Hyde Park Records

HPR is a great shop with a deep selection of Jazz, Soul, Rock, House, and Disco. The clerk was really helpful, and knew exactly where to find what I was looking for. Selection has always been deep and eclectic, i’ve been coming here for 10 years, and miss the wacky artwork on the walls.
They have lots of in-​store performances and dj’s which is very cool.
Prices are high on some things, more or less high end discogs prices. Sure they have a dollar bin, but you get what you pay for there. I found a great LP i’d been looking for, bit the bullet on vg+/nm vinyl for $ 30. Sure the new reissue is half the price, but it’s nice to support a local business and pick up an original press at the same time. Lots of 12“s in the house bins were $ 10 and up. There is plenty to find though if you spend the time to look.
It was funny in a sad way seeing young kids come in and get bored and leave. I know there are young heads out there, this is a great spot to start your vinyl collection…

Went back here after having late lunch in the area.
Today they had a whole bunch of used CDs near the register area for $ 1.00. Was happy as I found several CDs to add to my collection.
Didn’t see much in the rest of the store except the bargain DVD wall where I found a travel series for a really good price.
Definitely worth the trip today as I found some great stuff to add to my collection.

I grabbed some great r&b records at very reasonable prices. They had a ton of rare jazz, but nothing in good enough shape. Prices are good across the board, but not super bargains. Best part was they were playing tons of good music — I dug around for an extra ten minutes just to listen!

This place is dope, and the staff makes you feel right at home. I dig classic rock to hip hop and have never been let down. keep up the good work. I never give 5 stars for anything really but as a music snob they more than pass the test. Do yourself a favor and drop up in this joint and add to the collection or maybe even start your first one, you wont regret it!

One of the last best record stores we have in Chicago. They have responsible priced items. U can find records as low as $.99 there. U can actually be there for hours without realizing it. They have a decent selection of DVDs; some are as low as $ 2 each. It’s always a treat to see & touch vinyl. Here u will not be disappointed. The staff are ok but today they had 2 friendly associates there. Always an eclectic crowd. Viva vinyl!!!

I can’t believe it’s taken me so long to write a review for this place. It’s changed hands since I started frequenting it but it’s a neighborhood staple. A steady stream of records for every taste and interest level, as well as a few samples of obsolete formats. DVDs can be found pretty cheaply also. The guys are music heads with a broad knowledge base, so don’t be shy about asking questions. Stop by!

One of my favorite record stores anywhere. It’s not quite Dr. Wax, but still great nonetheless. The employees are knowledgeabe and very helpful. Gotta love those dollar gems, too. Could use more hip-​hop vinyl, though!

There are so many better record stores in the city of Chicago, especially with better staff and prices. I have had a number of bad and surprising experiences at Hyde Park Records and generally avoid going there even though we have a substantial record collection that is constantly being expanded.
They do not like when you mention any other record store to any patrons while you’re there (how weird is that? Where’s the record community love?). I have been reprimanded by a man behind the counter for suggesting K Starke or Beverly to the person who was trying to get rid of a trunkful of records… after HPR refused to take any of them.
Now they seem to think that they own the listening environment not only IN the store, but OUTSIDE as well. They now regularly set up really crappy speakers to play mediocre music at a loud volume outside the entrance. I’m sorry, but if you’re trying to sell records then you should really invest in a decent set of speakers that don’t crinkle the bass and warp the high end. It just sounds like a teenager from the 90s playing his boombox too loud to annoy the neighbors.
The selection is okay, but nothing you can’t find anywhere else if you get your fingers dusty. And what happened to all the classical stuff? And how does the same record labeled with the same condition and the same pressing have 3 different prices when I find it in different spots in the store?
Lastly, the listening station is pretty awful and located in an awkward place right at the front of the store.

Sitting outside waiting for them to open…37 minutes after the 11am time posted on the door.

A great resource for when you’re on the south side and feel like hitting the bins. Prices can go a little high here, and I came on a really cold day and they had the door wide open with no heater running– seemed a little less than ideal for sticking around a while, because it was freezing and my fingers couldn’t even flip through the stacks.
Anyway, it’s got a really good selection. I’m going to visit again on a warmer day.

