Once upon a Time, School Kids Records, and the accompanying Used Kids Records were two stores that found their homes on High St just across from the Ohio State University campus. in those days, you would trample down a narrow set of outdoor concrete steps to enter a wonderworld of vinyl LPs. These days it's a street level entrance, but the absolutely amazing vinyl selection is still very much present in this new record shop located on Summit Street north of campus. most people would be hard pressed not to find several selections that they really like in this large shop. Truly incredible variety. As with most shops like this in the Columbus area, there are some vinyl record collector supplies available for purchase. True collectors and audio files will find this feature very useful. Friendly and talkative staff at the front desk, who are happy to answer thoughtful questions. They are knowledgeable so if you have something on your mind, hit them up if they can help you, I'm feeling pretty confident that they'll do their best. Parking can be a bit of a chore as there are a number of other retail shops in this immediate area, it is also a residential area, and a highly trafficked street. With a little patience, you'll be able to find something relatively nearby. Be sure and check the signs to make sure that you're parking in an area that is permissible. read more

Used Kids Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Whenever I'm in Columbus, Ohio, Used Kids is one of my necessary destinations. I remember going there once back in the '90s with a much cooler friend, in what I believe was an older location, and being in awe of his ability to dig through crates and come up with incredible records by bands that I had barely heard of. Now I'm a bit further along in my appreciation of punk, hardcore, metal, and more, and remember him every time I come and wander through the LPs, 7"s and 45s, tapes, and more that fill its long shelves and multiple rooms. If you're not a punk and hardcore fan, don't worry. Used Kids has a bit of everything, and holds it all in an environment that's well lit, clearly marked, affordably/reasonably priced, and staffed by friendly, knowledgeable folks who won't make you feel like an idiot if your awareness of niche jazz or Eastern European post-punk bands doesn't equal their own. New music and old, used records and still-sealed wonders - it's all here, and giving yourself a copy of hours to wander is well worth your time. See you soon, Used Kids. You know I'll be back. read more

Used Kids Records - Always up for digging through the punk & 7" records at Used Kids! - Music & DVDs Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

What a great find. Easy to park in back there is a nice parking lot. This place is huge with many smaller rooms. I didn't even get all the way through. Lots of rock, punk and jazz. Very short in vocal which is what I usually look for, but I got 3 off of my want list. The prices are higher than Detroit or Toledo stores but hey have a huge inventory of records. Nice service at checkout is a plus. read more

They have the largest selection of metal and punk in Columbus and I love them for that. But damn, it is hard to find stuff in this store! They have bands categorized into sub genres, but some bands cross over into multiple genres. So you have to go on a scavenger hunt to find them. That is why I don't go there as often as I go to the other record stores in the area. As a former record store buyer, it kinda drives me nuts. Despite how I feel about the organization, I am very happy a store like this exists in Columbus! They have free in store shows and also support local bands regularly on social media, which is awesome. Prices are average for new and used, and the staff are always nice, and they will point you in the right direction when you can't find something. There's limited parking behind the store. read more

Cool local shop. Nice selection and very friendly staff. I mean it's a cool, eclectic little store - feels like exactly what you'd want in your local record store. If that's your vibe you'll love it. My daughter found the old SpongeBob Movie soundtrack so she was pretty stoked. read more

There's no better record store in the state. The employees are helpful, the selection is massive, and the vibe is just what you want in a record store. read more

Legendary spot with a gigantic selection. Never disappoints. Always my first stop in Columbus.

Used Kids is certainly a staple in the Columbus record store scene. I wasn't a huge fan of the previous location (High Street between 17th and 18th), but like the new location a lot. The new Used Kids is far more spacious and has a far better parking situation (on-street and a lot behind the store) than the last. The selection is fantastic and their prices are fair. Unlike some other record stores in the area (side eye, y'all know who I mean), the staff is friendly and goes out of their way to be helpful. I've also never felt looked down upon for my purchases (I mean, I think I have good taste but it happens). It's clear Used Kids values their customers, which will bring me back again and again. read more

Used Kids Records - Jazzy lights for ambiance. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Greg Hall, owner of Used Kids Records in Columbus Ohio, is involved in the theft of everything my brother and I owned from a Public Storage climate controlled unit in Worthington Ohio. Hall, along with several others entered the facility without any right or authorization to be there and removed our property from a unit in which I had paid nearly $18.000 in rental fees before selling our property online for thousands of dollars... This is not rumor or heresay. This is information I have located online as well as information we have received from detectives with the Columbus Police department... I'm including a link to the WSYX 6 news story about the theft that aired before the connection to Greg Hall and Used Kids Records was made... https://abc6onyourside.com/news/local/california-memorabilia-movies-film-prints-music-bride-of-frankenstein-king-kong-psycho-owner-wants-answers-after-vintage-vinyl-heirlooms-stolen-from-worthington-ohio-storage-unit-3-18-2022 read more

