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Bay Area Loop
From San Francisco across the Bay to Oakland, Berkeley and Hayward, down to San Jose and back up the Peninsula via Redwood City.
Route: San Francisco → Oakland → Berkeley → Hayward → San Jose → Redwood City · 20 record stores across 6 stops
Stop by stop
Stop 1: Bay Area Classic
Amoeba Music
One of the largest independent record stores in the world — every genre covered.
Tip: Set a time limit before you go in, or you will lose the afternoon.
1855 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Groove Merchant Records
DJ-run shop with deep jazz, soul, and funk plus music ephemera and rare photos.
Tip: Browsing here is an education — ask the owner about anything that catches your eye.
687 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Saturday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Vinyl Dreams
SF's go-to for house, techno, and hip-hop 12-inches.
Tip: New stock rotates constantly, say regulars — one visit is never enough.
593 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
Hours
Monday 1:00 - 6:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Wednesday Closed Thursday 1:00 - 6:00 PM Friday 1:00 - 6:00 PM Saturday 1:00 - 6:00 PM Sunday 1:00 - 6:00 PM Originals Vinyl
Small, well-curated shop that also professionally cleans and restores records.
Tip: Ask about their cleaning service if you pick up a scuffed used copy.
701 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Thursday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Friday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Saturday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Stop 2: Temescal to Piedmont Avenue
Contact Records
Small Temescal shop in the Temescal Alleys with a decent volume of records for its size and a friendly counter.
Tip: Closed Mondays; it is in the Temescal Alleys, so follow the address rather than looking for a street front.
484 Alley 49, Oakland, CA 94609, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM 1-2-3-4 Go! Records
Oakland record label's shop, open since 2008, focused on punk, indie, garage and hardcore vinyl and tapes, with an unusually large selection of Japanese records.
Tip: Hosts listening events and Record Store Day; Monday to Friday it opens at noon, weekends at 11 AM.
420 40th St #5, Oakland, CA 94609, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Cone Shape Top
Small music, book and project space selling a rotating stock of ambient, electronic and experimental records plus used vinyl, with a free zine library.
Tip: Open Thursday to Sunday only, and Google shows no phone, so confirm hours before going.
4124 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday Closed Thursday 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Mars Record Shop
Tucked-away Piedmont Avenue shop with curated used records in jazz, soul, disco and modern rock, plus a bin of records by local musicians.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; the address is unit 7 off Piedmont Avenue.
4125 Piedmont Ave #7, Oakland, CA 94611, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Stop 3: Berkeley, Albany and El Cerrito Crawl
Rasputin Music
Berkeley-founded independent music chain's Telegraph Avenue store, with floors of new and used vinyl, CDs and video and a well-known rainbow wall of records.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; Amoeba Berkeley is on the same stretch of Telegraph.
2401 Telegraph Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 11:00 AM - 6:30 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 6:30 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 6:30 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:30 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM Hercules Records
Small South Berkeley shop with soul, funk and disco 45s and 12-inches, a jazz section and a turntable to test records before you buy.
Tip: Open noon to 7 PM every day of the week.
1734 Alcatraz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Dave's Record Shop
Compact used shop with LPs and 45s across rock, jazz, country, folk and blues; the owner buys and trades.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; bring records to trade if you have them.
1404 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, CA 94702, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Strictly Vinyl Records
Solano Avenue neighbourhood shop with new and used LPs and 45s across rock, reggae, gospel, jazz and soul.
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday; Solano Ave has cafes for a break.
1060 Solano Ave, Albany, CA 94706, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Tuesday Closed Wednesday Closed Thursday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Down Home Music Store
Roots-music store on San Pablo Avenue with a CD room and a vinyl room, strong in blues, jazz and soul.
Tip: Open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons only, 1 to 6 PM.
10341 San Pablo Ave, El Cerrito, CA 94530, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Saturday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Sunday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Stop 4: Hayward and Castro Valley Crawl
Ska Dog Records
Downtown Hayward shop with organized, well-priced records and an owner who helps with recommendations.
Tip: Very limited hours (Wednesday and Thursday afternoons); check before going.
946 B St, Hayward, CA 94541, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday Closed Saturday Closed Sunday Closed The Stacks Record Shop
Downtown Hayward shop with LPs, a large selection of 45s, tapes and CDs, leaning hip-hop, R&B, funk, soul and jazz.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; the shop sometimes hosts special events.
965 B St, Hayward, CA 94541, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM Thursday 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM Friday 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM Saturday 12:30 PM - 5:30 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM One Bad Apple Records
Castro Valley shop with a strong metal selection, new and used records, tapes and VHS, and a large $1.99 'Discount Dungeon' in the back.
Tip: Open Wednesday to Saturday; leave time for the Discount Dungeon.
2568 San Carlos Ave, Castro Valley, CA 94546, USA
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday Closed
Stop 5: San Jose Dig
needle to the groove
Strong hip-hop selection with rare finds and collectible items.
Tip: Check the random records piled in front of the counter — regulars say the best finds turn up there.
424 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 - 3:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 - 6:00 PM Saturday 12:00 - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 - 6:00 PM On The Corner Music
Bare-bones, crate-digging shop with turntables to test records before buying.
Tip: Prices are some of the best in the Bay Area — a good stop for budget-conscious digging.
1737 Park Ave, San Jose, CA 95126, USA
Hours
Monday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 - 5:00 PM Streetlight Records
Huge used-media shop with vinyl, CDs, and DVDs as far as the eye can see, including a separated Goth/Industrial section.
Tip: Set aside a full hour minimum — the selection is genuinely massive.
980 S Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128, USA
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Stop 6: Redwood City
The Record Man
Long-running Redwood City shop with new and used albums across many genres.
Tip: Records are often not individually priced, so ask at the counter for a quote.
1322 El Camino Real, Redwood City, CA 94063, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Hours and details come from public listings and may have changed. Small shops often keep short or irregular hours, so check or call before a long trip. See something wrong? Use Still open? in the app and we will look into it.