The Archive is a physical media retail store that opened in Bridgeport, Connecticut in June 2017…read more It was founded by friends and business partners Brandon Upson, James Neurath, Ryan Emerson and Ralph Stevens. The shop is the brick & mortar division of Vinegar Syndrome: a film restoration and distribution company that specializes in protecting and preserving genre films (mainly produced between the 1960s and 1980s). The company was founded in 2012 by Emerson and business partner Joe Rubin and named for the acidic smell of deteriorating film. It is considered a boutique Blu-ray label and to date has released well over 800 titles on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD. The Archive is dedicated to selling movies and music in a wide variety of physical media formats. Consumers will find all sorts of new and used titles available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, VHS, Betamax, Laserdisc, Vinyl, CD, and Cassette tape. A second location opened in Aurora (CO) in October 2022 and a third (named 'Vinegar Syndrome') opened in Toronto (ON) in October 2023. I've been doing business with the Archive for a number of years now. I'm a huge fan of collecting physical media. Although streaming media seems to be the way to go now, streaming services are only as good as your internet connection, the quality is too compressed and titles are disappearing all the time. I like having an actual vinyl record or 4K disc in my hands. Physical formats are also usually loaded with all sorts of liner notes, posters and bonus features that you won't get with streaming services. I try to stop at the shop every few months or so. While I sometimes leave empty handed, other times I leave with some great finds. They often carry great film releases from labels like Arrow Video, Blue Underground, The Criterion Collection, Severin Films, Shout! Factory, and of course Vinegar Syndrome. At times, the shop will even get a limited amount of new releases weeks before they are available on Amazon. If you're a fan of physical media then you need to get to the Archive right away!

Massive selection and great service. I got some anime and picked out a few of my favorite movies…read more Great place!

Really cool old school store with a huge variety of vinyl records all sorted by genre. The staff…read morewas readily available to answer any questions.

Very fairly priced records in many genres and although the store is very small the owner or the…read moreperson that was working there was very nice and was very helpful in helping me find some records that I was looking for on a recent gift purchase. It seemed to me that the records were priced based on the quality of the condition.

Nice shop. Organized. Bargains to be had. Plenty of selections of new, pricier vinyl. Worth…read morevisiting. Easily could spend an hour looking and money. Friendly owner.

Staff is very friendly. Classic record store vibe. Very glad Fairfield has a place like this!read more

This record store is an absolute hidden gem. My boyfriend and I were searching for a record we…read more*had* to have on record store day and on a whim I called vinyl street cafe and they had it!! Once there, we couldn't believe we haven't been there before. The record store day selection was better than any we'd seen all day. What I like most about this record store is that the owner isn't a pretentious record snob and genuinely tries to help you find what you're looking for. The vinyl selection is very well curated with something for everyone. Support your local record store every day! Update- We asked to special order an album (they have a notebook by the register where you can make requests) and they were prompt in letting us know it was in stock!

Great finds. Welcoming and willing to help you find your preferred choice. They're a library of…read moremusic, and great knowledge. Take a trip and enjoy yourself.

This place has not changed since I was a kid. If you want records this is the place to go. Great…read moreselection and something for all musical tastes. They also have old school games, DVDS, you name it. Service was polite though we didn't buy anything. Value certainly depends on what you're buying - some items seemed super reasonable while others pretty pricey (ie. A Tupac record for $70).