Great record store. They have live music. Record store day is always fun. Pizza and drinks and bands all day....YAY! My man and I come almost every year. He's here all the time. Of course, as a musician he loves all types of music. Thus...so do I. read more

I'm an urban snob from Chicago, live near two great record shops in DC, and spent the summer of 2022 digging for vinyl all over San Francisco and New York. During my travels, I met a dude in Detroit, fell in love with him, and flew to his hometown of Columbus to spend a few weeks together. I was thrilled to see him again but not particularly excited about visiting Columbus for the first time. What could this town offer me? Turns out, it has outstanding record shops selling covetable wax for far less than what you'd pay at shops in bigger cities. The best of them all is Used Kids. Every time I hit Used Kids, I'm always surprised by how many new arrivals it gets, even if it's just been a couple of days since my previous visit (I go often and would visit even more if shame didn't hold me back). Its stock constantly turns over--and it is beautiful stock. I've nabbed original pressings of Wayne Shorter's "Schizophrenia," Albert Ayler's "New Grass," and Death Grips' "The Money Store." The shop gets EVERYTHING. On top of rare jazz, you could find that Curtis Mayfield album you've been trying to find forever, a Kate Bush record not titled "Hounds of Love," new electronic releases, 90s hip hop, you name it. The bins are bulging. Love, love, love Used Kids. As I write this review, I want to visit yet again! read more

They have such a large collection of records to choose from! There is something for everyone here. Records are also frequently replaced, so if you don't find what you are looking for on one visit, it will likely be replaced by the next time you come in. I will note that last time I went, the music was so loud in there that it unpleasant. This hasn't happened on other occasions that I've visited, so it may have just been a one time occurrence. read more

Used Kids Records - Music & DVDs Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great shop . Must stop every time I am in Columbus. Easy to shop , well curated genres and friendly staff . I always leave with several titles I've been looking for ! read more

I feel obligated to leave a review, since this place has benefitted my materialistic life so much.... Hands-down one of THE (lol, I'm a UM grad) best record stores in the United States. Massive new arrivals laid out regularly, well organized and genre-split, and the people working generally have good taste in music. Every time I spend time here I give them at least $100 with minimal regret. Massive selection so sometimes stop a couple times on a visit to town. Boss level store, deal with it. read more

Used Kids is the great grandfather of the thinning Columbus record store scene. As my first review of their previous High Street store described, they were a prime influence on my musical taste introducing me to a plethora of underground and college band and out-of-the-mainstream music that I still enjoy today. This was back in the cool days of the 1990s when Used Kids existed behind duel basement doors under High Street across from tOSU--a time before mp3, Spotify, and Youtube when CDs and records were the rage; Used Kids once did a million dollar in sales a year. Fire took that place but Kids moved up a stairs near 18th and High until the other fire known as Campus Partners came burning a decade later. But Used Kids is resilient; they moved here to the *eyeroll* Sohud district on Summit and High. ( Stop stealing names from other cities Columbus!) They are basically in the record biz, and boy do they have an extensive collection. Everything you can think of, classic jazz albums to pop mainstays to indy gems. They haven't lost the countercultural feel with cult music on their stereo. It's a large space in a 1970ish store with several aisles. They sell used turntables and classic large receivers. They are not much into CD; their selection thrown into boxes and a wall of stacked boxes labeled" not for sale" as they had yet not organized them. This is cool, No one cares about disk anymore--thank God. I'll go nowhere near a disk under five bucks. There are no teeshirts of bands for sales here. Too bad. I am interested into buying some because--midlife crises--I want to get back my rocker bonafides I abandoned a couple decades ago. A real record store, don't expect staff to kiss your bottom, say hello, or acknowledge your existence in anyway without you gaining their attention in the correct and respectful manner; rule of thumb: ask a stupid question get a stupid answer. Re: Jack Black in High Fidelity. Ahh, the Gen-X way. (Add-on: although I hate the name I do like the concept of the Sohud district. But there are too few buildings. I believe an area that retains the gritty, countercultural vibe of the University District would be popular--even with the younger generation who have to be sick of the sanitary, bastardized vision of the developers. I love the artistic feel here with the mural, Rumba, and Used on the block. Lets find a new area with plenty of store space to reinvent a true art district like the SN was turn of the Millennium. ) read more

