Shake It Records

I love the tangible. While there are those who insist the day of the brick & mortar music shop is over in favor of digital music, I contributed to a Kickstarter campaign that funded All Things Must Pass, a documentary on the rise & fall of Tower Records, a longtime favorite shop of mine while I lived in NYC, & will seek out music in a format I can hold in my hand & look at on my shelf, as long as I’m able. I feel the same way about books & movies. I’m proud of my collection & see it as something of value & accomplishment, which is lost when you have it consolidated into nothing but bits & bytes onto your mp3 player or phone.
And I do greatly appreciate local music shops. While Amazon is generally my go-​to for most purchases, there’s something to be said for independent local retailers that not only know their stuff, but give back to the community. Shake It Records does both. When I first moved to the area, this was one of the first places I visited. I found a level of comfort here, because I knew I was among like-​minded people. The music geek.
That truly manifests on days like Record Store Day, when collectors come out & you know you’re among friends. My first time there, I was unaware of a promotion where they gave you 10% off your purchase if you brought in a canned good for a donation to a food pantry & someone in the line gave me one of their extras. This year, I returned the favor & did the same for someone else. The sense of community is considerable, & it all begins with the love of music. I’ve seen Record Store Day handled differently by no fewer than 10 other record shops & Shake It Records handles it quite well, given their volume & the size & layout of the store.
Yes, it’s a bit more expensive than Amazon or some other online options, but you’re giving money to a local business, you’re getting what you want immediately & you’re dealing with real people. Sometimes, that’s what matters most.

Shake It is Cincinnati’s best known record store, and for good reason. They have a great selection of new and used vinyl, CDs, DVDs, books, t-​shirts, and strange toys. The staff is very helpful if you need a recommendation or can’t find something.

Absolute great collection of vinyl records. The whole downstairs is heaven for anyone with the obsession for collecting vinyl. The prices are a bit high, but the selection is phenomenal. They have some very rare records which are hard to find other places. I love the fact that they have a listening station, so you can preview your music before you buy. This is by far the best location in Cincinnati to pick up used and new vinyl records!

By far one of the coolest record shops I’ve been to! 2 stories packed full of music, CDs on one floor and vinyl downstairs. They also had a great selection of used music equipment both entry level and high end speakers and receivers. The highlight of my time here was the great selection of used records, great prices and a lot of recent titles being traded in. I can’t wait to visit Shake It again.

This place is great! Found everything we wanted and more… Just need some more Motley Crue ;)

Like I’ve hardly ever been here when they didn’t have what I was looking for. This is the best record store I’ve ever been to. It’s worth coming to Cincinnati to go to this store. I wish I could give the store a hug, but I’m not that big.
I love everything about it here.

The CD section (first floor) in this place is as large as the Records section (basement). I went specifically for the Record section so can’t comment on CDs.
There are a good variety of genres present in Records, however not alot of selection within each genre. There are also just as many new records as there are used ones. If you are looking for used you’re probably not going to find much. I think this place is best suited for buyers looking for new punk/​indie/​metal records.
They also have books and used audio gear. If you’re in the area it may be worth a visit.

I’ve spent way too much money here. If I were to add up all of my purchases, I’m pretty sure I could buy a new car.
Regardless of that, I have no regrets. Shake It is an awesome store with a knowledgeable staff.
No matter if you’re buying the newest Ariana Grande single, or a GG Allin record, they will not judge you. (At least to your face.)
If perhaps, they don’t carry the item you’re looking for, chances are, they can order it, and they’ll get it fast.
The store is overwhelming when it comes to browsing, so I suggest going in with a list or goal in mind. (I always get distracted anyway.)
There’s a reason it’s been successful for so long. It’s a store that’s centered around the music, those who love it, and the equipment and supplies it takes to fuel music addictions.
Stop by — with a list — and you’ll have a great time.

Shake it up caught my eye as I was walking through town and decided to check it out. I was pleasantly surprised with the wide selection of vinyl records. Everything from Elvis to beach boys to walk the moon to the game of thrones soundtrack.

Great spot, great selection, great help from the staff. Price is reasonable and product in good shape. I will be back!

Shake It Records is an amazing record store.
I feel like calling it just a record store is a little misleading and wrong. Shake It has a whole basement of records, but they also have lots of books, vinyl toys, zines, magazines, CDS, Cassettes, and a handful of other random things throughout the shop.
They have a great book selection, and I can always go in there and find a book or two to buy.
If you’re into vinyl toys and Kid Robot such things, this is the only place in Cincy I know where to get any of it store wise. They always have a lot of vinyl toys, even outside of Kid Robot items.
They also have used and new record players and stereos, and speakers. I’ve looked at some of these items before and I honestly feel like they are always reasonably priced.
Large-​ish basement full of records. Large variety of new and used selections from all music genres.
I don’t really need to talk up Shake It, because if you are a music fan, and you’re reading this you already know or you can see by all the other reviews that Shake It is where it is at.
I wouldn’t suggest going to Shake It on Record Store Day, they are the most well known record store in Cincinnati, so they always have a really long line and if you don’t get their super early to wait in line, you will miss out on a handful of limited releases.
Shake It is the best place to go to on rainy days and get lost. For sure.

