Your favorite record shop in San Francisco?

I remember when I visited the SF Amoeba a few years back - blew my mind and a lot of cash!

 

Just back from Amoeba and Rasputin in Berkeley. It's been so long since I was last there that I discovered that Rasputin has been heavily re-configured. Like Amoeba, they are now mixing used discs with new discs (I kind of preferred the old system in both stores: used and new separate). They have also moved a lot of stuff around. Only jazz CDs are now downstairs, along with all the vinyl. The majority of the main floor is rock/pop CDs, but there are separate sections for soul, hip-hop, metal, indie, blues, folk and country CDs. Upstairs now has classical, soundtracks, reggae, electronic and World CDs.

I was looking for a number of discs that I discovered via Amazon UK's Best of 2011 list. I found all bar one (the tUnE-yArDs' whokill, which is likely to be popular here, given that she lives in Oakland), and pricing was largely in line with Amazon (the lower prices on some even out with the added sales tax). I found very few in Amoeba, prices were higher, and the layout at Rasputin is much more logical with regard to indie titles, IMO.

I'm not interested in vinyl, but it seemed like Rasputin's vinyl section has grown to push out classical, country and folk CDs!

 

I think I've narrowed my list down to... oh, I dunno... 20 stores or so. I have about 12 of these marked red as must-see stores and another 15 or so as ones I'd like to hit if time permits.

 

You can cross Rasputin's Mountain View location off your list. They lost their lease and closed their doors on 1/1.

 

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was in Berkeley and compared Rasputin and Amoeba in the *vinyl* department only and Rasputin came out as a clear winner by a mile just based on the selection.

As far as the ambiance goes, I just love their basement and the vinyl hanging on the accessible walls (lots of old boots too) that you can actually inspect without the use of binoculars.

 

I'll be in SF for a weekend in April. I plan on stopping by Amoeba & Rasputin in the Haight as well as Recycled & Aquaris.

I'd love to hit the Berkeley Amoeba & Rasputin...but how the hell would I get there without a car? (transit or bicycle) without burning a whole day travelling?

 

You use BART (the underground), get off at Downtown Berkeley and walk a few blocks.

http://www.bart.gov/

 

Do have an estimate travel time?

 

From Powell St to Downtown Berkeley is 25 minutes on the red line, but I believe it doesn't run on Sunday, so you have to transfer from the yellow line to the orange line in Oakland (the trains are synced, so it's not a big deal). Then it's about a ten minute walk (7 or 8 blocks) from the station to Telegraph.

 

All the schedules and fares are on the BART site. You will need to change at either 12th Street Oakland, 19th Street Oakland or MacArthur if you travel on a Sunday. When buying a ticket using the machines in the stations, put enough money on to cover the return fare, it will save you time when returning.

I would advise doing Amoeba in SF plus any of the smaller stores that interest you, but leave Rasputin for Berkeley (along with Amoeba there).

There are plenty of places to eat/drink in the area, and there are often street markets during the weekend (which can make driving there a pain if you don't know your way around, so using the train will help).

 

SFO locals can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that Rasputin's in SFO is close by Union Square (that is, it's not in the Haight).

 

Correct, and it smells of pizza!

 

You might want to leave it for last if you're pressed for time, especially if you're looking for vinyl - Rasputin's in Berkeley is much better. It's weird, the Union Square location has so much space but the last time I was there was disappointing, I just couldn't find anything I really wanted to buy. Surely they must pay a fortune in rent for that location?

 

I believe the owner of the Rasputin chain also owns Blondie's pizza, so I imagine he probably owns that entire building. '

It's one of the most bizarre record store experiences you'll ever have. There are 4 floors, but no stairs and only 1 elevator. For reasons not fully understood some poor employee has to ride that elevator pushing buttons and smelling pizza and record collectors all day in a hot, cramped space.

 

Yup, thanks for the heads up. I'm staying with a friend the Fri thru Sunday, but will stay at the Plaza (which I believe is just around the corner) Sunday thru Wednesday.

I'm very excited to visit your city.

 

I'm going to SF and plan to visit Amoeba. Any recommendations for stores that are well stocked in jazz vinyl? I am mostly interested in original pressings of late 60s and 70s fusion, modal and free jazz. So nothing super in demand like 50s/60s hard bop.