Skinnie’s Records

I feel like I’ve probably busted on this guys balls before but he does have a great variety and a selection of patches I would only find online. So Skinnies is great.

People tend to rag on this place (esp. in the past) I’ve been around long enough to remember shopping the original shop on 21^st st. They have a good section of Punk, HC and Metal/​Thrash Vinyl and Lots of rock as well (60’s/70’s/80’s) Had a good conversation with the owner Steve about the record industry, metal and the 90’s Norfolk scene. Check it out.

Well stocked record store in a trendy neighborhood. Specialized in punk and metal records. Also stocks shirts, stickers and cool posters. Owner is super nice and helpful. Prices are average for this part of the country.

Very small used CD section — primarily a vinyl location. The organization of the store was somewhat confusing. More on the punk/​metal side. Prices were higher than I’m used to in my local store — stopped in here on vacation. Owner was friendly — asked me a few times if he could help. Walked in with a number I was hoping to find, but walked out empty-​handed.

I love this place. The owner is a really cool guy and very nice. I found an original scream vinyl (Dave grohl’s first band on drums) !! My only problem was that I found too many things I wanted.

Honestly, I don’t understand the poor reviews. The owner has always been pleasant to me and does a great job of helping you locate things if you can’t find them. He’s also «reserved» things for me considering he’s knows my taste in blues and other genres. When I’m in Norfolk and looking for vinyl, I wouldn’t hesitate to stop by Skinnies and take a look around.

Me and my wife have been shopping at Skinnie’s Records for many years… Not once have we ever had an issue or a bad experience… The 1.5 hour drive to Steve’s store is worth it and we always come back home with merchandise and music you cannot find anywhere else among our travels… The atmosphere in the store is always upbeat and there is a wide variety of cool mechandise to choose from… Skinnie’s Records is the only place like this that we shop at in the Hampton Roads area

Dont’cha just love music, old/​new school vinyl, and partying like it’s 1977 at Eddie’s Rock Palace? Well, maybe you don’t … But I know I can never seem to get my fix. Old vinyl records are like my heroin. They are the drug and I’m Nikki Sixx –and this is my Heroin Diary of my love for Skinnie’s.
First off, I want to say: I have been here ONE time. The owner, Steven Athey, had never met me nor I him. I left this store feeling like I had just made a great friend and a killer connect in Ghent. What a swell guy.
You like vinyl? Me too. So much, in fact, that I have a stationary record player and a portable one. And while my record collection is as slim as Heidi Klum’s infallible waistline after 7 362 627 kids, I get around –the Beatles, that is.
I have spent many o’days and hours lurking through the crowded shelves of ye ol’ Vinyl Daze (a staple of the VB Oceanfront –i.e. my stompin’ grounds), to find rare and collectible vinyl. Never perusing for more than that. Care to know why? Because, when you break it down, that’s what they’re good for. The Beatles. That’s the bread and butta of Vinyl Daze.
THUS, when I don’t feel like hanging out in the ‘land of yellow submarines’ … I was left with browsing the internet (not my favorite).
THAT WAS UNTIL … *drum roll*:
I walked into Skinnie’s! What makes this place special? The selection, the location, the history, the owner (and his handsome, little pug). There was an entire, back wall completely devoted to JUST punk. And when I say punk, I don’t mean JUST Misfits. I don’t mean JUST Crass. I mean, from the moment that lil’ punk baby Jesus was conceived you can hear his lil’ punk baby Jesus heartbeat recordings on the back-​end of these walls.
It blew my freaking mind. This place is like the Six Flags of record stores and I’m the little psycho buying the «speed pass» so I can jump the lines above everyone else. He has an ENTIRE section of heavy metal. And I mean, heeeeeavy, blow your face off death metal. Not your style? It’s cool, I like Motley Crüe, too. He’s got it.
This is not a place for the faint-​hearted. This is a place that you will love, appreciate, and cherish if you REALLY DIG good music. For those of you that want the newest Taylor Swift vinyl, go away. Go to Vinyl Daze. Not saying there’s anything wrong with you, but you don’t deserve to be here.
This place is sacred. This place sells you history and, for that, it should be respected. I walked out of there with three vinyls: two old and filled with character, one new. A Cannabis Corpse new vinyl, an authentic Misfits Beyond Evil bootleg, and a Circle Jerks original vinyl. I love it. What a killer find.
The owner is so knowledgable, I felt like I was speaking to someone who is the personification of the rock/​metal/​punk section of the encyclopedia. I will be back for seconds.
This place makes me SUPER, freaking happy. Want to know why? Because it’s authentic. This small business personifies Ghent and what it should be. A big, Abraham Lincoln top hat off to you, Mr. Athey –Long live Skinnie’s!

