Off The Record

I went in to this shop to buy a couple of records. I wanted Kendrick Lamar — to pimp a butterfly and Ryan Adams — 1989. They were out of stock, so I asked this dude wearing red flannel with brown hair down to his shoulders if they had them somewhere else (they didn’t) and then I asked if they could order it for me. He asked for my name and number and said he would call me when they were in. I asked, «Well, um, could you give me the price?», and he looked at me like I was asking him to personally go to the record manufacturer and pick up the records for me.
After this look of exhaustion from maybe having to use his brain for the first time today, he just says, «Uh, like, probably between $ 20 or $ 30 each.», which again, it’s a record — I assumed it would be roughly that price… that is obviously not what I’m asking you. After that, I just said forget it and went to a record store in Hillcrest (Taang) and was treated great by the woman who worked there and their security guard.
Off the Record = too cool for school. If you ask about shit that happens to occasionally be on the radio, you’re a total square not worth their time.

Off the Record. Please close this store down. You used to be cool in the late 90’s. Now, your over priced, weak selection, bad energy employee. (Longhair).

New rock LP stock is pretty good. Used LP selection is spotty and overpriced. The clerks are impersonal. There are several better and more welcoming record stores in San Diego, but OTR is still worth an occasional visit.

Wow, these people hate you! Well at least it seems like it. So the have some cool vinyl, yes. They have some cds, sure. But they don’t go out of their way to be a great record store. OTR has a great history and the employees use to ask you what you like, and better yet, tell you what you SHOULD like! These dudes could care less. Hey, you work in a record store. You are not the God of music, up in your little space behind the register casting dispersions on the ill-​informed. So I didn’t get into dinosaur Jr. before they added the Jr., so what! I’m here now! I don’t want a Walmart greeter hug, just maybe say hi and thank you. That’s all I want! While I was there, a group of teens came in and bought some records. A great sign in the fledgling music sales business! Long hair guy and silly mustache guy didn’t say word one to these «I refuse to listen to crappy music» tweens. This isn’t Tower Records on Sunset circa 1975, so stop acting like it.

Good organization /​curation. I am always finding good titles, but the prices are a bit painful. Full retail and then some.
They don’t seem to like to haggle much either. You will probably find what you are looking for but will pay the price.
It has been a while since I actually made a buy there, but if I drive by and there is a parking spot I will drop in, hoping they forgot to apply the Fleece Factor pricing to a title on my want list.

Overall, nice place and very organized. I thought it was a little overpriced myself. I really didn’t see anything unusual but I did get a out of print skeleton key CD.

Wow. This was one of those times where I read all the negative reviews thinking, «man, people are going in there with a negative mindset.». Then I went in and I tried my best to make it a good experience. The staff was unreal. Completely inattentive. Could care less who is in there. I’m guessing those guys are all busy swiping right on their tinder accounts. When I went to pay, believe me, I only bought a CD to just complete the circle of how horrific this place was. The old guy with long hair didn’t move his eyes off the screen and instead just pointed to the other register.
DAMN GUY! You showed me! Good job, go to your grave knowing you showed me up! Thumbs up.
Mean while, I beg you all the avoid this place unless you enjoy not calling yourself a hipster when you really are.
One star? You’re welcome OTR. Too bad they won’t see this because Unilocal isn’t hipster enough. Maybe there’s a yipster out there they do follow?!

What is wrong with people? It’s a record store, not a bridal bazaar. I dont know what sort of crazy crystal healing, hug at the entry, walmart greeter experience people are looking for. Informative staff, reasonable pricing, no pressure to buy, and they’re constantly playing good music. people need to complain about things of substance. for instance, I for one was disappointed that it was not also a soup kitchen and homeless shelter. I also did not receive a free slurpee at the door.

My experience would have been more pleasant had the worker person not blast his punk rock music in my ears. I felt like he was opening my skull and peeing on my brain.
Other than that, great little shop. There’s always something here that I’m wanting to hear.

Great selection of vinyl 45’s and LP’s, I they have every Ohio Players LP, so you know there is some heat here. The prices are a little steep on some of the releases, but they do have wax for every budget, my last purchases was a couple of Grover Washington 45’s for 2 bucks and you can’t beat that :)

Great little record shop with a good selection from old to new and even a local section. I saw a few rare ones in the stacks also. I recommend checking this place out, one of the many interesting shops in North Park.