I've been heading over to Exile on Main for my music since it opened. It's one of the few remaining…read moretrue "record stores" (actually CD/record/DVD) in the state, surviving through the pressure exerted by iTunes-type music buyers who purchase only the hits in mp3 format. Here's what you're missing if you're only buying mp3 singles or buying at the big box retailers. Selection - Exile offers thousands of titles and artists. The selection may look similar to what's offered by the big boxes, but is in fact much larger. Exile maintains a small stock of each title so you won't see 200 copies of a new release filling the shelves. There's also tons of concert DVD's - remember, you don't know an artist until you see them live. And, if you truly like an artist, you're missing out by not buying their full album to check out the "deeper tracks". Keep in mind that the large retailers are paid to stock certain CD's, so it doesn't pay for them to stock the titles that don't move very quickly. Remember that the country's largest brick and mortar music retailer, Wal Mart, requires censorship of the music they sell. If you think that "bad words" in music will poison your mind or your child's mind, I think you need to step back and look at the world we live in. Cost - I don't want to disagree with my fellow reviewers, but... Exile's prices are consistently lower than the larger retailers. Lower overhead may be the reason. The only time this may not be true is when the big stores are offering new releases at low prices to drive impulse buyers to buy. Have you ever checked the prices for CD's at Best Buy and FYE. If you're lucky you may find a used copy of what you want and save some $. Recommendations/Service - If you're buying a gift or looking for something new for yourself at one of the big retailers who do you ask for a recommendation? When I stared going to Exile I liked the usual popular rock and progressive artists. I knew there were tons of other artists but didn't know where to start. Through Paula's and Al's recommendations I've "discovered" artists hat I never knew existed. How else would I ever have known that Boris, a Japanese experimental/progressive group, existed? But you do need to ask - they won't chase you around while you're browsing asking what you're looking for. If they don't have what you want, special orders arrive in 1-2 days. And, I recommend getting onto their mailing list to help you keep up-to-date on new releases. mp3 - If you really like mp3's - they are easy to put onto your player and you can buy just what you want... check out exileonmain.com. The prices are lower than iTunes - closer to Amazon, and it's really easy to use. Nutshell - If you're a big music fan or casual listener do yourself a solid and check out Exile on Main St. It's all about selection, price and customer service.

Small shop, with a decent variety. Seemed to have far more CDs than vinyl which surprised me. Most…read moreof the vinyl seemed like it was added in where ever it could fit, most of the bins were so tightly packed you could hardly flip through. I think a bit of organization would go a long way to make an easier shopping experience. Glad I finally stopped in and certainly could have left with more than I did.

Thanks to my mom I've been to many antique & vintage shops BUT none have looked as cool as this…read moreplace. This spot was a bit out of the way for me however the town is so nice we made a day trip of exploring the north fork. Being a fan of Ricky Teevees designs, this was a must go! This place is huge, the layout is fabulous. We went on a Sunday afternoon and it was rather busy. The displays of everything are perfect & the space feels very lived in. Price wise this spot is up there however it's real vintage stuff. I didn't need any help however the staff seemed nice and played some good music :)

The Times Vintage Shop is an amazing find for anyone who loves vintage. The vibe leans heavily into…read morethe 60s and 70s, with a cool retro kitchen setup in the back that adds to the charm. There are lots of clothing options, plus an impressive selection of records to dig through. Every area feels thoughtfully curated, making it a spot you can easily spend a long time exploring. We will post more travel guides, photos, and videos from our Greenport trip and other locations at https://ourownpathtravel.com and on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@OurOwnPath

This is the best record shop on Long Island. Trusted, Knowledgeable and Passionate about crate…read moredigging! Highly recommend!!

My favorite record shop on Long Island! As soon as you walk into Buddha Belly Records you will feel…read morethat it has a different vibe compared to other record shops. This record shop is also a spirituality shop and sells crystals, natural remedies, teas, and tinctures. The owner of the shop, Mike, opened Buddha Belly Records in January 2024. The records, both new and used, are carefully curated, organized, and fairly priced. Great selection of jazz, soul, rock, and everything in between - there's something for everyone here. I could easily spend hours digging here, but with my wife waiting in the car - I had 30 minutes to dig. Dig through the "New Arrivals" section and you will find a ton of gems - I saw a few Japanese pressings in there. The inventory here is priced to move - if you see something you like, I would jump on it before someone else does. There's a lounge in the back where the shop also hosts tarot card reading classes. Suffolk County residents are truly blessed to have a record store of this caliber in Sayville. (hey - this is my 100th Yelp review! )