Your favorite record store says a lot about you…
Until recently, Shake It and Everybody’s were the two big players in Cincinnati, but the new kid on the block is Plaid Room Records, of Loveland. Go check them out if you haven’t already
Shake It has gone away from the 99 cent bins, and more towards the Alt/​Rock genres in recent years, which is cool with me. (Although I do miss picking up a cheesy cheap album from time to time)
They have the largest local selection of new Country and Jazz/​Blues, but lack in the Hip-​Hop.
Pricing is on par with the other shops in town, and cheaper than what I have seen in other big cities.
Shake It also carries vintage equipment, which is great for those looking to score some quality gear and jump start their new obsession.
They are known to buy used albums, CDs, and Stereo equipment so bring it in as see if you can barter a better deal with your purchase. I would avoid doing this on Record Store day as they will be slammed! Speaking of Record Store Day, they do have the most selection, and the most traffic in the area. If there is something you are looking for on RSD, this would be the place to start!

I could go on for days about this place. It’s a true throwback for an old soul like myself. I still prefer all of my music on vinyl if it’s possible, so this place is obviously right in my wheelhouse. They have you covered in every genre of music on vinyl/​cd/​dvd etc., and if they don’t have it, they will get it for you in a day or two if it’s available. You can buy t-​shirts, speakers, record players, books, and they literally have every single magazine that has to do with music. You can also purchase tickets to live local music around town that is not at say, Riverbend or US Bank. More local shows that would be at places like the Woodward Theatre. Last but not least, the staff is awesome. They know their music, they are friendly, they are out in the local community seeing bands. They are all around good people and what you would expect for such an awesome staple for music in Cincinnati!

A Cincinnati Institution. I don’t think Shake It needs any explanation or introduction. If you’re into music, go there.
They consistently have wonderful Record Store Day surprises and specials.
They have a true record store vibe, selling other trinkets alongside CDs and records. They also sell record players and speakers in the basement.

My fiancé and I are avid vinyl collectors, mostly for Indie/​Alt music. We love coming to this place and just browsing for an hour because we always find something special. No where else in Cincinnati has such a larger indie vinyl selection as Shake It. We were here last weekend and picked up the new Iron and Wine and a rare Bright Eyes album. I’m really impressed by this place and that they manage to keep such a large inventory. The people that work here are nice and the prices are a dollar or two cheaper than Amazon if you’re looking for new records. But if you want rare records, this place is also definitely worth digging through. Love this place!

I could almost drop everything and move to Cincinnati just for this store.
Records that are easy to browse (and a great selection, not just beat up stuff from your unhip relative’s basement)
Books.
T-​shirts – including a huge selection of book-​themed shirts from Out of Print, which I looooove. They had a Joy Division shirt I almost bought, but I was low on cash.
Going to have to go to Cincy a lot more often.

The best place to go spend 15 minutes, or 2 hours flipping through records and finding some great classics. They have a huge selection of anything you might want, and this time was no different. I always seem to find what I’m looking for, but the best is when you find a little gem you can’t go home without. Today I found some old recordings that I’m excited to get home and play. I also love the staff, super helpful ad chill. I highly recommend if you’re looking to add to your collection.

Absolutely the best record store in Cincy! Downstairs you will find a huge selection of vinyl records new and used. They always have some bargain bins, if you are looking to bulk up your collection and find a hidden gem. What makes this truly a great record store is also the help that you can receive from the people who work there. This is a must see for any vinyl enthusiast, or a casual listener who wants to go to a cool store in an awesome neighborhood.
Cheers — to Shake It Records!

This is a must stop for any record collector. I have spent a lot of time in Cinci, and I always make a point to stop at SHAKE IT. One thing I love about this record store, is they sell their promo copies to new record in the used bin. Now this might now be cool to do, but I don’t care, I can get a brand new album for 7 bucks instead of 15.
The soul lp collection here is so amazing it make me want to be a hip hop artist so I could just sit down here listen for killer beats, and samples to use. Always a dream of mine to see my own record in a store in a town where I don’t live and Shake it has copies of my bands record, so to me that tells me, They pretty much carry it all.
This store also has a huge supply of t-​shirts, books, movies, and fun toys from Japan. It’s in a rad area of Cinci to, the north loop full of good bars and music venues! If your in Cinci this is a must stop street

The best record store in Cincinnati! If you can’t find it at Shake It Records, you’re better off without it!
Plus they have DVD’s, basement filled with tons of vinyl, books, t-​shirts, toys and their own label releasing great selection of music.
They also have in-​store appearances for musicians traveling through town and sell tickets to local venues.
A must if you’re a local or visiting Cincinnati for any music fan!