Record Swap

This place is great. The staff is friendly and helpful, it’s very clean (as far as record stores go, just don’t try to use the bathroom), the records are all extremely high quality, there is a good selection, and they guarantee each record for skips or scratches. My only complaints are that there is very little new vinyl and that the prices are fairly high. I had a hard time parting with $ 12 for a Simon and Garfunkel album. If you’re starting a collection and aren’t afraid to pay a bit more for higher quality vinyl and great service, this is the place for you.

I so powerfully want to like this shop. It feels right, that’s for sure. I feel like I’ve been walking the aisles of this same shop my entire life (even though I just moved to C-​U a month ago). The Record Swap has a good inventory, and in their new arrivals section I flipped past a number of records that caught my eye — mainly records I already have but that I don’t see very often. I was not thrilled with the pricing on these records. It wasn’t insane, but it was higher than I’d paid in almost every case.
I’m beginning to develop a theory that C-​U record pricing (and maybe other retail pricing, too) is influenced by Chicago retail pricing. Maybe that shouldn’t surprise me, but it kind of does. In any case, I’ve now been in the shop twice. I went in a second time to scope out the $ 1 bins upstairs. I had visions of semi-​sweet gems hidden up there. I did come across a few OK things (mainly, one of Waylon Jennings’s stronger mid-​70s records… which isn’t really very sweet, but whatever, it’s a decent record… I’m not here to justify my taste in dollar-​bin scrapings…) Suffice it to say, I wasn’t blown away, and I wasn’t enticed to dig further in the future.
I’m glad this place exists, and if I were just starting a record collection, I’d probably spend some money here. As it is, however, I’ll be saving up for road trips…

It’s just about the music here and that’s why it’s worth visiting. They offer records from the golden age of vinyl and you can’t help but delve into the treasure trove that is this place.

Record Swap is a great shop. Bob really is passionate about what he does and doesn’t carry the pretentiousness that other people at certain stores in the CU area have.
Arguably one of the best parts of the store is the $ 1 section on the second level. This section isn’t just Christmas and easy listening — there’s a huge varied selection of stuff from all genres. Nicer copies of certain popular/​common records might be a little overpriced, but you can usually find a copy of the same record in the $ 1 bin on the second floor in similar if not lesser condition.
In addition, the selection of new stuff is getting better. Although it’s not as good as Exile’s, Bob makes sure to have great stuff out.
I’d definitely recommend checking the store out if you’re in the CU area.

Real nice shop. I bought a real nice first pressing Miles Davis record in great shape for a good price. The owner was real helpful to me and my brother.
I have been to the shop twice and the owner was very nice and helpful both times. The dude knows his stuff.

I love this place. The prices beat the hell out of the internet for the most part. Bob knows his stuff and will talk about music for as long as you are willing to. The prices do reflect not only the rarity of the title, but the condition. They just started carrying some new vinyl too. Because of the deep selection of inventory, I am amazed at how often that I go in looking for a specific title and «Voila» Record Swap has it.
All kinds of stuff; posters, incense burners, CD’s and of course, records. I don’t know if I could live in C-​U without Record Swap.

This place use to be downtown Urbana. I drove by one day when I came back to town, and noticed they were gone. Damn, I thought they closed down. Driving back, I was on University and noticed they had moved. Yay. I have always been a fan of the Record Swap. Before Exile opened they were one of the last independent music stores left in the area. The owner is a little odd and reserved, but I have always found him a likable guy when he opens up. He knows his stuff as well.
Anyway, rows of used CD’s, some new but not a ton of new releases. A bunch of vinyl. Some box sets up front. An awesome selection, I have even found some bootlegs here I can’t get anywhere else. Vinyl is in good shape as well. I have always been a fan. Even though they have moved, the store has not changed one bit.

Drove all the way from Indy to this stinkin town and was VERY taken aback with this so-​called record store. First off, its hot as heck outside and the place has ZIP air condition, just a few ceiling fans blowing all the hot air from the outside into the store!!! The ‘clerk’ @ R.S.had the front door wide open.
Walked by the guy, never said a word to me or my wife, hi, how r u, why the fu are you here, dont you know Im ‘batchelor 69′ cuz I have ‘A Love Supreme’ by Coltrane playing on the cd player…
Okay…as for the lp’s that lined the front middle and back of the store. To ‘give’ credit where its due… all music catergories are properly alphabetized… but thats where it all stops!!! The prices? Seems like the ‘owner’ injoys setting the ticketed price according to ebay prices! Fine… but if one wants to ‘move product’, having ‘em at such wont sell a thing!
Nice if one wants ‘the ego driven’ idiom of having a so-​called first or second run of a Cannonball Adderley disc, but @ 25 smackers… thats a rather bit too high… dont care if its on the ‘original Riverside’ label or not!!!
Methinks the ;owner’ is fronting the place as a ‘write off’ for other business ventures he/​she probably has!
Didnt get a chance to browse the $ 1.00 lps ‘upstairs’ as previously mentioned, as it was hot as hades downstairs Can imagine what it was like up there w/​o the air. (Stayed a total of 5 minutes in the store)
Been to much MUCH betto record stores than this ‘place’ and really would not recommend anyone to go in unless one has plenty of $$$ to spend and coming out with not much of anything!

The guy who works there is an asshat, the past couple of times he has looked me straight in the eyes and not said «Hello» once. He came over and started yelling at me for looking through the «duplicate LP» section. I then I explained that the prices were clearly different on each copy, to which he did not reply. USE EBAY!!!