Great environment, staff, and music! A lot of great finds at reasonable prices. Staff is super…read morehelpful and knowledgeable.

Great local record store. Lots of used vinyl to pick through. I always find something good.read more

Such amazing customer service from the owner Stephen. He really goes above and beyond to make the…read moreexperience in store one of the best around. Cannot thank him enough for all of his help and expertise!

Cute local record shop in a shopping center. Near Uptown Cheapskate so you can browse records then…read morego thrifting in one trip. Convenient! My husband loves this place. We stop by anytime we're in Raleigh.

Great place. Great records. Great people. Prices are fair trade and sometimes you can find little…read moreEaster eggs that get put out. Love this place and the employees here.its like Cheers. Very happy to be able to purchase quality vinyl from a quality store!

First time visiting this local record shop. I've passed by this shop many times, and have been…read morewanting to stop in. I recently started following them on Facebook, and love that they post almost daily updates on new vinyl coming into the shop, and will even put a 7 day hold on items they post if you request. Last week was my first time visiting, and although it's not a big shop, they've got it packed, and well organized, offering music sorted out by many different genres, and sub-organized within the genres in alphabetical order. Pricing varies, assuming based on amount of specific items in inventory, rarity, and condition. The staff was friendly, and welcoming, asking if there were specific items I was looking for. Great spot to have in town, but potentially financially dangerous for music lovers out there! Though it was my first time, I'm certain it won't be my last. Give them a like on a Facebook, and stop in to pick up some of your favorites.

I have been looking for a record star for quite some time in the area and I finally stumbled upon…read moreCarolina Soul. This place had hundreds of selections and some very classics records at deals you cannot beat. The service was great and the quality of records was impressive. Surely to be my go to spot for all my record needs in the future.

Great operation. I wish I had you in my hometown! Helpful staff. Large selection of rare vinyl…read more Good condition standards.

Escaping the Durham heat led us straight into the wonderfully chill vibes at Hunky Dory, and…read morehonestly, it was exactly the kind of Sunday reset we needed. The $5 Sunday beer selection made settling in dangerously easy. I ended up having three cups of Tangie Dream from Incendiary Brewing Company -- a crisp, citrusy witbier that absolutely hit the spot at 5.2% ABV. Super refreshing and wildly drinkable. Even though I don't own a record player, I could've spent forever flipping through the vinyl collection just soaking in the nostalgia. There's something deeply comforting about browsing old records with a cold beer in hand while hiding from the North Carolina humidity. Hunky Dory feels like the kind of neighborhood spot you wish every city had.

The stuff of many an audiophile-beer geek's dreams: A record store that's also a beer bar! My…read morehusband is a huge fan of both music on vinyl and craft beer, so obviously it was one of our first stops upon moving to Durham. It feels like a real community space with folks of all ages and walks of life gathering to talk, share a drink, play a game, or just spend time together. Mimi, the beertender, was very friendly and this place also allows visitors of the canine sort. The beer selection looked to be good, with a number of styles and breweries represented. It's especially nice to see NA options on tap as well as regular beer! The vinyl selection similarly did not disappoint, and we did make a few great purchases.

Packed with goodies! Great selection of cds, tapes and vinyl. Has some equipment too. Mark is…read morevery helpful too, check him out.

I always find something awesome here, most records are in great shape and their condition is always…read moregraded accurately. They also give great trade-in prices, and Mark is super friendly and great to talk to

Ist time visitor. Been hearing about this place for a few years. Every time we drove past it on our…read moreroad trip down here to see my in-laws, my husband would make a point to point it out. Well this trip, our friends invited us to join them there. All my husband ever told me about McKay's was that it had books and records and he and this same friend would spend hours and hours and lots of money at their previous location. On the way over, my husband told me I'd probably see lots of things to buy. I seriously doubted him. Told him as much. So at first look I'm thinking "mom & pop, but bigger." I didn't grab a cart. "Ah! I aint buying nothing", I said to myself. I wander. All I see are stickers, and old electronics and I'm like, "Oh, a thrift store"...THEN I SEE IT... ALBUMS! And as if guided by an audiophilic angel, I immediately start filling the lower tier of my friend's shopping cart. Seriously underestimating this place, I eventually had to grab my own cart. I was a woman possessed by the power of the phongraph! I kept trying to force myself to put something, ANYTHING back. I tried but whatever I picked up ended up in the cart. I'd walked away from the albums. I thought I was done! Then I noticed the crates of 45's! BRUH! Within 15 seconds I was cradling 13 of them in my arms. THAT WAS THE FIRST CRATE! This was getting ridiculous. I had to stop. I refused to look thru a second crate. I turned to my husband for help... Surely he could snap me out of this spell... NOPE! He'd wandered off. When I found him he was waist-deep in his own mania. I knew hope was lost when he handed me an 8 track cassette tape! He wanted me to buy everything I'd chosen! I did the mental math. OH MY! OH MYMYMYMY! OK. We've got to be finished, then I noticed a book my friend had pulled. I immediately began lovingly accosting her, begging her to show me where she found this gem! Sadly, it was the only copy. HOWEVER... What she ended up doing was walking me over to Pandora herself, and me being the curious soul I am, took a sledgehammer to her infamous box, happily losing myself in the stacks. When the fog cleared, I had "somehow" acquired two math books and three political novels. In short order the lady on the loudspeaker warned us to bring our selections to the register as they were closing. They close at 10pm. TEN P.M.! WE GOT THERE AT 5:30! How da heck did 4 + hours fly by that fast? Was it a time slip? The Matrix?... THANOS?! All I know is that, here I sit, nearly 5 hrs later, $200 lighter, surrounded by 'all-of-the-things' and as happy as a pig in... Welp, you get the picture! Oh ya bet ya we'll be back!