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I had yet to visit the new Used Kids location. It's not too far from where it was. This is still the best music store by campus. It has been sad to see the former location go, but the upside is this space is much better. There's more room and better organization. I got a coupon from being a winner at Ace of Cups trivia night a few weeks before. It was for 10% off here or something like that. This would be my first visit to it's new location. It moved there earlier this year. This isn't the first time it's moved. It's time for a quick history lesson. The first location was actually next to the old High Street one. It was here long before any of me and my friends got to go there. They moved into the next location up the stairs after there was a fire. It remained there until they moved to the current place on Summit Street. This location might actually be even better though. It's away from all the shit on High Street, which has become gentrified beyond recognition for anyone who hasn't been there in awhile. The store has remained a favorite of music lovers wherever it goes to. I recommend Used Kids to anyone looking for used music. It may have a few know it alls working there, but they can help you with anything. They will place an order for you. read more

Used Kids Records - Inside - Music & DVDs Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Been going to Used Kids since the late 90s. This place is definitely an institution in town. They have the biggest selection of records & cds in town ranging from classical to punk/hardcore to grind/death metal and more! Prices are average on mew new vinyl and used vinyl is fairly priced with some being cheaper than most places. Occasionally they have shows in store and the move to Summit has allowed for more space to browse the massive selection. If you're selling records they give more for trade vs just seliing but also offer fair prices in cash. read more

one of the best record stores in town, their selection is fantastic, and they are more than happy to help order stuff in if you are having trouble finding something read more

Really solid store. Had so many to choose from and I didn't have enough time to go through it all. I ended up picking up the Candyman soundtrack vinyl. I was wanting to go through the CD's, but people were rudely sitting in front of it with boxes circling them and blocking off everyone. Other than that, worth checking out. read more

My dudes, I replaced an aging Sanyo turntable with a new Audio Technica from this store; they were $30 cheaper here than at either Amazon or Best Buy, so if you need a turntable then come here. Obviously they have a huge selection of vinyl (including a huge Metal section!) so come here for your vinyl. Parking is a bit limited but that's not really that serious. I can't wait to come back. read more

I'm a 45 guy. This place has the largest inventory of 45's that I've seen in Columbus, so when I need to scratch that itch I go here. Theres lots of gems to be found, if you've got a couple of hours to kill. read more

Wow, fully impressed with the huge and varied selection at this record store. Lots to like with solid rock, metal, jazz, electronic, and experimental sections. Parking can be a bit tricky, but look for spots behind the store. read more

Most amazing record store ever! Will be back very soon! Asked how store was set up and they didn't hesitate to show me... got some great deals on brand new punk albums for $5.. in Columbus Ohio this is a must stop shop!!! read more

Great selection, great staff, and great vibes. I would recommend it to everyone and their mother.

Easily best store in the state, the atmosphere and staff there are second to none. The selection and variety of vinyls are phenomenal, there really isn't a weak part of this business read more

So Used Kids moved? Wow. My friend Kyle F. clued me in that they were at a new location. I remember when they were underground on High, and were the place to look for good music. I'm a little sad they're not on campus anymore, but this area is definitely becoming the appropriate kind of location for them. Lots of students and young professionals; several music venues; a hookah bar. They just moved, so the signage is still for the old carryout. I drove right past it. Look close; there are Used Kids signs in the windows. This is a nice, open, bigger place for them. Tons of vinyl, of all genres, in great shape at decent prices. Some CDs, some used stereo components, and a little stage in back round out the place. I just missed the big moving sale, but prices were still good. A great place for vinyl lovers, and music lovers in general. A bit closer for me, and with better parking than campus, so I hope to be back often. read more

Best shop in Columbus. Awesome for buying or selling. Great prices for both. Greg & Jimmy are the best. 12/10 would hang and shop again

