Back to Analog: Local Standout Record Stores
In an age of increasing digital reliance, with endless content curated by apps and algorithms, generations young and old are returning to older technologies. With CDs and records all back in style, there is no better place to begin or restart your analog music collection than our neighborhoods.
Many incredible record stores dot the streets of the East Village, Greenwich Village, and Noho, some of which have been highlighted over the years as our Business of the Month. Today, we will dive into the histories of those stores, emphasizing the standout entrepreneurs whose belief in the power of vinyl has never faded.
If you want to learn more about the many record stores in our neighborhoods and around the city, join us on 10/14 for a talk with James and Karla Murray about their recently published book, Vinyl NYC.
Academy Records, 415 East 12th Street
Our Business of the Month in August 2025, Academy Records has provided music lovers of all ages and tastes with an incredible collection of records for over 20 years.
Academy Records’ analog roots date back to Academy Books, a store on West 18th Street that opened during the 1970s and went on to become one of the largest used bookstores in the city. By the 1980s, Academy Books had also started selling used records, primarily classical ones.
It was in the 1980s that longtime record collector Mike Davis got involved with Academy. Mike had moved to the East Village and was working as a bike messenger when he started swinging by Academy Records regularly. One day, he asked a friend at the store whether they needed help. They did, and Mike found himself employed and, ultimately, in charge of buying non-classical records for Academy Records.
Within a few years, Mike had acquired close to a hundred thousand records, more than could be sold out of Academy Books’ small storefront. This gave him the idea of opening a separate store specializing in non-classical music. So Mike got Academy’s owner to agree to a silent partnership arrangement, and in 2001, launched Academy Records on East 10th Street, its original location.
The shop moved to its current location in 2008, where it has been a warm and welcoming haven for record enthusiasts ever since.
Record Runner, 5 Jones Street
Our Business of the Month in July 2023, Record Runner, has been selling and buying records and collectible music items for over forty years. It is one of the last survivors of the dozens of record stores that once dotted the neighborhood, and it remains an incomparable place to hunt for rare musical finds.
When it opened in its original location on Cornelia Street, Record Runner, started by native Villager John Pita, was your typical small neighborhood record store, selling the usual variety of classic rock albums. Then one day, in 1981, a friend over at Capitol Records swung by with three members of the up-and-coming band Duran Duran.
Soon, packs of high school girls descended upon the store, taking the place of the usual clientele. John liked the surprising turn of events at his store and decided to turn Record Runner into Duran Duran central, carrying special releases, t-shirts, magazines, books, and everything he could get a hold of. This emphasis on the band and on their New Wave and post-punk contemporaries became the blueprint for the business, and John has followed it to this day.
John’s ability to capitalize on fanbases and niche musical interests has continued to bring success to the store. To this day, hardcore Duran Duran fans shop here, and if there is a show, they do so in considerable numbers. John keeps full sections devoted to artists, like Debbie Gibson, who no one else stocks so comprehensively. As a result, he gets the business of Debbie Gibson fans. The store also occasionally receives advance notice from fan club members about special releases that are coming out. Once, by acting on one such tip, John sold several hundred copies of a special David Cassidy release.
House of Oldies (physical location closed, formerly 35 Carmine Street)
Just before its physical location closed, we were able to visit House of Oldies as our December 2020 Business of the Month. Dedicated soley to buying and selling vinyl, the shop once boasted a sign that read “No CD’s, No Tapes, Only Records.” While the iconic storefront on Carmine Street no longer houses House of Oldies, the business still thrives by selling now entirely online.
Since 1968, Bob Abramson has owned the store — first on Bleecker Street, and since 1980 on a cozy part of Carmine Street a few doors down from Our Lady of Pompeii Church.
While many of Bob’s customers have aged with him over the years, an influx of younger shoppers has helped House of Oldies continue to thrive. They come for the high quality of the sound and for the cachet of a classic vinyl. Bob carries many first-pressed versions of albums.
With over 17,000 items in their online catalog, House of Oldies continues to provide our community with a diverse and high-quality collection. You can visit their online catalog HERE.
Village Revival Records, 197 Bleecker Street
Our Business of the Month in November 2017, Village Revival Records (Formerly Village Music) has been run by record enthusiast Jamal Alnasr since 1994.
First moving to NYC from his native Palestine in 1990, he began working at a record store on Bleecker Street, excitedly learning all that he could from the wide range of music paraphernalia now available to him. When Alnasr opened his shop in 1994, it went by the name of Village Music. On opening day, his shop not only boasted a wide variety of records, casettes, and CDs, but Alansr also decided to put up his own collection of rare records, making over $5,000 in the first day.
His success has continued over the years, with a brief pause in 2017 when he closed down the shop due to rising rents, and traveled back to Palestine for a brief stint. Upon returning, he found a new storefront next to his previous, and reopened the business under the name Village Revival Records, a nod to his enduring commitment to all things vinyl.
Alnasr is known for creating a welcoming and fruitful space for community builidng, and has created many lasting relationships with customers. Notably, over the years, he has bonded with big names including Bella Hadid and Lana Del Rey, who favor the shop for Alansir’s personability and experitise.
To explore more of our Businesses of the Month or to nominate a business, click here.