received a confirmation email. Strike 1…read more A week goes by and my credit card authorization hasn't turned into a charge and still no email so i call. Was told that the product just arrived at the warehouse and would be shipped out that day. Strike 2 -- dont show an item as in stock if you didn't already have it in stock. Two days later, still no email or tracking info, so I have to call again. Strike 3. This time was told by a different guy that my order was refunded because it was out of stock. But I check online and the product is showing as in stock still with a price 2x what I paid (now in line with the rest of the online sphere's pricing) -- idk how many strikes to count for these events but it would be several. Why am I being lied to? Why have I had to reach out every time instead of proactive communication from the retailer? Why was my purchase price not honored like any good retailer would? On top of that, the guy I spoke to the second time offered to have the guy from call #1 contact me as he was the one running point on all this of this and of course I never received a call. Bunch of lying cowards at the fulfillment department of this company. Everything you dont want in a customer experience. Would never spend a dime supporting a business like this.

I can't recommend Canal Sound and Light highly enough! We rented a disco ball for my…read moremother-in-law's 65th birthday. From patiently teaching us how to set the equipment up, to kindly extending our rental for a day (complementary), Alex & team were wonderful. Rent here with confidence!!

My wife had DJ John Roc taking care of all the music when we get married years ago and to this day…read morefolks still remind us how great our music at our wedding was. They were great! highly recommend

Great store, everything is organized well. The guys there know what they are talking about. I…read morecouldn't recommend the place more. They sold me my dream book Jurassic Mall. www.jurrasicmall.com

Crusty, dismissive buyer. Prepare to be lowballed. Be sure to check with them before selling as…read morethey claim to have high inventory and they're very choosey. Won't go back.