Submerge Records

One of my favorite record stores in the world!!! Every time I go to Detroit I make a point to go to this record store. Everyone is friendly and the vibe is great. The record selection is fabulous (especially if you’re looking for Detroit specific stuff… It’s very well curated) I never leave without a stack of awesome records. This is the real deal.

Call ahead and arrange your visit. The record shop downstairs is mostly Underground Resistance and related labels, and seems mostly related to whatever the Submerge mailorder is currently stocking– so you can’t expect to just roll in and find piles of wild surprises. That said, this is a great place to pick up local releases at good prices; you’ll definitely find a couple gems.
There’s also a history exhibit upstairs, which is the real must-​see if you’re a visiting Technophile. Where else do music legends stroll around, shoot the breeze, and chat with guests? Not at Hardwax, that’s for sure. Show respect and you’ll probably learn a thing or two– I know I did.

A review, in Haiku:
Can you say hipster?
Overpriced and so obnoxious
Never return again, will I

Having been going to Submerge for ages, I can’t say enough great things about this place. I remember first hearing the Submerge «myths» a long time ago when they opened e.g. «oh, you need to have a secret code to get in» or «you need to know a secret password» or whatever. I thought it was a secret society at first :). You DO generally need to make an appointment though to buy records. Don’t get me wrong, this is one of the best, if not the best, places for Detroit Techno. UR, Red Planet, KMS, Transmat, Axis, Planet E. etc all the mainstay Detroit techno labels. Sometimes things are available that can only be bought here. One of my favorite routines is go records shopping here every Memorial day weekend and buy up all the new shit from the year that I may of missed. Bridgette is a super nice girl, always helpful, always in a good mood. Everyone here is knowledgeable on all their records and willing to play you something or you can listen to records on your own (I usually just buy on sight). If I had to give them a suggestion, I’d suggest stocking more Detroit house, but this is mainly a techno place, so I get it. Shopping here is supporting Detroit as well as vinyl, which is slowly becoming a dying breed. The more you shop here, the more we can continue to keep vinyl alive. But I believe if there ever comes a time that vinyl becomes extinct, Submerge will continue to press vinyl no matter what…

got to make it over to submerge tuesday, had my appointment at 1pm.
woman named bridgette is who you talk to to get all that set up. she said to ring the doorbell and give her a minute to make it up. rang the doorbell and some dude opened the door, i said «i’m here to buy some records». he let me in and had me take a seat in the waiting room. here is where they have their shadow box-​things with some serious bits of techno and underground resistance history. drum machines, sequencers, records and original record labels.
downstairs is where the record store is. tons of ur releases on one side and lots of releases for other labels submerge distributes on the other side. i was there for only 1.5 hours or so and didn’t get to listen to a whole lot. while i was fishing around, i heard a familiar voice, and said voice walked into the store. bridgette says «this is my brother, mike». we talked for a little bit, mad mike is a really cool guy. so i picked out a few records and paid for them. after that was done, she invited me to sign the wall and even gave me a free shirt for coming by! as if i needed another reason to love this label, the down to earth people that run the operation are even better than the beautiful music that comes from the grooves.
eric b

If you have any interest in electronic music of any type, this is a MUST visit. As others have said, they have a great selection of Detroit electronic music and exclusive items. They also have a small museum upstairs documenting house and techno music of Detroit. What’s really the kicker is that you can often find some of the artists lounging around and get regaled with stories from people who were there first hand and continue be involved in the scene. It can be hit or miss in that aspect, but if you’re fortunate enough to catch someone in the mood, be prepared to be schooled. Interestingly enough, you’ll learn so much more about the music, it’s context, and how it’s tied to other genres as many of the artists are actual musicians who play in funk bands, hip hop bands, etc.

Really who can say no to Submerge, the distributors of the Underground Resistance?
Submerge certainly has set the tone for much of the electronic music that has come out of Detroit; no matter the genre, all who produce or listen to electronic music here at very least know of Submerge, if not worship the ground they press records on.
Not very large, but looks can be deceiving. There’s more awesome electronic records here than anywhere else. You may find yourself wanting to pick up the whole damn store and take it home with you…
They sell some clothing as well. If you’ve ever wanted one of the sweet designs the UR logo has undergone through the years, this is absolutely the place to find it.

For the true underground Detroit records, Submerge is the original and the best record store/​distributor in Detroit. Submerge has been in the business for about ever and when you want those hard to find records, this is the place to get them.
They offer a great mail order service for those not in the Motor City, and I know first hand that they ship to vinyl junkies all over this planet.
It’s an inspirational place to visit, well recommended if you have any passing interest in dance music.

The epitome of underground and quality detroit electronic music.