In-store shopping
Yes
A-1 Record Shop in New York
Categories
Location on the map
New York, New York County, New York, US
Service options
Delivery
No
Health and safety
Mask required
Yes
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
No
Planning
Quick visit
Yes
Phone: +1 212-473-2870
Site: https://www.instagram.com/a1reco...
Site: https://www.instagram.com/a1reco...
Opening hours
- Monday:12–8PM
- Tuesday:12–8PM
- Wednesday:12–8PM
- Thursday:12–8PM
- Friday:12–8PM
- Saturday:12–8PM
- Sunday:12–8PM
Comments (199)
I found all the records I was looking for and I have digged major record stores in NY and Chicago. The price is slightly on the high side but the records are in good condition. The dollar bin also has great selection but it matches the quality
I was in NY on business...lets just say I essentially came on this trip to go to this store. Like one other reviewer said, its music selection isnt really for them, I personally disagree as its selection is right up my street. What blew me away is I walked into this shop in my stuffy wall St. suit after traveling specifically to this side of town, the guy said hello behind the register and I just got lost in the selection. 80s 90s R&B and house music are a wash. It was very my style with a great techno selection and several listening stations... this store makes me want to have another trip to NY.
Such a huge selection, I left feeling very happy. The place was lively with music and shoppers. I got to listen to a few before buying to make an informed purchase, and there were plenty of turntables for people to use. Can’t wait to come back.
I was in on a Saturday and they had an amazing DJ! Love the selection and I love the vibes.
Legendary place you can smoke outside while digging in the crates
Amazing selection of hip-hop!! Great place of youre into crate digging!
Wow. What a selection of R&B, disco, dance, jazz. Some things I had never seen on vinyl. Most stuff was extremely reasonably priced and lower than other stores in other cities. Given this is high rent NYC, I would have expected the opposite. And they literally have the best bargain bin on the planet. I only had 30 min which was nowhere enough time, and still spent $90. Check it out, you will be thrilled! I will be back!
Nice place and atmosphere. Helpful and nice merchant. Will definitely come back next time. They have a huge collection of old to new house, smaller of techno, all quite old and affordable.
The best records shop one can ever imagine. Its a huge treat for music 💏 lovers. Rare collection almost hard to find.
I could have spent all day (and a month’s wages) in here. Really friendly staff and an amazing level of well organised stock. I will be visiting whenever I am in NYC.
Good selection ! Wide range of genres and exclusive cuts but a bit pricey which is expected but did find some solid records
Fun shop and I almost cleared out their small but tasty used dnb section :]
Amazing store. Staff very friendly and open to chat and help! Hip hop, funk, disco, pop everything in 12 and LPS. Found some rare stuff too. Thanks! Hope to come back soon :))
My favorite record store in NYC. They have a great selection of hip hop and R&B.
To much Vinyl Records :p Greatest place for digging. They have every kinds of music. Must have for vinyl lovers
I love this place and I really hope it reopens. The best thing I got from here was something I picked up because I like the cover -- Golden Rain, a Balinese gamelan record
He was so awesome and showed up 30mins before the time he was supposed to arrive
This little store is amusic travele machine. Good music, good prices and real vintage material, if you are looking for forgotten hits, A1 récords store is the place fore you.
This is an excellent place of business. Large and great selection of records. Helpful , professional and artist friendly staff. Big up Eric. nuff respect.
A1 records is one of my favorite vinyl shops -- in the city, and beyond. The selection is good and always changing. The prices are fair, with some great values mixed in. If youre into records, you could easily spend the day here.
The best record shop on planet earth, period. If youre into funk, soul, disco, house, jazz, or classic hip hop, look no further(although they certainly cover more genres). Staff has excellent taste.Ive seen people complain about prices in various other reviews, but on average, most records go for what they would on discogs + shipping + maybe a buck or two off the top for the store. That being said, some prices may be uncharacteristically high, but Ive found so many other records in this place that went for WAY cheaper than they could have, so it really evens out for me in that regard. Plus, there are cheapo bins along the bottom and outside with some GREAT stuff if youre not looking to drop too much money.Records move through this shop at a fast clip, and as such, I can go twice a week or so and still find something new or interesting to walk out with every time. If you come in looking for something specific, they may or may not have it, but if you come in with an open mind and are willing to dig, you can really pull some amazing things out of these dusty racks. I keep coming back because there is so much music to discover here! I cannot recommend A1 enough. It gives an experience that buying records online simply cannot provide.
