(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!!

EXCELLENT record store in beautiful Maplewood, NJ! I wasn't…read moreexpecting much, I imagined a small-type store to take advantage of the uptick in vinyl sales. NO WAY! This is the real deal - this record store is PACKED with new and used vinyl, and practically every genre is well served. Whether you need a sealed copy of a recent release or wish to dig thru the bins searching for that Holy Grail - this place'll do. Its store-front sized, so you don't need five hours free to shop here, but SOMA is well curated, and has the goods. If you don't live in Maplewood, it's worth the trip. I don't mean you should drive here from Ohio, but anyone within, say, an hour away who has the time and loves music and especially music on vinyl, again, it's worth the trip.

Highly recommended. Great place, has that vintage vibe, on a nice quiet street, with easy access…read more Gave me a very fair value for my record collection. I hope they find them all a good home.

FREEHOLD: In a world where everything fits in your pocket, stepping into the newly opened Boro…read moreRecords is a nostalgic breath of fresh air. This cozy, beautifully curated shop brings the magic of vinyl, CDs, cassette tapes, and retro audio gear back to life, even a Pee-Wee Herman doll makes an appearance! Though small in size, the space is expertly used with bins of handpicked records, shelves of CDs, and a variety of players so you can enjoy music your way. Owners Vincent and Magda are incredibly welcoming and love chatting with fellow music lovers. We missed meeting the shop pup, Elvis, this time, but we will be back to say hi soon! We left with a special White Stripes double album and a colorful tie-dye Boro Records t-shirt. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome to browse with you, just keep an eye on the tight space, fragile items, and Elvis, who is usually relaxing behind the gate.

Boro Records is a gem for the music lover who wants to expand their horizons. They're small, yes,…read morebut what Vincent and Magdalena stock is carefully selected, exceptional music, and oftentimes music you can't find anywhere else, including surf, garage, jazz, retro and current Japanese rock and pop, alternative Latin, and more "mainstream" titles. They also stock other retro items to add to the charm. Just to make the experience even better, Vincent and Magdalena are so friendly. They always have time to talk. Boro Records is DEFINITELY worth the trip!

Really cute little shop located right in downtown South Amboy. They have a lot of cool antiques…read morehere ranging from furniture, to paintings, and even Louis Vuitton pieces. The shop isn't big, but I'm sure there's something for everyone in here. The prices are very fair. I left with a really cool candelabra that came out to $55. The piece was really unique and I haven't seen anything like it before. I literally fell in love with it upon seeing it. The employees (or owners) were nice and welcoming. They also have a book where you can write down whatever it is you're looking for, and once they get a piece that matches your description, they'll call you. I really liked that. All in all, I'll definitely be back here.

I love this little antique store! It opened last summer and has some fun stuff, furniture,…read morewares,jewelry, etc. It helps that the prices are not outrageous.

I had a great experience with Academy Records & CDs. The staff was friendly, helpful, and…read moreknowledgeable, and they made the whole process easy and comfortable. I really appreciated their time, professionalism, and interest in my collection. It's a great place for music and movie lovers, and I would definitely recommend checking them out!

Stopped by to see what they had and scored a live James brown vinyl for a decent price! Friendly…read morecashier and good music playing in the background for your search.

I love gems like this. This is an unpretentious, divey, hole in the wall (literally) record store…read more It is cluttered and messy and disorganized and filled with an assortment of records. And I love it. I go straight to the dollar bins outside. There are about 10-15 bins of records loosely labeled with titles such as "Classic Rock" "Jazz" "Blues". Sometimes a white sticky note will inform you that each record is only 25 cents. I have walked away with 8 records for 2 bucks. Good records! The Doors, Beatles, The Who, Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, etc. etc. There are also some ridiculous options available as well, an unknown rapper from the mid 70's, another album I purchased simply because the record cover was 5 men in speedos and killer mustaches, and of course some holiday themed music. Really, can you beat listening to a lightly scuffed record, with a good whiskey, while cooking a nice meal? PS. Before making the trek here, check the hours. It closes early most days and is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. PPS. They also have a selection of current music records, VHS tapes, compact disc's and the classic cassette tape, available for purchase.

Sadly, their phone is disconnected, and they're always shuttered. It was nice while it lasted…read more RIP

Great antique store that just keeps going and going! This shop is full of cool, quirky, vintage…read moreitems to browse. The employees are very friendly and offered help when I needed. The prices are also very fair compared to other antique stores in the area. I will definitely be back!

Are you in the market for antiques?Travel back in time as you peruse the extensive collection of…read morevintage jewelry, furniture, lamps, old record albums, watches, and clothing. There are all here for sale. Aisle upon aisle, it almost doesn't end. Even if you don't buy anything, it's a great shop to brouse and spend at least 15 minutes or longer in here. The place is open 7 days a week. They open everyday at 11am.

The selection, the service, the condition of the records, I am making this a must stop on every…read moretrip back to see the family. We've got some great record shops around me in SF but this is on another level.

I stumbled into Academy truly not knowing what to expect. And lucky for me I left with 4 new…read morerecords and in part because they have a listening station, so picking some up with no idea what they were and really feeling the vibes made the voice to bring them home even better. The crew there is super friendly and they even threw in a tote for me to lug my new discs home.