"Arranged Biographically": Saint Louis' The Record Exchange

Boasting "the second biggest record collection in the world", The Record Exchange is Saint Louis' premiere record store and modern marvel. The sheer amount of vinyl at the Hampton location is at once breathtaking, intimidating, and overwhelming. This shop actually smells like an old record. Stacks and stacks of records line the walls and reel to reels, tape decks, and old school turntables litter the floor.

The atmosphere is positively "Hornby-esque". Male. Collectors. Quietly singing along with the Beatles record blasting through the quiet. Other than that no chit-chat. Staff that expects the customer to know what he (and the occasional she) wants. For the record snob and musical elitist, it is close to perfection.

Check it out, but be prepared to drop some cash. Vinyl prices can run from two to ten dollars, tapes are almost as much. Don't bother with the negligible CD collection. The point of this store is the vinyl and the days of the record store. The Record Exchange is by far the most extensive collection of vinyl in Saint Louis and a reminder of what fun shopping for records used to be.