It was cool to be in that nostalgic old school record store in the village
One of the best records stores in the city.
My only issue I had was when I was there they were doing electrical work around the albums that I meeded acces to so I can continue my purchase and when I inquired about how long they will be there I was told about a couple of hours so I left without getting the items I came to get, I traveled out of state to go there and was very disappointed.
This was a very nice record store! The interior was very unique and gave a great atmosphere. They had a lot of records that are hard to find other places and they had a lot of 2$ records. It should however be noted that they were not willing to do much about the prices, even though I bought well over 60 records..
I can literally get lost in A1 for hours. So many rare and hard to find records for great prices and if they are a little pricey they are in tip top shape. The staff is very knowledgeable too. If your looking for an album to complete your collection stop here. Also lots of hip hop singles which is pretty cool.
Great vinyl shop. Found some nice gems in there! Definitely worth checking out!
My favourite East Village record shop. Has new stock pretty regularly and is mostly very reasonably priced. Great soundtracks section and Soul/R&B section. Janet, Mariah or Madonna fans might want to pay attention to those sections!
The fantastic tunes of a1 records fit into my Dj collection of grooves wonderful I will always return to a1 respectfully dj jamberson 2022
No offence to the store but Ive been to much better record shops outside of this one. There was a ton of records poorly stored and steeply priced. If you want to find some rare records this is the place but you shouldnt pay ten dollars for a single that the sleeve is falling off and the grooves are scratched. If it wont play, you dont pay.
Don’t go they don’t have anything but GEMS. Seriously though probably the best place I’ve been in the country to dig for 90’s NYC Hip-Hop.
Great selection at pretty good prices. Could get lost in there for hours
East Village institution. Great selection for all genres, usually good music playing and staff are on point. 1 star off as its a little cramped, which is to be expected in New York City. This should not dissuade anyone from going to a fantastic record shop though. My wallet never forgives me!
The store itself is ok and selection seems to be fine. The reason for poor review is staffs attitude - what is disappointing is they are totally unwilling to help - being new to vinyl, I asked staff (who are probably experts at this) to recommend smth that fits certain criteria, and they just said look yourself even after I asked again... with that kind of service and attitude, never coming back here.
I intentionally went out of my way to travel down here while I was in NY to crate dig! I found out about this place from Mass Appeals Rhythm Roulette on YouTube where hip hop producers blindfolded themselves and had to choose 3 records and they had to make a beat from it. The ceiling of A1 records are covered with album covers of hip hop records. I love this place!
These brothers know how to run a record store. Its funk/r&b section is outstanding in scope. Typically the its vinyl condition ranges from very good to excellent. Examples of my funk/r&b finds at A1 include pristine pressings of Parliaments Osmium and Curtis Mayfields Short Eyes. They were both $15. The stores jazz section is smaller and its blues section smaller still; nonetheless, they are tight. Yesterday I found excellent copies of Oscar Petersons Travelin On and John Lee Hookers Detroit Special. I had been searching for both for quite a while.My advice for folks hitting the East Side for used vinyl would be to visit A1 Record Shop first and then travel over to Academy Records, which is a 10-minute walk from A1. Theyre both great places, and when their inventory overlaps its likely cheaper at A1. I dont know what that one-star clown meant in his Google review by rude customer service. The guys on the floor know their inventory and are always helpful when I need assistance. Go figure.)
Its a great record store no doubt. Come here if you are looking for dance music and are ready to dig. They have sections for most big 90s house/techno labels (Trax/Nervous/Nu Groove/Sound Signature etc.) and producers (JoVonn, Kerri Chandler, Frankie Knuckles etc.) as well as newer styles (L.I.E.S., a lot of new tech house).
A-1 has always been an amazing shop to buy records. Great staff and a pretty good selection of records when it comes to jazz and rock music. Definitely deserves a visit if youre in the area
The best place. Lots of hip-hop, and you can find very cheap. Also lots of different music 🎶
Just a great spot to find that elusive record! Knowledgable staff and fair prices. They cover many genres. I dug the soul, funk and jazz section although they have a fairly large selection of rock, hip hop, etc.
