• Advertise
  • Donate
  • Write
  • Intern
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact

The Austinot

Discover Austin Texas! An Austin blog with hundreds of unique articles.

  • Things To Do
    • Things To Do This Weekend
    • Things To Do This Week
    • Things To Do This Weekend With Kids
  • Discoveries
    • Austinot Loves
    • Activities
    • Day Trips
    • Local Business
  • Food & Drink
    • Food
    • Drink
  • Entertainment
    • Events
    • Film
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Theatre
  • Culture
    • Arts
    • History
    • Museums
  • Et Cetera
    • Non-Profits
    • Podcast
    • Archives

4 Vicious Vinyl Shops in the Violet Crown

March 2, 2015 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments

Breakaway Records in Austin, TX

Breakaway Records (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Guest article by Gino Barasa

There’s a vinyl revolution going on out there and Austin is neck deep in it. What once was relegated to hard core audio nerds and fans of the John Cusack/Jack Black cult classic movie High Fidelity has become – *gasp!* – trendy.

Cool new chic bars and hipster stores not only spin albums, but display and sell them. There’s even an official National Record Store Day (April 18th, get ready!). Every act that rolls through the Moody Theater or the Back Yard has a fat stack of vinyl goodness ready for you to take home.

Why?

Top 5 Reasons to Own Vinyl

End of an Ear

End of an Ear (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

#5 – Because a shelf full of CD’s only serves to make you look nerdy. Not in the cool nerdy way, but in the out-of-touch nerdy way. A wall filled with albums immediately gives you +5 points for taste and coolness.

#4 – Your digital downloads will not appreciate in value. Albums, when properly maintained, increase in worth better than blue chip stocks. My advice? Dump your IRA and get bullish on The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

#3 – There’s no way you can impress a girl more than dropping the needle on some Percy Sledge and letting “When a Man Loves a Woman” fill the air. How are you getting anywhere near that effect with your MP3 player?

#2 – Liner Notes. I know. CD’s have them too. Have you tried reading the liner notes on a CD? You need the Hubble telescope to do it. An album lets you sink in and get comfy with your favorite artist. Liner Notes were like the Wikipedia of the 1970’s.

#1 – Album Artwork. When a recording artist puts together an album, they put almost as much energy into the artwork as they do the music. On a CD, you barely even get a taste. It’s like going to Franklin’s BBQ and waiting in line for a piece of Wonder Bread. Why would you do that? The album, for sure the double album and especially the super rare triple album (see: Woodstock) give you artwork as it was intended by the artist. You may now enjoy the music with the proper physical manifestation of said music as the artist wished it.

Okay. So we agree. Records are awesome, and it’s important that we start getting serious about collecting the essential albums of our lifetime right away. The next question is, where can you go to get them in Austin?

Top 4 Austin Record Stores

#4 Waterloo Records

Waterloo Records in Austin, TX

Waterloo Records (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Waterloo Records is an Austin staple for music. They have the largest selection of records in Austin, not to mention everything from a huge selection of t-shirts and other music related paraphernalia, to live music and a large and knowledgeable staff. Waterloo is the Starbucks of record stores. If you want it, they probably have it.

Waterloo Records Selection in Austin

Waterloo Records selection (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Another great reason to shop at Waterloo? Amy’s Ice Cream is immediately behind them and Whole Foods is right across the street. Buy a few albums, slam some ‘cream at Amy’s and then pick up some locally brewed ale or nice bottle of red at Whole Foods. Now you’re ready to head home for an evening of spinning your new wax. If you have cool friends, bring them along. But only if they’re cool.

600A N Lamar Blvd – Website

#3 Breakaway Records

Breakaway Records in Austin

Breakaway Records (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

Run by Gabe Vaughn and Josh LaRue, Breakaway is a true neighborhood record store. You can find treasure here all the time. They have a huge assortment of 45’s and even some cool music posters and old school record players to choose from. Their stock moves pretty quickly, which makes frequently returning worth your while. After years of looking, I found a mono recording of the Beach Boys seminal album Pet Sounds innocently sitting on a shelf. From Miles Davis to Shakey Graves and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Breakaway Records always has high quality albums at reasonable prices.

