The resurgence of the old-school activity of listening to vinyl records has had quite a renaissance…read moreamongst Manila's young, trendy (and hipster) crowd. Some kids whose parents (or even grandparents) used to be avid record collectors are lucky since they automatically become the cool recipient of such treasured hand-me-downs. But for the majority, one has to build a record collection from scratch, and that can be quite a heavy burden on the bank account. Enter Bebop Records, a long-standing vinyl record shop in the basement of Makati Cinema Square, which is one of the best-kept secrets the place has to offer. What's great about Bebop Records is that its prices for records, especially second-hand ones, are very affordable. They don't have a lot of the newer, indie stuff and that is a-ok. If you've got a thirst for the second-hand, classic records of our parents, even parents' parents youth, this is the place to be.

Sadly, I did not find anything here that I was looking for, but I applaud them for their effort…read more The vinyl records are indeed cheap, but the selections seem to be lacking. Maybe I came here on a day when all the good stuff has been purged. I saw a few new-wave, and alternative rock types of vinyl, but nothing I was interested. I would have better luck finding stuff back in the states.

I love how Vinyl Dump is so unpretentious in its set up and in its prices. I don't have a record…read moreplayer (so shoot me) but I do appreciate all these seemingly lost treasures. When I moved in to a rented apartment waaay back in college, I had the great idea of filling up the walls with the covers (sleeves?) of vinyls. I checked out Vinyl Dump and they had an outrageous sale for Php10 a record in the less visited area of the second floor. Records were aplenty but I was looking for interesting covers for my wall and bought over 20+ at my first go. I found some really beautiful vinyl records of some Jazz artists and some pop rock ones for Php 400 a piece and they looked pristine. Great price if you ask me. Anyway, I filled my wall with great covers of never-heard-of artists including a creepy ventriloquist who has a record out with his doll. I'd pass it once in a while and have found some awesome Beatles vinyl records at good prices. Now only if I had something that would actually play vinyls. Darn.

there is a lot of choices, it gave me nostalgia feeling. Nice vibe, it relaxes me and calms me down.read more

Earlier today, I decided to pay a visit to Ted Ellis after seeing a recommendation to check it out…read more I took a chance with trying to find the place on my own since it's been many years since I last visited an actual record store, and thrill of searching for it took me back to the previous decade of when physical record stores were predominant in shopping malls and commercial centers. The location certainly took some time to find, since it's placement at the second floor of a plain building that's on the edge of a main road that's known for ridiculously heavy traffic makes walking or driving there a little bit challenging. Upon entry, I was greeted with a fresh breeze of cold air and ambient pop-rock in the background. The venue is pretty small, but it houses multiple albums and singles of mainstream as well as independent artists alike. The inventory are predominantly CDs and Vinyls, but they also have a few Cassettes as well as assorted merch items (shirts, magazines, Funko Pops, etc...) in stock. The venue is quite plain, with streaks of grey on the walls and purple tables or shelves keeping their records in check but no signs at the doors just yet so be careful when trying to push or pull them. I think it would be good if management were to consider putting signs for the albums on their shelves or on the table so that it's easier for customers to sort through the genres that they are looking at. The staff that were present today were very helpful. The one who helped me look for items was also super fun to talk to, which made my visit to the store all the more enjoyable. My haul from today included just three Taylor Swift albums, Midnights (Target edition) and Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), though I wish I had gotten at least one Fall Out Boy record before I left. The next time I come back to this store, I will hopefully have saved up enough to get more items since the value for these records matches their quality. Thanks so much, Ted Ellis!

This is one of my favorite bookstores in the Philippines. I love the aesthetic inside and how it…read morewas laid out especially when they have photo of a woman create with books. It was also bonus that my book, Bridging the Confidence, was available at this location. Definitely a must go if you love book stores.

Bookstore -- more than books! (MANILA Philippines)…read more My two daughters would absolutely love this bookstore if we had one in the U.S. My 10-year old niece who resides in the Philippines introduced me to this store when I told her that I was looking for Sonny Angel merchandise for my adult daughter at home who loves this stuff. Not only did they have them but they had so many different kinds of Pop Mart blind box merchandise meaning you do not know which figure you will receive until you buy one and open the box. The bookstore also carries a good selection of Manga books series which my other daughter would be excited to see. For Yuko Shimizu fans... they sell the mural shirts here too. After all the searching for the Sonny Angel merch I was glad to find them in this bookstore and surprised my child with the plush. Customer service was excellent, they were very friendly and helpful. Great prices! The bookstore is located in the Mitsukoshi BGC in Taguig Metro Manila. Review #3294

I was on my way to Bawais when I heard this shop blasting early 90's Mariah Carey hits that I…read morecouldn't help singing along to ("I had a vision of loooove... and it was all that you've given me!"). I never really noticed the place 'till then. I realized it was a music store and they were actually playing an LP! Cool. You go inside and you're greeted with shelves, drawers, and cases of LP records for sale (great selection of old & new stuff too!) and different kinds of turntable record players on one side. They had vintage players too that were being sold at a bit more, but they're the classic types you'd want to have if you're a collector. My mom has an old 60's or 70's era Kenwood player at home that she just can't bring herself to part with, especially since there was nothing wrong with it save for a broken needle in need of replacing. When we shared this with Jane, the girl there in charge of vinyl records, she said they had needles available even for old models and that we could even bring in our unit for further inspection. They could be the ones to fit the new needle themselves or if we knew exactly what we needed, we could just buy the needle from them. Starting price was P2000, depending on what kind. Needless to say, we left feeling happy with all this info. Yayyy we can revive the player! Thank goodness for places like this. You don't have many legitimate vinyl record stores anymore and this one even sells parts. Definitely bringing in our unit soon!