Absolute garbage. Ninety percent of the records there are in thrift store condition with crazy prices attached to them. If you are into coffee stained Wings records for twenty five dollars, this is the place for you. Terribly unorganized and the owner is ridiculously washed up and rude. The new section is very limited and the «underground» music selection that this store boasts about is laughable and made up of entry level garbage you can buy at FYE (for less). Skip this place and go to vinyl daze.

Skinnies is awesome! I was in there one day and I’d been trying to find a turntable for a long time. He just got it in store and hadn’t tested it so I paid cash and he even lent me some records to test it with. He told me if the turntable had any problems he would refund it. A while after I was looking for a receiver and he told me if I needed any help or had any questions about one to just call. When I finally tried hooking up my turntable, receiver, and speakers something wasn’t working. I called the store to see if he could verbally talk me through it and he suggested face timing so he could see how I hooked it up. We had some difficulty so he just let me bring everything in store and hook it up and test each component individually. Anyways, great owner, great records, and it’s not filled with wannabe hipsters!

I’m in town visiting my wife’s family, and we stopped in for a few minutes on Black Friday while waiting for the comic shop to open. I went to one of the old locations but didn’t buy much because it was all overpriced, but decided to stop anyway.
He had a couple of the Record Store Day Black Friday releases that I wanted, so I picked those up and spent another 45 minutes looking for something else that wasn’t insanely overpriced, but failed.
The owner refused to take a credit card because I was buying special product he could sell to a «more familiar» customer «later in the day.» I paid cash for the cheaper record, which i shouldn’t have done. I’ll pick up the other one in a decent store.
Over the past 28 years or so, I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars in hundreds of record stores all over the world and never before have I had a store owner be a dick about my method of payment.
I’m not sure how this place is still open. Is anyone really going to buy last year’s Record Store Day overstock that he’s marked up to twice the original price when they’re still available at regular price from other stores? Is any new customer ever going to shop there a second time after interacting with the owner?

Upon entering this «wonderfully organized and fragrant» record store, I was greeted with a hug by the «warm and always cheerful» owner. I asked for a record by Neil Young and he «complimented me on my superior taste in music». I browsed for hours because I felt so «comfortable and at ease». The prices were «the lowest I’ve ever seen» in my 56 years of record shopping. The records were all in «excellent condition» and the selection is «far superior» to any record store in the world. I will «definitely be back» whenever I miss seeing his «bright smiling face». I hope that the store «lasts for many more years» and nothing horrible ever happens to «it».

Made me feel welcomed as soon as I walked in! Extremely nice and helpful! And the little pup helped too

I love this place. I always find something cool. I stop by often after working the lunch shift at my job. It’s my happy hour.

Every five years or so I get in my car and head over to Skinnies. I normally leave so disheartened and pissed off I have to wait another five years before I can visit again.
Why I do I punish myself so? am I a glutton for punishment? do I have nothing better to do than shell out 25 – 30 bucks for a CD I could get for 8 – 10 elsewhere? perhaps I hope to walk through the door one day and see someone new behind the register, some order to the shelves, and maybe even a hint of Febreeze in the air to combat that infamous houseatosis stench that has plagued the place for decades. the sad truth is, I really want to like Skinnies and always have. It’s the only record store in Hampton Roads decided solely to rock, punk and metal music.
Unfortunately, the owner of Skinnies doesn’t seem to know how to run a business. He can be down right abusive when he feels like it — for no reason at all. I hate to label him a wannabe — I’m sure he knows a thing or two about the music, but he knows nothing about the sense of community that music brings to so many of us. This guy’s bad attitude turns people off. The fact that the only record store dedicated to my kind of music is owned and run by a complete psycho is a big middle finger to me and everyone just trying to support the local scene. The fact that his prices are exploitative just adds insult to injury.
so yeah — avoid Skinnies altogether — try Vinyl Daze in Virginia Beach