A classic place and a jem that I hope never shut its doors. Great selection of music. You can find tapes, vinyl and cds. Prices for used music are very good and you can get records for as low as 5 dlls.
Absolutely for me the best record store so far, especially if you search for used Soul and Hip-Hop. I was on heaven with all this Soul stuff and i got 3 vinyls i really looked for and even the prices were as expected! Highly recommendable and for my next visit a place to be :) Went there today, not much crowded and staff were friendly!
The best record store in NY for sure
If youre looking for actual vinyl records, look elsewhere. The pictures make it look like they have a wide selection, and they do, but the majority of the records are singles not albums. This was pretty disappointing. The combination of no AC and a lack of protective pastic sleeves tells me that they dont care about the records theyre selling. And on top of everything the records are overpriced. Overall it was very disappointing.
This place was listed as one of the top 10 record shops to visit in New York on The Culture Trip website so thought I give this a try.I was impressed by the massive stock of second hand vinyls. There is not much in the way of hard rock and metal which is my preferred genre but managed to snag a couple of early Def Leppard records rather cheaply. However, the shop is filled with plenty of other genres for all souls.There are three turntables situated at the front of the shop which provides the customer the opportunity to listen to records before purchasing which I consider to be an extremely useful service.The checkout point isnt clearly marked as I went to the back of the shop because thats where the staff were, only to find it was at the front which left me feeling a tad embarrassed. Furthermore, I visited on a hot sunny day so the shop was rather warm and stuffy due to lack of air con.With those quibbles aside, A1 is the type of record shop where you dont go in to purchase a specific item but to explore and uncover hidden gems.
Man this store gets more dingy and depressing every time I go in there, and the staff always appear really annoyed with customers, but still I always find good deals in this place. You will find rares here, accordingly priced. Youll also find some good bargains in the bottom racks. The store can get really crowded and cramped, so go during the week or when its less busy especially if you want to use a listening station.
A great record shop they had nearly every record I was searching for. A really extensive collection from literally the floor to the ceiling. It does get abit hot though and then with so much people in there you can sometimes need air.
I usually come in for the Disco so I picked out about a good 20 records to fill out my collection... they usually have a lot of great stuff and Ill always be a lifetime buyer from them and I do get some help from one gentleman thats a pleasure to deal with ...he works at the register I forgot his name but he picked out a record and Ive been looking for this record for a very long time ....its have a cigar by rosebud and he pulled it out in seconds....here you go!....a tucked away goldmine in alphabet city....
If you wanna find any rap bakelite, this is your place!
Solid record store if youre looking for old soul, rap, and rnb music. Its super hot in here during the summer, so make sure you arent walking around overdressed because you will absolutely melt in here. Great selection that is well maintained and organized, although it took a bit for me to figure out. If youre in the area, I definitely recommend visiting.
The best records shop in Manhattan. No doubt!!
Super saucy records if youre looking for the Avant garde, or the unconventional and rare. Great sample fodder as well! Staff is knowledgeable and helpful 👌 theyve got great sales too; be sure to stop by!
Gd selection of LPs from most genres, and 3 listening stations. Records are helpfully marked up if there are known to have scratches but i would recommend you listen. Staff are helpful too
This is the spot for digging, glad they have upgraded the listening stations and cleaned up a bit since being closed due to covid. Hope A1 sticks around forever!
A1 Record Shop We Love You! Thank You For Serving The Community!From: Jimmy and Waleena
Nice record store focused mainly on hip-hop, soul, jazz, rnb records. The selection of other genres in comparison is very limited. On the other hand, saw some promo recordings from Nine Inch Nails, I guess its still there, because listeners to that kind of music dont come by that much. ;)
I went to a lot, A LOT of record stores while I was in and around Manhattan, and this is the only one where I found a lot of the stuff I was looking for at a reasonable price. The staff was a little snooty with me until the (I assume) owner pulled the guy running the floor aside and informed him that I had already picked out and agreed to purchase several high dollar records I had him pull from the wall. After that, I was treated like a damn king... which shouldnt really matter. Most record stores are filled with disgruntled staff that think theyre better than you. After collecting for 30 years, Ive learned thats just a quirk of record shops. However, it is the only thing that kept them from being a 5-star shop for me. Well, that... and their refusal to take a debit card.As for the selection, dont expect to find the hits here, or much pressed after the 80s. But if youre looking for the not-so-easy-to-find stuff... you might find it here. There was a good jazz and punk selection, and the common records were really well priced! Even the higher dollar items I bought were in line with other recent sales of the same titles. Youre not going to get screwed over here.The best way I can describe this place is like if you went into a slightly higher priced Goodwill looking for records, and everyone in the town that had donated records had really good taste in music! The condition of the records for sale generally hung in the VG+ region; played, but well taken care of.My advice? Carry cash, and lots of it. You wont be leaving with it, but youll have a big smile for what you do get after parting with that cash!