In the recent resurgence of vinyl record players and and LPs, The Grey Market, along White Plains,…read morewas one of the first stores to offer a substantial list of records for its growing clientele. I remember looking for some records of New Order a few years back but I was never successful in finding them in the handful of record stores that were around back then. But when I visited The Grey Market, there it was, a shiny new record of "Power, Corruption and Lies" ready for the taking. What's really good about The Grey Market's roster of records is that it doesn't simply try to draw the young, hipster crowd with its titles of young, hipster music. They've got stacks of the good, classic stuff that are more in line with the taste of geriatrics like me. It's also worthy to point out that if you're in the market for a good sound system, The Grey Market team can help you out with that too.

Bangkal is such an adventure and experience for me. I love anything vintage and this place did not…read morefail me! From clothing pieces to furniture, they have it all.... Also specifically in Noel and Cindy's Thrift Shop, they helped me authenticate some of the things that I bought from the other shops! They were professional to help me buy things with better value. The thrift shops here sell mostly original items so do try to haggle! Also do your research to help you further in your shopping as you may be overwhelmed with the beauty of the items! :) I see alot of film/interior design students here too which is pleasant :)

Its always a crazy adventure to hunt for vintage or second-hand items in Manila. There is so much…read morejunk and treasure all over the metro that you would have to scour the city to really find cool and interesting stuff. If you are looking for some retro and art deco pieces to add some charater to your home, office, or domain, its worth checking out Bangkal Thrift Shops because of the variety of thrift stores that sprawl out to Apolinario St., Evangelist St., Gen. Del Pilar, Gen. P. Santos, and Hizon St., . This area used to be very popular in the 90s with loads and loads of treasures to be found. Today, it still possesses the same charm with the added challenge of being able to spot a really good piece or an item that you can probably restore or upcycle. You can also find tons and tons of books, prints, artwork, as well as vinyl records if you look hard enough. Make sure you have a budget in mind, bring your cash, and prepare to haggle. The sales people are very good at reasoning out to counter your haggle but when you find an amazing piece of furniture to take home, its most definitely worth the price and sweat!

This really cool joint in Cubao Expo is definitely worth going through the mean traffic of Manila…read more One of the better, organized, and well-curated vinyl record stores in the Metro with other cool items at the store. They also have some collectibles, clothing and wipcaps for those of you looking for something fresh and awesome. I like the vibe and the energy of the place and they carry records from jazz to funk, to disco, to standards, to reggae, to hiphop and so on. As vinyl collecting is an expensive hobby, I would say the prices for the mint and secondhand are pretty standard and competitive. They also sell brand new and secondhand turntables and players that would tempt any newbie or even the old collectors. Whether or not you are a collector, this is a cool spot to check out if you're in the area or make the effort for no matter where you are in the metro. Trust me! The music is sublime!

Best analog (vinyl and reel to reel) experts advisor. Fully refurbished (recapped) and calibrated…read morereel to reel and vintage audio amplifiers , assorrted turntables , audiophile vinyl and pre recorded tapes , direct master tape copies inn7" and 10.5" reels

I saw exactly the same selaed records and accessories in another store for almost 50% less on the…read moretag. Also, no one approached me to assist or to even ask what I was looking for. Did not bother to ask either. That's my first visit. I'll clme another day.

If you love coffee, then you HAVE to come here! This place sells vinyl, coffee, and pastries. The…read moreinterior is cool and has a slight hipster ambiance. There's even a listening room where you can try out their record players and listen to some music. I ended up ordering the Milk-Based Cold Brew. Milk-Based Cold Brew: they make their cold brew in-house and use whole milk as the base. It is so thick and creamy. I've tried so many cold brews, and I could confidently say that this is one of the best cold brews I've ever had! The coffee is strong, full of flavor, and so soothing. I highly recommend this drink if you love cold brews. Overall, their coffee is amazing and the place has a great, chill vibe. I would definitely come back again if I'm in the Philippines and stock up on their coffee. I would probably come back everyday!

You can't be going here on a rush, this is a place to unwind with vinyls and coffee. It is a…read morebrilliant idea to mix (hipster) music and coffee in one place. Although people have their own iPods now, nothing is as smooth and classy as vinyl records. I've posted some of their vinyls in the photos. I wish they have a wider selection though but it will do. I hope they expand to other places. And as for coffee, I had the latte, which I found good with just the right blend of coffee and milk. I think it is moderately priced and is definitely not a Starbucks kind of coffee. Only that it took them a while to serve my coffee hence they lost a star. Also maybe a little more improvement on their menu? Overall, had a nice time (plus a cute guy sitting next to me lol). Definitely coming back with music-lover friends.

Before our college library started churning out back copies of the National Geographic for free to…read moremake space for "newer" publications, I used to go here to purchase back copies that go as far back as the 60s and 70s. All these vintage finds always added color to my apartment. And when I was feeling particularly hipster, I'd painfully cut out awesome photos from these issues to add life to a flat collage. But Angel Spirits Thrift House has so much more than back copies of magazines and old books. I've seen vinyls as well, mostly hand picked, as well as gorgeous antique furniture and decor piling up inside and outside the shop. I've always wanted to shop for my home decor here once I actually get a place with character.