Another good reason to stop by Breakaway Records?  They are in the same parking lot as Blue Velvet Vintage Clothing and Epoch Coffee. So if you really want to pick up on what James Brown was putting down, you can get on the scene with appropriate threads and get highly caffeinated before you drop the needle on your latest finds.

211 W North Loop Blvd – Website

#2 Antone’s Record Shop

Antone's Record Shop in Austin

Antone’s Record Shop (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

I mean, seriously, what’s not to love about Antone’s? You know what? Antone’s deserves to have its own Top 5 list of reasons to love them.

#5 – It’s named after an Austin icon and music legend, Clifford Antone, who opened this store right across the street from what was once the location of his famous music club.

#4 – It’s right off the Drag. In other words, if you can’t walk to whatever you need from the store you probably don’t need it anyway.

Antone's Records in Austin

Antone’s Records (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

#3 – One of the current owners is the original drummer for Fabulous Thunderbirds, Mike Buck!

#2 – Another one of their current owners is Eve Monsees from Eve & The Exiles! (I know I’m using too many exclamation points here, but come on!) Easily the best looking record store owner…ever.

#1 – Did I mention the part about Clifford, Mike and Eve? I did? Okay, cool. Well there you go.

Open since 1987, Antone’s has a quality assortment of t-shirts, posters and books, and of course everything you want in music. They specialize in Blues and local music, keeping the same feel Clifford originally intended. Mike and Eve, married since 2010, work hard to keep the shop true to Clifford’s original vision.

2928 Guadalupe St – Website 

#1 End of an Ear

End of an Ear

End of an Ear (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

You could easily make an argument that Antone’s and Friends of Sound are the best record stores in Austin. They are both great stores. But by a nose, End of an Ear gets my #1 vote. Here are my Top 5 reasons why:

#5 – They have original movie posters as well as local art on the walls that you can purchase.

#4 – Multiple listening stations to check out the records. Every store has a few, but the Ear has a bunch of them.

#3 – In the back, they have easily the best assortment of quality used record players, amps and speakers. I bought my old school Sanyo TP747 record player, Akai 1175 Stereo Amp receiver and the Pioneer CS903 speakers from them and they all sound amazing. Blake Carlisle, one of the owners, took a lot of time to help me pick out just the right setup. They also service what they sell.

End of an Ear Drums and Stereos

Drum and stereo selection at End of an Ear (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

#2 – They have a huge selection of high quality records. I have never bought a record here that didn’t play perfectly when I got it home.

#1 – The best prices in town. They are always a few bucks cheaper than the other stores on new records and they lean towards a few bucks more when they buy your records.

4304 Clawson Road – Website 

Hidden Bonus Track: South Austin Gallery

South Austin Gallery Records

South Austin Gallery (Credit: 1138Studios.com)

South Austin Gallery isn’t really a record store, but Jennifer and Joseph Worth always carry a milk carton or two of good records at amazingly good prices. They have a ton of great local photography to check out, so either way you’ll always be glad you stopped by.

507A W Mary St – Website

So when you’re in the mood for some serious vinyl gratification, take a second to appreciate the fact that you’re in the right city at the right time to fill your LP jones. If you’re ready to get it on with Marvin Gaye, or whip it good with DEVO, or even if you just feel misunderstood by Wilco, you can get your fix at any of these amazing musical wonderlands in Austin.

Gino Barasa is a local photographer and native Texan. His real love is finding ways to capture the city of Austin. His work can be viewed on his website at 1138Studios.com.

 

@theAustinot wants to know:

What is your favorite record store in Austin and why?

Filed Under: Discoveries, Entertainment, Local Business, Music

Best of The Austinot

We always have unique content on The Austinot and we love to give things away. You know, like concert tickets, gift cards, and other cool stuff. We only send out our “Best of the Austinot” newsletter twice a month. It’s where we give you a recap of our best articles and give stuff away. Interested? Subscribe to Best of The Austinot here!