I love this place for the cheapo disco/soul/funk/new wave 12 singles, which are rotated regularly and which can really yield some finds if, like me, you space your visits out to every few weeks or so. Also, the staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and eclectic in their musical tastes, and (so long as youre an actual customer) they let you use the bathroom if need be! (In all seriousness, I LOVE you guys for that - its a vital bonus!)
Great first experience! Starting to build our records collection and so happy to have started here. Jeremy was amazing and went above and beyond for customer service. Can’t wait to go back
The store has a very good collection, friendly professional crew and good equipment for listening before buying.Price is almost the top ebay price but at least you are able to see what you are paying for
Tiny, dingy, and loaded floor to ceiling to wall with vinyl records of every imaginable genre of music known, this is my one absolute favorite record shop in the city. Its always possible to strike gold here, and for those (like myself) who like to go digging for music from other countries, the selections here are excellent for that. Hey, a few albums from some of my favorite Brazillian and Cuban musicians for under $20 apiece? Yes, please!Not stopping there, there are also tons upon tons of old school hip hop, rap, dance, house, disco, techno, rock, punk, new wave, and jazz, bebop, electronic... the list just stretches ad infinitum! Want to listen to something before buying? Set yourself up by one of the stores turntables and spin some prospective buys! The store staff is cool with everyone (as long as youre cool with them!), and wont hestitate to help you dive into the massive collection of records to help you find what it is youre after. Music lovers, if youre still spinning vinyls, this is the ONE place you have to try out!
Great local record shop. Seems like lots of regulars are always in the shop. If youre lucky, youll overhear great discussions about music while browsing.
I recently had the pleasure of working with the owner of A1 Records, Isaac Kosman. He graciously met with one of my clients who was looking to sell her late husbands extensive jazz record collection. Isaac Kosman and his associate were very courteous and respectful throughout the process.Isaac Kosman conducted himself as a professional should, something you dont always see in this business. I am more than pleased by how Isaac Kosman related to my client, and I will certainly recommend him again to any of my future clients with similar collections.
Always like this kind of small place full of records, reminds me of the place i used to work in taiwan, really nice collections from hip-hop to jazz, but i finally got something like mongo santamaria and some salsoul, disco records. think ill be back again before me leaving nyc, just to see if i can get some classic hip-hop album here.
Came all the way from Montreal for this shop. It’s an amazing place for any kind of music head. It has decent prices and offers a wide range to search from.
Amazingggg place!! don’t go on a weekend though it’ll be super packed. great deals and great vibe. it will be overwhelming. one thing i didn’t like was one of the employees was sortve rushing me to get out. questioning me if i was done yet. but hey that didn’t bother me i left with some good records!
Prices are OK up to overpriced. The owner could be nicer, looks like hes doing well enough and wont have to convince customers to return. Nice bargain bin, cant deny that.
Really nice store where I could not choose what to buy :) Compared to the other record stores here you can really find a real deal. Bought 3 mint records for the price of used.Really good place to shop records.
Love and miss A1! One of the best record stores in NYC. Do you have any plans to reopen soon?
Very wide selection of genres, well marked artist and genre spacers, fair prices, turntables available to test play records, would recommend.
Small spot if its busy you better better be open minded and go with the flow you will find your self nutz to buts and some times face to crouch if you looking at records on the floor ..but one of the best shops in Nyc
Historic and emblematic record shop in New York. Everything about Hip-Hop culture, Jazz, Reggae and even Rock andRoll. Affordable prices and excellent staff.