In town from California and I found Skinnies on the google maps, so I stopped by on my lunch break. Private parking lot was a plus. I was impressed by the large selection of vinyl. Skinnie said Hi as I walked in and was chatting up some girl, and I went to thumb through the wax. He stocks new and old records.
After a minute he asked if I was looking for anything specific. I declined his help at first, but then asked for his help a minute later as I was finding some great records with some time on them, in good/​great condition, I figured I better ask the man some questions. He helped me find some out of press stuff that was still sealed, super cool.
My experience was pleasant. The prices were high end, but then again, a thirty year old record in cherry condition is gonna cost more than a buck. I shop at the dollar stores and higher end stores. there’s no comparison in the quality of sound reproduction from the discount records and good used vinyl. I’ll buy the nicest I can afford at that moment. I’m very happy with my purchase today. I’ll be back next time I am in town.

They say that people are more likely to write negative reviews than positive. With that being said, this will definitely be a negative review.
I recently got a record player and wanted to make my way into Vinyl like my father and his grandfather before him.
I decided to try to shop local, so I stopped by Skinnies for the first time ever today in the hopes that I would be able to pick up something I could enjoy.
My music tastes vary widely, and I listen to just about everything. I walked in and the guy behind the counter says hello and continues his conversation with two young women. I look around for two albums I wanted to buy. The albums were «Neutral Milk Hotel — In an Aeroplane Over The Sea» and «Godspeed You Black Emperor — F#A#» Now while these albums are nowhere near mainstream music, they are pretty highly regarded albums in the music world.
I look around a bit and try to see if he has them in stock. I then asked him if he had them in stock and he said no, so I shrugged then walked away. It’s at this time that decorum when out the window. He then said to the two young ladies that «That’s the fifteen minute guy. He and his friends like a band for 15 minutes, I can’t be expected to carry those titles. He won’t buy anyways». It was at this point I was about to snap. I asked a few more questions, then just decided to walk out.
Courtesy is king. Otherwise you have no merit to stand on against the likes of Amazon or Ebay sellers. I took my purchase to amazon and got a great deal. I like to buy local, but when you have terrible customer service it is tough. Take your business to Vinyl Daze in VA Beach, or Birdland, or even American Oldies in Newport News. Shit even go to the back of Lavender and Lace where a guy sets up new albums. Look up Ryan Stoner and Anthems of the Undesirable on Facebook Don’t spend a penny in this joint, please don’t perpetuate lousy service.
PS. I posted this on facebook and got the following responses from my friends.
«He told me to get out because I had a suit on and I was just going to look around, ask ten questions and then leave.»
«yeah, I tried going in there looking for some post-​rock once and nearly got chewed out because no one shops there, in favor of going to big name stores. well maybe if you didn’t treat potential clientele like crap you might get some fresh blood.»
«Skinny has kind of become a meme. You go in there expecting to be treated like some sort of unwashed plebeian. I’ve been pretty lucky to never been the target of one of his Asperger’s-rage-rants, but if you want a better selection with MUCH better service, Vinyl Daze Records is the better choice.»
And so forth.

Place was pretty cool. Saw alot of rare and hard to find punk CDs and EPs. Pretty cool place with lots of punk and metal. Tons of vinyl. You could spend hours looking at all the stuff here. The records all look used but they’re priced as if they were brand new. I got a few albums that were 2 – 3 bucks. Owner was cool in my book. Asked if I needed help and answered my questions. There’s also alot of cool tshirts. I’m coming back when i need something to check out. There is a minimum amount for credit card purchases so try to bring cash.

Walked in to the not-​so-​warm greeting of «what’re you lookin’ for?» and then found some good vinyl but WAAAYY overpriced. I’m talking dollar 45’s with $ 28 pricetags. I won’t be going back.

I stopped in here for nothing other than nostalgia. It’s been years since I walked into Skinnies and now I remember why. The owner is uh… unique… Prices are a little to high, as they have always been, and it really reminded me why I used to shop at Electric Smiles for my underground recordings back in the day instead of here. Pass.