I do not write this review lightly. This store may have ruined all other physical media stores in…read moremy vicinity for me. It's like I died and went to heaven. The selection here - unimaginably fantastic The organization - I wish other stores would take notes. Easy on the eyes as your scanning The value - fair. Some super good deals. Some not so much. Way too dangerous for my wallet to come here often. And probably a good thing it's 4 hours away from me. I will be coming back though

A very broad collection of vinyl records and good condition, with both economic options and rarer,…read moremore expensive options. I personally like jazz, and I was very happy with the wide selection that they had. Look on the lower level for the discount records. I also picked up a nice record set from Simon and garfunkel, which can be difficult to find in most stores. So if you're looking for an album that you haven't been able to find in thrift stores or antique stores, give this place a try. The prices are reasonable. And the staff is very helpful.

Some of the best places aren't hidden on purpose they simply let the people who are looking for…read morethem find them. That was exactly my experience with Sorry State Records. It was my first visit, and after spending time there, I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of its name. I was the one who felt sorry: sorry that it had taken me so many years to discover one of Raleigh's most beloved independent record stores. Tucked into downtown, Sorry State Records is easy to miss if you don't know it's there. But step inside, and the pace immediately shifts. The shop is bright, thoughtfully organized, and refreshingly unpretentious. Shelves of carefully curated vinyl invite slow browsing rather than hurried shopping, making it the kind of place where time slips away unnoticed. I brought my brother-in-law, an avid record collector visiting from St. Louis, and watching him explore the collection was almost as enjoyable as browsing myself. While I'm far from a vinyl expert, he immediately commented on how well organized the inventory was; a detail seasoned collectors genuinely appreciate. His visit was made even better when he unearthed a copy of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, the kind of unexpected find that makes digging through record bins so rewarding. Beyond vinyl, the shop also stocks cassette tapes, music publications, and a carefully selected mix of merchandise that reflects the store's deep roots in independent music culture. It's less of a retail space and more of a gathering place for people who genuinely love music. The staff struck the perfect balance between being available and giving customers room to browse. Although they were helping others when we arrived, we immediately felt welcome, and the relaxed atmosphere made it easy to settle in and explore at our own pace. Parking is convenient, with both a surface lot nearby and a parking deck just a short walk away, making a visit surprisingly easy despite its downtown location. Sorry State Records is the kind of independent shop every city hopes to have but few can sustain. Authentic, thoughtfully curated, and deeply connected to Raleigh's creative community, it's a destination worth seeking out: even if, like me, you're a little late to discovering it.

Awesome selection of vinyls with a friendly and efficient customer service!…read more There is a comfortable sofa if you would like to rest. The staff greeted customers kindly and make them feel their business was appreciated. We bought two records. The 2019 Spring sampler of Merge records was offered graciously. It was easy to park on the shopping center parking lot. This famous store is located near the Quickly Tea House and the Rumors hair studio.

Decided to stop and look around while in Durham - very cool store…read more Definitely a lot of music selection, free posters, free punk magazines and fanzines. Store has the musty, crunchy vibe you'd expect and it really suits the store. Employee that rang us up was very friendly and thanked us for stopping in. If you're looking for obscure albums, they might have it! Almost an overwhelming selection, very unusual bands, too. Worth stopping in. I believe they buy your used music items as well and offer cash/value towards purchases. Bummer we missed the store dog, though!

Eno River Brewing is a great spot to enjoy a variety of locally made beers, along with other drinks…read morefrom different companies, including ciders. The brewery has a modern, welcoming atmosphere, with upbeat music and a clean, comfortable space. They also have more than 40 food trucks on a rotating schedule, so there's always something different to try. A walking trail right next to the brewery makes it especially nice for spending a relaxed afternoon or evening. The staff is friendly and welcoming, and the overall atmosphere is lively without feeling overwhelming. A fun local place to grab a drink, enjoy some food, and spend time outdoors!

This is an amazing space. It's very open with a great back patio and plenty of seating. Very chill…read morevibe. If you're going for the vibe, great spot. Unfortunately, I did not think the beer was anything special at all. I had a brown ale and an IPA and both were pretty flavorless. Service was quick and friendly. I'd go back, just with low beer expectations.