Great shop for vinyl records. Staff is really nice and you can check the quality of the record by yourself.
Awesome for digging used records. If i lived in the area i would be there like once a week to go through the new arrivals. Friendly staff. Ill be back the next time Im in New York.
This place has it all. Good people and good prices. One of the few places that keeps vinyl alive. Come support this place because when its gone, its gone.
This store has used records but you get to pick what you like and you also can hear what you pick out thay have three turntables for the customers to do so.
My daughter gave me a record player and came to purchase vinyl records amazing selection Love it will be back
Nice to find records that Ive been looking for at decent prices. Was kind of crowded but still worth the trip.
House selection is incredible
Need to get rid of old records and get paid? This is the place to go. I recently got rid of over 300 records and was paid for them fairly. Thank you A1.
Incredible records for sale. You could find gems just randomly drawing records. It’s an institution and well-worth a visit.
Heaven for a DJ that still spins vinyls, In this 1 tiny room you can find any popular or rare vinyls in different genres of music
Cool place with an impressive collection of used records of all kind. Nice finds in the cheapos bins too!
Good selection on vinyls, found good lps with reasonable prices and good conditions !!! Would easily return (with more time)
Old school hip hop, rock, soul,funky,jazz blues everything in here such a small store but will definitely come back!!
Worth visiting as a tourist but they also have regular restocks. Crowded at times go during work hours
Sure shot. Best selection of dance music and well organized. A must stop whenever Im in town.
Got an amazing record collection, including early records of pink floyd and led zeppelin. Also got a lot of hip hop records too.
This is the best record store in the world and hands down the best retail experience I have ever had. Those that know, know!
I love the great selection of discount club singles. Some are in great condition and are only 1$!
Amazing place, wide variety of genres and a lot of hidden gems on original pressing.
Great selection, plenty of stations to sample the records before you buy
A lot of records, most of them 2nd hand. you can find some cheap hard rock US pressing there!
Great record shop well recommended owner told me a interesting fact about Bob Dylan
Unparalleled selection of east coast classics. Genuine digging experience and a constantly changing stock. Come with plenty of time.
Nice shop, great tunes, reasonable prices.
Awesome store with lots of 12” maxi singles and jazz records.
Cool second hand record shop. If they dont have it they can at least point you in the right direction. An east village classic.
Love the cassettes I bought thanks so much
One of my favorite places to dig when Im home. One of the few places where the employees arent snobs.
Pricy but cool place. Took us some time to find the artists we were looking for
Hello sir , this is Abir from Bangladesh ... can I get your email please ... want to discuss on the topic of business..Thank yuh 😊
Amazing vinyl store! Very nice place and the seller was cool!
Great Golden Era Hip Hop selection. Very expensive however.
Great place with a amazing vibe!
Friendly staff. Great collection of used vinyl, fair prices.
Theres a large variety of good music and good assistance to consumers! Approved👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Your favorite artist’s favorite record shop. Also my favorite too. ‘Nuff said.
A1 is an East Village institution, serving up a robust variety of all the classics.
I have to force myself to leave to keep from spending too much money
Huge selection of vinyl records
Kind of messy. Need more room. You get better pay for your records at Reckless Records
Great selection of jazz records and friendly staff.
The store contains a great collection and a very knowledgeable staff.
Spent hours here, lots and lots of genres to choose from. Went jazzy that day.
Small record store. Limited stock. Purchased a 12 above the law single.
One of the best in the city for funky digging.
Great selection of cheap but affordable records. 👍👍👍
Great selection of cheap but affordable records
A great place to find records.Also very affordable prices.
Love this place for old school hip hop
Good used LP selection
°•○●Bc everyone at A-1 records loves music and respectable 2 those alike●○•°
A great collection of records, gives off a good vibe.
Well, funk soul electronica welcome you! Visit if youre in Manhattan.
Large variety of music!! Excellent customer service.
Theres a reason its called a1. this is the greatest record store in the world.
Lots of great New Wave and classic alternative singles and remixes
Good store a little pokey but great selection.
I could hours in this place, good vinyl shop
Love to dig at this place!
Amazing selection of used records of all kinds.
Lots of great records but very rude staff
One of the best spots for used vinyl that still work
Very friendly & knowledgeable owner,great selection and pricing
Fantastic selection, good prices & great location
Small space, large selection of vinyl of various genres!