In my perpetual quest for the penultimate record store, I often take the Used Kids for granted. I've searched high and low for a store that offers a better selection of used vinyl and cd's at better prices, and with the exception of the Amoeba franchise in California, nothing has come even remotely close. Columbus has it's fair share of snooty record geeks, so I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly and courteous the staff here is. If they have any judgment about your questionable purchases, they do an excellent job of keeping it to themselves. In other words, this is not the movie "High fidelity"- feel free to stock up on derivative emo or powerpop albums until your heart's content. As with anywhere that specializes in used wares, the selection here is mercurial and hard to pin down on any given day. Some visits will yield lost gems by the armful, while others will leave your frustrated and drained from rifling through a loosely organized pile of chaff that had no business being printed in the first place. One thing you can always count on is the quantity- for better or worse, Used Kids has more product than you'll find anywhere else east of the Mississippi. On my first visit, I was jarred with the above-average prices (generally $7 or $9 for the most relevant titles) of most of the better albums the store had to offer, but after a few visits which yielded discounted versions of almost brand-new music, I became a true disciple of the Used Kids way of life. Instead of stocking their shelves with a cache of useless dollar bin filler like Chumbawamba and Ace of Bass, the staff at Used Kids only deals in albums that they would actually think of listening to themselves. This concept may come off as pretentious, but I'm a firm believer that people in search of Kenny Loggins' entire catalog should be sent elsewhere and left to their own devices. Lord knows we don't take kindly to yacht rock connoisseurs in this fair city. read more

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I got into vinyl early in 2018 so I have been on the prowl for cheap records around Columbus. This is my favorite store simply because of the large variety of used records as well as the quality of the records in the $1 bin (have found Beatles and Journey in there). I have been able to pull some Metallica, Pantera, Pink Floyd, and other popular rock bands from the used section for a very good price. As far as new records goes, Amazon comfortably beats prices on most records I have seen, but that is to be expected. read more

I used to love this place. But lately it should be called "New Kids." It was one of the first places I stopped whenever I was in central Ohio. I've seen it go through three locations. But the spirit of the place is gone. It's poorly curated. The bins are overflowing with releases that will sit for months, if not years. And they are overflowing literally too - to the point where you can't even flip through the records and some are one flip away from being damaged. The "good" used section is a bin at the front of the store. The rest, for the most part have been relegated to milk crates that sit on the floor - which is where you will be if you want to attempt to flip through the (again) overstuffed crates. Don't mind the people trying to step over and around you either. And a once amazing 45 section that was worth digging through has become nothing but a few boxes at the back of the store. Make no mistake, there is A LOT of records there. But quantity doesn't always equal quality. Especially when you can't even look at 75% of it. This has the potential to be one of the best. read more

This place has a pretty good selection. They have a lot of differing genres, which is always nice. Very large selection of 7" vinyls as well. My only gripe - it's extremely overpriced. A used Billy Joel record could go for $15 in G condition. You could look almost anywhere else and get that same record in the same condition for $5. The 45s are also questionably priced, there are lots of other shops in the area that only ask ¢50 for 45s. Other than that, if you know what to look for, go here. read more

What a great record store for prices on used vinyl. I spent over an hour going through the rock crates and came out with over 15 albums for my collection. The new vinyl had good prices as well. I wish they sold rock shirts both new and vintage which would be a nice addition. I plan to go back. read more

Great shop! Coming here for years. Now that it's across from Rhumba it is a little easier to park. I want a job here, but maybe when I retire from tech. Biggest issue I have is too much selection and over crammed bins. Crawling around on the floor gets old but with this much to offer they do actually need more space. I would need 4 hours to get through the whole store, maybe 8 to really give it the full look. Always end up at my limit within an hour or so. Keeping up the good work with bands in store on many weekends. Sometimes beer and pizza! Always love coming to Used Kids. read more

Easily the best shop in Columbus! Spent a good 2 hours here and could have probably gone longer. Reasonable prices for titles you don't normally see in the field. Bonus for having 2 listening stations for records. Should be your first stop if you're from out of town. read more

If you enjoy playing vinyl records and want to see how most of campus/High Street businesses looked circa 1986, you owe to to yourself to visit this fine purveyor of music. Aside from bin after bin of new and used vinyl, Used Kids also has vintage receivers, turntables, and speakers. But the draw of this store is its massive array of records. (They buy records, too.) The neighborhood? One of the last grungy blocks of an ever more gentrified High Street scene. This store is up a flight of handbill plastered stairs (usually with a pile of cast off records waiting for the trash heap at the base of the stairs by the door. Do not be put off by the grunge factor. Places like this hold treasures; you just have to be willing to dig. The people working the counter have great knowledge of music, stereo systems, records, and the local scene. Use their wisdom to your advantage. Will you need Purell after sifting through decades worth of tunes? If you're one of those germaphobes, yes. But along with your dirty hands, you'll have a stack of music with covers and liner notes to improve your life and social status. Why not five stars, you may rightly inquire? Parking. If you wander over from Ohio State's campus on foot, you are good to go. If you have to park anywhere nearby, good luck. The very dodgy 30 minute limit meters out front are a no parking zone for huge chunks of the day, plus they're only 30 minutes. Grossly inadequate for the time you will need here. If you buy a crateload of vinyl and maybe some electronic gear, plan to have someone help you haul it back to wherever you abandoned your vehicle. Don not park in the nearby McDonald's lot hoping they won't notice. They know. They always know. read more

