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Records in the San Francisco Bay Area is a customized guide by goose

For music lovers and the vinyl obsessed the Bay Area has lots of little shops where you can get your fix. In the ten years that I have repeatedly visited these shops I’ve been amazed time and again by the treasures that pop up, not to mention all the records you’ve never heard of that are waiting to be stumbled upon.

I’ve compiled a guide of the best record shops (out of the hundreds that you can find in the area), judging them above all for having gems, hard to find, long gone, never-ever-thought-I’d-get-a-copy-of…vinyl records. Many of them also have new records, CDs, DVDs, and posters.

Especially within the city limits of San Francisco these record shops can be accessed by walks through different neighborhoods. That way you get to see all the ornate Victorian and Edwardian wooden homes, and experience the steep hills (worth it for the views alone!) in the year-round crisp weather, all while setting up to dig through piles of records.

My personal favorites are Amoeba SF, right next to the amazing Golden Gate Park, for its unending and forever renewing supply of records from the farthest flung corners of the earth. Grooves in San Francisco, for being the place where weird records rule! And Red Devil up in San Rafael, where you can find collector’s items without having to turn to online auctions and the owner is really friendly to boot!

And for those interested in seeing live music performances, try The List, an online guide which focuses on independent music shows and concerts, with details about the price, location, and whether or not the show is expected to sell out.

Records in the San Francisco Bay Area is a customized guide by goose

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