Best record shop to dig at in NYC!
Just favorite record store
One of the best record shops in New York City
Best record shop in NYC
Small shop with a good variety of albums.
Great Records and Great Service from Great people
Great service. Not a lot if variety.
OMG I need to go back there ASAP to finish digging!!!
Being a long time customer, always finding goodies there.
Best little record shop in manhattan
Vibrant, wide range of genres, just being here was an expensive.
Awesome place with a wonderful selection
Couldnt find what I was looking for but great service.
Great place they have it all .
Best vynil shop in Nyc!
Very cramped, unknowledgeable/unwilling to help staff.
Good prices. Packed with inventory.
Great selection of vinyls
Great Record shop !! Great employees👍👍👍
Nice little music store!
Great selection of new Wave
Best record store on planet earth
Nice place for vinyl.
Vinyl vinyl vinyl at A1 conditions and prices
One of my favorite places in NY
Amazing amazing selection of records
Great record shop!
Nice place, lots of records
👍
I spent the whole day digging records
Great music selection
All the vinyles you need
BNNY RBBT EVIDENCE HERE!!!!
Great cheap used selection
A go too!
Stacks of quality vinyl!
This place is the real deal Holyfield !!!
Not much place to sit
Good place get records
Very nice space!!
Excellent Record store
The best collection
Great selections
TOP SHOP IN NYC
Classic Records are there
Great selection!
Incredible selection
Dope!
Awesome place
Great experience.
Records and good music
Fantastic
Total reviews rating 4.6
199 Reviews for A-1 Record Shop 2023:
Review №1
2022-04-01Suuuper cool place to visit and browse. My boyfriend was upset he didn’t have enough time to properly look before our reservation nearby. Lol So many genres. They have a station where you can test out the LPs- loved that. Staff was great and super helpful. Can’t wait to stop in again, of course, with more time.
Review №2
2021-11-07How cool is it that these guys are still around. It’s so wonderful to pop by and see so many rare finds. And discover new things. This shop is awesome 😎
Review №3
2022-06-02$25 for Freddie Hubbard’s Sky Dive? No way, not even if it was a Japanese pressing, let alone a plain old American. When I asked if they could work with me on this price, the cashier was just plain dismissive.Hopefully he understood why I didn’t care to go out of my way to find an ATM when their card machine was down.Personal experience aside, I found this place to be way overpriced, and super unorganized. Not to mention the store is unbearably loud, and the staff has no problem getting in your way without a simple “excuse me”. IMHO, there’s better record stores just a short walk away.
Review №4
2022-07-10This is my favorite record store in the city. They have an incredible selection (especially when it comes to reggae/dub). Plus, everything is well-organized and reasonably priced.
Review №5
2022-08-06Eric seemed amazing in answering all of my questions; I just wanted my records to land in safe hands and he reassured me they will. Music is a present, the people gifts back to the world. -EVL
Review №6
2022-08-03Great selection, good prices nice atmosphere!
Review №7
2022-01-20Good store, with a lot of underground stuff from US artists and labels. Particularly nice for collectors from Europe.Tip for the staff: dont put price tags on the record labels, it damages the label title if you gentle pull the tags off. Please put the tags on the hard covers or plastic sleeves, like they do everywhere.
Review №8
2022-03-16They have a lot but not everything I miss my neighborhood the way it used to be I asked for type-o negative. was hoping They had something but he told me nobody really listens to Metal like that anymore so I just left. they did have some black sabbath albums at a fair price
Review №9
2022-04-23Happy Record Day 2022 to all.. I enjoyed my time there browsing thru their vinyl collection.. and vibing to the mix from a resident DJ that was playing house music.. and finally finally I found the Daft Punk Homework Album YES YES YES 😎🔥🔥🔥 I have been searching other record stores and I couldnt find it.. until I got to this record store.. A-1 Record Shop.. the best Record Store in NYC.. very friendly staff.. love you all.. This is Rich aka DJ Kuzmo signing off Peace and Love yall 👏🏾👏🏾💯
Review №10
2022-05-08Just call and ask! These guys are a awesome and super helpful. I will be there to pick up my vinyl. Thank you and keep it up crew!