Jacksonville, FL Record Stores (2018 edition)

Not posting for current replies, but more for those who are going to Google-fu their way into this thread.

The record stores in Jacksonville, FL changes every few years. However, if you visit the city you have a few excellent options.

Let me first get out the way of the only two records stores you should be spending your time visiting:


Wolfson Equipment and Records 3801 University Blvd W #4, Jacksonville, FL 32217 Open seven days a a week

The GOLDMINE. The store is located in a warehouse beside a strip mall. Opens seven days a week. Location is HUGE (since it is in a warehouse). I'm guessing 15,000ish LPs with good prices from the dollar bin to the big bucks. CD selection I'm guess 10,000ish CDs, which is also huge as well. Downside is not everything is organized, so you have to come in here and be prepare to HUNT. Tons of stuff in boxes and not all of it is ABC order. I can't tell you how many rare CDs that I picked up here on the cheap.

Major downside is there's no AC, so it's hell during the summer months with FL being very humid. Personally I visit them more during the winter months. On average I can spend at least $100 on CDs for each visit. I find some SACDs in the piles of CDs (but most of the good stuff is put in the back of the store for their ebay sales. You can always ask to see them if you ask the staff, like the MOFIs, DCCs, SACDs, etc.). Store also sells T-Shirts, Concert DVDs, a good size Laserdisc collection, and a lot of fixed music gear (saw a Nakamichi Deck for $100 that was repaired, can't tell if good or bad).

Come here if you want to hunt. Prepare to bring cash since you will most likely spend a lot of it on good deals. They do give you a break of the cost if you buy more. Ron the manager (who has a glass eye) is a strange fellow, but knows his prog rock.

Yesterday And Today Records 1522 Hendricks Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32207 Only closes on Sundays

This one is only ten-fifteen minutes away from Wolfson's in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, which is a nice area near Downtown with good restaurant choices (High-Tide Burrito is in the same building as Y & T as of the date of this post, good place to eat).

This is a storefront location, which has full AC (unless the warehouse of Wolfson's with no AC). However, the selection of CDs and LPs aren't as big as Wolfson. I'm guessing the store has 3k-4k records with about I guess 1k CDs. The prices are a higher than Wolfson, but the stock quality is on the high side. Billy (aka Will) the owner is a good guy. His family been in the record store business for a very long time (the previous Y & T store was previously at the Beach Blvd Flea Market, but they were making more than enough money to open their own store.

Besides being in a store with AC, the stock is originated. A lot easier to find what you are looking for than Wolfson. Billy knows for the most part what he has in stock. I stated earlier the prices are a little big higher than normal, I still think they are still fair. The CD selection is good, but some times I come out empty handed and other times I come out spending $70 worth of CDs.

These are the two major record stores you should visit for CDs and LPs. Go to Wolfson for adventure and the deals, visit Y & T for a lot easier time browsing and paying more for stock quality.



Honorable mentions:

Chamblin's Uptown 215 N Laura St, Jacksonville, FL 32202 Open seven days a week

In heart of Downtown Jax is this bookstore (the second biggest one in the city, but the other Camblin store, Camblin's Bookmine, is the the biggest bookstore in Jax, and also one of top ten biggest bookstores in the country, a must for book lovers). This location has a huge CD selection (of I believe 4k-5k CDs), and they are at $4 a pop. I found tons of rarer items here, including excellent classical recordings from MLP, RCA Living Stereo, Decca on CD. If you are a CD collector, this should be on your list on looking around. The area is organized ok, but you have to review each CD for the gems. I go here to look at CDs, while my girlfriend looks and buy books here. This location even have a food cafe. They do have some LPs for sale, but only visit for the CDs.

Any Flea Market in Jacksonville This is very straightforward, visit the flea markets, you never know what you are going to find. Rare $40 Target CDs for $2 at the flea market, yepp... Some of the flea markets have a mini-music store in them. Some are good but you have to go inside and visit them.

Young, Loud, and Snotty 79 Sailfish Dr E, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 Closes mondays

Located way at the beaches. Smaller record store shop with some pinball machines to play, selling comics, and skateboard item. Smaller selection of LPs with some CDs. They aimed more for the indies/punk music fans type of vibe. If into that vibe, then this place is a must visit. Real music collectors don't have a real reason to travel out here unless you are going to the beach.


Almost Avoid at all cost:

DJ's Record Shop 2999 Edison Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32254 Open most days

An African American music store located in a not so good area in Jax (which isn't too far away from the Riverside & Avondale area of Jax, an amazing area but it's a completely different world when you are at South of I-10 (the nice part) when comparing to North I-10 (worse part of the city)). I love the concept of the store, they been around a long time. They focus on American American and international black artists. The biggest issue of the store is their stock. The stock is not good with mostly poorer condition LPs, and not contemplative prices. Store is a mess trying to see everything in stock, since it is poorly organized. If looking for Stax or Motown go to Wolfson and Y & T, not here.

Doo Wops - Games, Records, CDs & DVDs Inside the Beach Blvd Flea Market 11041 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32246 Opens Weekends Only

LPs are on the high side of the cost, but the only two good things the store has are the CD selection (found some rares and imports for cheap) and the $1 LP bins. The owner is very rude at times (old school New Yorker from the city, reminds me of my dad at times). Honestly with the two big music stores in town, there's really no visit to stop in. Into retro video games? Don't buy from the store unless you want to get ripped off.

 

Thanks for this. Wolfson sounds like "just the kind of mess I'm lookin for"-- since moving here, I have done the flea markets and thrift stores but haven't found a good solid store to search through. Y&T is pretty good though, and agree about Doo Wops