Ahh, Used Kids. They have the absolute best collection of vinyls in Columbus, hands down. When you walk up the stairs to the shop, you can just tell by the stickers, band posters, and records on the walls that you're in for a treat. Not only are the prices right, but you can also sell and trade your goods for theirs. They have an awesome assortment of CD's and some nostalgic DVD's as well. And for those looking for a serious bargain they often have boxes and boxes of free vinyl's available. (As for the freebies that are totally destroyed, they make AWESOME wall art, just sayin'). The only negative thing I have to say about this place is so minor that I shouldn't even bother writing it, but Used Kids doesn't have air conditioning, or at least didn't when I was there. So in the summertime when it's hot, and with Used Kids being on the second floor, it becomes a little bit of a sauna. Again, don't let that defer you from visiting, but just a little heads up. read more

Used Kids is like heaven. But apparently heaven smells a little strange. But really guys, I love this place. You could seriously spend hours just looking at everything. Which can be good or bad I guess. It takes awhile to get through, but you can find some awesome treasures. They're used CD's are amazingly priced, the only problem is a majority of them are U2 and Smashing Pumpkins. You have to really dig to get the good stuff. But you will find something! Very nice staff. They don't breath down your necks, but will answer questions when asked. read more

Here's the thing about Used Kids. You will never find such a great selection of records at such low prices. A really good example would be their selection of used Beatles LPs. While many stores will slap a $20, $30 or even $40 price tag on any Beatles vinyl regardless of its rarity or condition, Used Kids is much more reasonable. For a relatively easy-to-find album like a '70s repress of "A Hard Day's Night," Used Kids only wanted eight bucks. Seriously. Most stores would have charged at least twice that. They have a great used CD selection to boot. Caveat: The $1 bins can be a bit daunting. The records are in no particular order! read more

This place is great if you aren't really looking for something specific, but you want something, and you want it cheap. The whole store is like Goodwill for music, minus the overabundance smelly 80's stuff. I pretty much never go through the $3 CD stacks without finding something worth listening too. Occasionally I even mosey on over to the DVD racks and pick up some weekend night entertainment. The only drawback is that if you're looking for some turbo-specific alternative music, you probably won't find it here. Or you'll be digging through stacks for hours. This is really more of a place for the music wanderer than the goal-driven conquistador. I'm not sure that metaphor really works but I'm gonna go with it. read more

Used Kids had soooo much more personality when it was underground, located beneath the current home of the Pita Pit and a revolving restaurant next door. Back then there was one store for vinyl and one store for CDs. The record side was always less populated than the CD side which was nice when you were spending hours flipping through records. Then the place caught fire and moved to the previous home of World Records. It's still the best record store in Columbus, just a lot less grungy and dingy, which I liked about the old digs. Record shopping, for me, is all about the hunt so I have no idea as to the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. They certainly don't approach you unless you ask for help. I find it incredibly hilarious that one reviewer, when speaking about service, stated she prefers Johnny Go's to Used Kids. Clearly, she's never met Johnny Go on her visits there. He's notoriously one of the biggest assholes in all of Columbus. I've seen him literally following people out the door berating them as they leave at least a handful of times (don't take that as meaning I don't like the guy or place, he's just seriously KNOWN for his bad attitude). But I digress... As others mentioned, the $3/5 CD bins are a great place to find some selections you've been hunting down. Unlike other stores, they aren't necessarily overstocked with copies of Metallica's Reload album. You can find seriously good offerings in here if you take the time. Several years ago an ex stabbed my record player to death and I haven't been as frequent a record buyer since, but the last few times I browsed here I didn't find the selection as good as in the past. Of course, the selection is always changing at a used store so that's to be expected from time to time. The 7" and 45 section was also much larger before it changed locations. Don't overlook the DVDs! You can find some good stuff here as well! Also of note: while they have no online catalogue, they do sell some rarer items on eBay and have a website at www.usedkids.com. read more