Subscribe
Login
Notify of
guest
guest
2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
SueGD
SueGD
8 years ago

You left out the Sound Gallery! A hidden gem. http://soundgalleryaustin.com/

0
Reply
Gino Barasa
Gino Barasa
8 years ago
Reply to  SueGD

Sue!!
My Bad!.
I’m gonna have to go check them out. I, sadly, admit that I have not been there. I will rectafy this soon.

0
Reply

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Things to do

Things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of March 17 | Spring Fair

Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Spring Fair, Broads by Broad Studios, and more!

If there’s one thing about this city, it’s that there is always something going on. So, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of March 17, 2023, there’s plenty of fun to be had, including Spring Fair, Broads by Broad Studios, 13th Annual Garden Party at The Butterfly Bar, and […]

Things to do in Austin this weekend of March 17 | Austin St. Patrick's Day Bar Crawl and Block Party

12 Fun things to do in Austin this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Austin St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, Fur Will Fly Fest 2023, and More!

There are plenty of fun things to do in Austin this Weekend of March 17 which include Austin St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, Fur Will Fly Fest 2023, Silent Sky at the Georgetown Palace Theatre, and more! Whether you’re planning a date or having fun with friends, these events and things to do in Austin this weekend […]

Things to do in Austin this week of March 13 | Pro Pickleball Association Tour: Austin Showdown

20 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of March 13, 2023 include Pro Pickleball Association Tour, Texas Burlesque Festival, and more!

Our top choices for things to do in Austin this Week of March 13, 2023, include Pro Pickleball Association Tour: Austin Showdown, Texas Burlesque Festival 2023, ATX Local Fest 2023, and more! Austin is now among the fastest-growing metroplexes in the US! Keeping up with the growth, luckily, there’s plenty going on in Austin all days of […]

Austin Valentine's Day 2023 - Best events, parties and celebrations near you

Austin Valentine’s Day 2023 – Best events, parties and celebrations near you

Every year, it gets harder to miss the cues of Cupid’s arrival when Valentine’s Day comes around the corner. The local eateries draw chalk hearts next to their Daily Specials, arrows start sticking out of engorged heart balloons and the internet starts getting populated with V-Day Event Diaries. How do you find reliable, vetted, and […]

Huge List of Unforgettable Austin Date Spots

Date Ideas Austin – 20 romantic things to do during day and night!

Recently I found myself wrapped up in one of those fleeting moments of self-empowerment, tickled by a craving for adventure. Interested in re-entering the dating pool, but also daunted by how exhausting the process can be, I decided the only way to start dating was to cannonball in. So I created a challenge for myself: […]

Recent Posts

  • Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Spring Fair, Broads by Broad Studios, and more!
  • 12 Fun things to do in Austin this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Austin St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, Fur Will Fly Fest 2023, and More!
  • Pi Day Austin 2023 – Verified deals, discounts on pizzas, pies near you!
  • 20 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of March 13, 2023 include Pro Pickleball Association Tour, Texas Burlesque Festival, and more!
  • Bluebonnet Austin – 40 trails, fields, parks and other places with Texas Bluebonnets near you!

Welcome to The Austinot

We are all about Austin: the vibe, the people and the uniqueness of the city. We love to explore. Get to know us! We’ll respond if you comment. Heck, we’ll probably invite you to come and hang out with us!

Follow along to help support and learn more about local businesses, artists, and events.

-The Austinot Team

Privacy Policy

Trending Posts

  • 12 Fun things to do in Austin this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Austin St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl, Fur Will Fly Fest 2023, and More!
  • 20 Fun Things to do in Austin this week of March 13, 2023 include Pro Pickleball Association Tour, Texas Burlesque Festival, and more!
  • Texas Bluebonnets – 10 Best Bluebonnet Fields & Places In & Around Austin
  • Everything You Need to Know About Texas Bluebonnets
  • Top 10 things to do in Austin with kids this weekend of March 17, 2023 include Spring Fair, Broads by Broad Studios, and more!

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

wpDiscuz