Hyde Park institution which has been on 53^rd Street for many years, I’m glad they are still doing well given how the musical landscape has changed due to digital media.
Last time I went there, I brought vinyls to sell, those were from my own collection and it was mostly classical, free jazz, and 20^th-​century avant-​garde. Guy buying the records was all over the Schoenberg and John Cage albums, and visibly pleased that someone had brought this material in. My hope is just to get a token amount of money for certain albums, and to enjoy debating the merits and demerits of the music, i.e. :
(a) Good music that we should recommend others to listen to, or
(b) Really not good, or not to our tastes, but something that will nevertheless sell in Hyde Park, or
© «Naaah… I wouldn’t buy that, either.»
This time, I brought 20 CD’s that were left behind by my neighbor, of what one would call «indie rock» and electronica. I cannot really agree with this person’s musical tastes, and the criticism I would make is that his collection was very formulaic. On the other hand, there was nothing in really poor taste, and there were a few excellent albums among the more predictable stuff.
First guy buying CD’s said he doesn’t know the material well enough to judge whether they should buy it, therefore wait for his «boss» to come look at them. Boss-​man, who resembles a record-​store employee, arrives shortly, looks at about three albums on the top of the stacks of CDs, and says «Nothing we need here…»
In a manner which could be interpreted either as desultory or as «hipper-​than-​thou». He didn’t even look at the other seventeen of the 20 CDs, so how would he know whether they need them or not?
Come on, dude, at least go through the motions of playing the record-​trading game. .. I brought you these for the fun of trading, not for the money.
So I «gifted» them all of the 20 CDs, by walking out before they could attempt to give them back to me. I hope that they will come to their senses, and put a few of the better albums for sale in the racks.
That having been said, they are a lot more polite than employees at a typical record store. There’s nothing not to like about Hyde Park Records, in fact I highly recommend it for the vinyls.

I never thought I’d find another record store as cool (and diverse) as my collegetown record store…
But I did.
As soon as I walked in I felt like I was back at home. I must’ve killed about an hour or so roaming the aisles, inspecting every section thoroughly. They even have a leg up on the competition with an extensive, inexpensive DVD section. What ended up purchasing was a CD that I hadn’t been able to find ANYWHERE else in store. I left with a big grin on my face, knowing I’d found a great deal. I was so impressed, in fact, that I brought a friend back with me a couple hours later. My friend was really familiar with the store, as he had grown up in this area.
Hyde Park Records, you’ve got a fan.

Great store, selection was great, and the staff was friendly. I don’t drop by this area often, but I’d gladly come back when in the area again. Beats going to Dr. Wax, if that’s still in Hyde Park anymore (though I thought all of them went out of business).
They have a 2 for $ 5 CD section, so I enjoyed finding 2 albums there I’d always wanted to listen to (Serj Tarkinan’s (sp?) of System of a Down’s solo album, and Primitive Radio Gods). Looks like they had a turntable, if you want to listen to a record before you buy one. I’ll investigate the vinyl selection, next time I return.

Pretty good selection of rock and pop, excellent selection of soul and jazz. Records are rated fairly and usually quite reasonably priced. (Note: I’m not sure about cds since I haven’t looked at those).
About the only complaint I have is I found a number of dirty records. Not that this is terrible, but the fact that you have to put the work in on cleaning them yourself in a good number of cases drops the rating from 5 to 4 stars. Other than that, this place is pretty cool.

With Dr. Wax and 2^nd hand tunes closed, where were we supposed to get our music on? Ah, Hyde Park Records. Thanks to the french dude who took over this store. The 3 main guys who work there are super nice and funny. Sometimes I go there just to listen to their convos. My dad requested a record from a group I never heard of, I went to Hyde Park Records and guess what… it was there! They have great $ 5 DVDs and get your box sets there. Box sets are a great gift idea for the person who has everything! You’re welcome :)

My husband did his Christmas shopping for me here :) I always go straight for their classical music selection and I’m never disappointed. What’s especially nice are the $ 0.99 records.

Hyde Park Records, do not ever go away. I love you. You’re small, so I feel like you’re mine. You’re unpretentious, thank you. You have records for ninety-​nine cents. And you smell fantastic, like an attic full of treasures.

HPR, you have everything I want. It’s too bad I moved six states away.
My wife, and my bank account are now happier, but I miss digging through your racks, finding a record I’ve been looking for for ages, and then celebrating next door with a large plate of rib tips.
I suggest a Hype Park East record shop. maybe in Cambridge.

A great mix of nicely curated used CDs and tons of used vinyl (especially jazz and soul) at good prices. Friendly staff, although I had one funny experience: last week, I wanted to listen to a record, but the counterman said the listening turntable was out of service. Today I was back and asked a clerk whether the turntable had been fixed. He looked at me like I was crazy, and when I explained what I had been told last week, said: «Oh, it was never broken. He was lying to you because he’s lazy and doesn’t want to help customers.» OK.

I love their Jazz section. Decent selection, multiple price points. No high-​ball price tags. The $ 0.99 area is awesome and vast. A great place to start out if you’re looking to create a collection of vinyl. I also love the atmosphere. .. Keep around, Hyde Park Vinyl!