Columbus Shopping Guide: Five Local Record Stores to Meet Music Lovers’ Vinyl Needs
A lifelong crate-digger shares his favorite haunts in the city.
Record stores are different from other ports of commerce. Just like your vinyl collection, each joint is uniquely curated, and just like a museum, what you see depends on who’s in charge and what they can access. Though personal vinyl needs vary, you can probably find what you’re looking for at these five local stores. All should be in your rotation.
Spoonful Records (144 E. State St., Downtown)
You can buy records here, but if you need a turntable, this spot is the place. Owner Brett Ruland walks you through everything you need to know and will even balance it for you. You may need to get speakers somewhere else, depending on stock.
Elizabeth’s Records (3037 Indianola Ave., Clintonville)
If you’re looking to start a record collection but don’t want to break your wallet, Elizabeth’s is a good starting spot. It’s just the right size to not be intimidating, while regularly stocking its share of gems for hardcore collectors. Plus, it’s the only shop in town with a New Orleans section, and every collection should have at least one NOLA party record.
Lost Weekend Records (2960 N. High St., Clintonville)
This is usually my first stop, period. The owner, Kyle Siegrist, is a wizard when it comes to talking about music and is the go-to source for local music knowledge. Columbus is a rock town, and Lost Weekend curates that genre well. I buy a lot of blues here, which is the one genre of music that demands vinyl. Nothing sounds quite like the blues on vinyl, and if it’s well-used, that makes its magic even more potent.
Used Kids Records (2500 Summit St., Old North)
The mothership for crate-digging. Used Kids sports the largest collection of records in town, with rooms dedicated to 45s, $1 bins and more. Its crates in every genre are deep, and I’ve had the most luck with jazz and R&B here. If you still need speakers for that turntable you just bought, Used Kids will sell you a nice set for new buyers that may be all the bump you’ll ever need.
RPM (2579 N. High St., Old North)
If you want to do some quick shopping while barhopping on campus, go a couple of blocks north and go wild. RPM has a respectable collection for its size, and if you’re looking to get into some old-school vintage or analog turntables and amps, RPM sells lots of them.
This story is from the Where to Shop Now package in the May 2023 issue of Columbus Monthly.