Their selection isn’t huge and it’s possible to leave without having any of the records jump out at you but isn’t that the thrill?
They usually do a great job of putting their new/​upcoming releases on the whiteboard in the front window. If not you can always pop inside to ask.
It’s a small store so it’s easy to navigate and you’re not having to rummage through an abundance of genres that you don’t care for.

They have a fair amount of CDs and the usual rock vinyl. Their indie/​punk section is on the small side and mostly new/​reissue stuff, but I did find one good score on the used side for vinyl. Was glad I checked it out during my tour of San Diego record stores, but I wouldn’t say it’s essential.

I randomly walked by this North Park music store and just had to take a look at their vinyl offerings since I am approximately 37% hipster.
How hipster is that?
For the record, Off the Record is really small store with a decent selection of new and used CDs, EPs, and LPs. I enjoyed putting on my thick rimmed glasses, sweeping my bangs out of my face, and going through their vinyl offerings even though I don’t even own a record player.
How hipster is that?
For only $ 65, I was able to pick these (used) six classic records up, listed in the order of release date: Hi Infidelity by REO Speedwagon (1980), Fair Warning by Van Halen (1980), Diver Down by Van Halen (1981), Upstairs at Eric’s by Yaz (1982), Thriller by Michael Jackson (1982), and 1984 by Van Halen (1984). And yes, I liked all of these musical acts before they became popular even though they all came to be before I was even born.
How hipster is that?
For those concerned about the quality of the used albums, I tested the records on my friend’s record player and all six records played flawlessly. A year later, my Yaz album started to skip on the first song, but that was definitely caused by me. What can say? I just love styling my hair and singing into my boar bristle brush to the synthesizer crafted beats from 1982 on «Don’t Go.» Yeah, I liked EDM before EDM was cool.
How hipster is that?

Great selection of new (indie stuff) and old (Beatles, etc.)

So-​and-​so type of record store. The ambiance of this place was Odd, because when I walked in, there wasn’t any music playing. It’s the very first record store that I’ve been to that didn’t play any music. Albeit, they have a good collection of new and used vinyls esp jazz. I didn’t stay too long, because it was just too eerie for me.

What an uncomfortable experience, and I was there less than 5 minutes.
I am sure this store has a great collection and from the looks of it it is well organize, however, when I say they have a great selection make sure you’re not looking for anything in the genres Pop/R&B/Rap or probably anything that is playing on Channel 933 and such
I came here on a Saturday because I thought I had a record on hold at this location. Unfortunately, I had made a mistake and it was not at this particular record store. They made it VERY clear by letting me know several times that they do NOT carry Justin Timberlake in their store.
Now before anyone starts making fun of my music choice let me clear something up. I have a wide selection of records at home so just because I didn’t go in there looking for some indie album of some artist that has a 10-​worded band name that doesn’t mean you make me feel inferior to you and bad for my music choices.
When the employee told me the first time that they didn’t carry the artists albums I was completely fine and was going to check out their selection. However, he ended up coming off rude and I felt embarrassed that actually thought they would carry this particular artist, so I left and will continue to buy my records at other locations.

I can understand why the jewel cases are taped up to prevent theft, but I literally had a hard time just trying to peel the tape off! Now the jewel cases to my Deep Purple and Elvis CD’s are sticky with tape residue!

Super chill dudes working the register, possibly knitting, yes, but knitting is a sign of super chillness.
So let’s break it down. You want some cd’s or vinyl. You’re in North Park and don’t feel like ordering from Amazon or online because you want it now. Like now, now.
Come here and you’re bound to find something cool. Maybe some free posters, pick up the local CityBeat or the latest metal magazine. Listen before you buy, and then buy it. Because you need music now.
It’s pretty simple really. Don’t expect service like the Nordstroms perfume counter, this is a record store, dudes.
And ask the mustached man if you have questions about anything from Iron Maiden to Paolo Conte, he knows it, probably. Well, so does the long-​haired dude too. Or the knitter. Or the laptop-​using guy.
There’s air conditioning, music playing, and a coffee shop next door. A nice little mish mash to make a mellow music market. Meow!

Omg so I went in this past weekend and I swear to god the clerk was knitting not only a dude knitting a dude knitting on a loom at Off the Record, North Park has officially jumped the shark. I’ll just console myself that they still sell good vinyl ;/