The True Vine Record Shop

When my boyfriend and I were in Hampden, we checked out The True Vine Record Shop. Whenever we are in Baltimore, we usually hit up El Supremo and The Sound Garden in Fells Point. Being in Hampden, we stumbled on True Vine while walking around the neighborhood and decided to go inside. It’s looks real old school inside with wooden crates and interesting décor on the walls. You can find some really good stuff in here — it’s a good mix of new and old. I ended up getting a giallo soundtrack compilation that I haven’t seen anywhere else. I’d recommend this vinyl shop 100%.

I visited five record shops while in Baltimore, looking for used vinyl. True Vine was my least favorite, mostly because the prices seemed a tad high to me. Also, the $ 2 records were the same mostly-​unwanted records you see in every thrift shop. It’s the only shop where I came away without buying anything.
It is a well-​stocked store, though, and certainly worth a visit.

Hello new to your site. looks alive!!! I. I am versatile if music CDs preferably. Eminen infinite that’s it for now

I’ve been coming to The True Vine since the summer of 2006. I’ve picked up many gems here. It can be very hit or miss with new arrivals depending on how frequent you dig here. There is definitely a lot black gold though!
THE GOOD…
–I always find something!
–eclectic mix of soul, r&b, jazz, soundtracks, world music, experimental, classic rock and everything else in between
–some rare and hard-​to-​find records
–Listening station (headphones are looking rough though)
–Pretty organized
–Good Hours
–Jason the owner is very knowledgeable
–prices are OK for the most part
THE BAD…
–Some of the staff smoke their cigarettes right outside the door… it’ll creep into the shop
–Sometimes the music played in the shop doesn’t make for a pleasant experience
–street parking can sometimes be a pain, but depends on time/day…usually though I can find a spot somewhere within walking distance
Overall, The True Vine is a solid shop. When I am down in Hampden I’ll make a point to swing by. I prefer going there when Jason is working though which is usually during the week. I would recommend checking out The True Vine!

This is one of my first stops when I come to Baltimore or DC. The staff are very knowledgable about their well curated selection. Shopping there is a bit like a treasure hunt. I never go with expectations and always come out with a smile. I would like more places like this, but I don’t think its possible– its just too special.

Rare stuff galore, but he won’t have your typical sellers. The $ 1 records are some of the strangest things known to man. Which is either great or awful depending on what you want out of your record store

True Vine is truly the record store of record stores. Jason the owner is awesome and knows his stuff. Very insightful and helpful. Sure it’s a heaven for Artists, but also the everyday person will find it’s charm just as alluring. If you love music, you’ll love True Vine.

From the obscure to the sublime and everything in between.

The Hot spot for diverse artist on CD/​Wax/​Cassette. Lots of international and diverse music to choose from. I dig the fact that there is a listening station available for records, CDs, and tapes. Thank mother nature for the true vine.

This place is on point. They have a good selection of records and tapes, the vibe is solid and the staff is friendly. Some really hard to find obscure stuff in their bins at fair prices. I will be back often!

Before moving out of the state of Maryland, I was a frequent customer and I could definitely find a good bit of rare items. Customer Service here is awesome and Jason is a very knowledgeable guy. He won’t steer you wrong! He’s not only concerned about a customer’s musical taste, but once you stepped into the shop, you became a member of the True Vine Family! I’m glad that I’m included.

This store is great. In their «Under $ 2» section you can find amazing gems with just a little wear and tear on the actual cover, but perfectly fine records. That’s actually a policy, they will only sell records that work perfectly. Jason is not only a great store owner but a great person in general, an enlightening person with which to have a conversation. I locked my keys and wallet in my car in the pouring snow and walked back in after having bought a turntable. Immediately after hearing about my predicament, Jason calmly told me to stop stressing, let me use his computer to find the number of AAA, made me a coffee (a great one, at that), and shared a smoke while waiting. A true human being.
Wow, I really diverged from the point of this review– TRUE VINE has something for everyone, and then more after that in their large eclectic independent collection. Definitely worth at least a visit if you’re in Hampden.

One of the best record stores in the world, no joke. Not the kind of place that you can walk into expecting to pick up the latest Pitchfork darling’s release (unless they’re from Baltimore, in which case they’ll be well-​represented), but the kind of store that you can dig deep in, have great conversations, and discover something that will blow your mind. Everyone on the staff, but specifically Jason, has a knack for meeting people on their level, finding out what they’re interested in and opening up a conversation about ideas and concepts in music that will lead you to dropping half your paycheck on something you never knew existed. I can’t recommend this store highly enough.
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, ask Jason to show you the Cocoquantus, a stereo receiver that loops and manipulates what’s on the store stereo system, or check out some of the CD-​Rs in the True Vine archive series.

Eclectic, local, friendly.

True Vine Record shop is the most randomly awesome little music store I have seen in awhile. I find it refreshing that you can still go into a shop and page through crate after crate of vinyl. No — I am not a DJ, nor do I have a crazy collection of music. I stopped in only because my husband is a crazy collector and on a recent trip back home, he stocked up on all my mom’s old records — if not just to collect the artwork on the covers. I had no idea he was such an enthusiast for old records, so when I saw True Vine, I figured I would stop in and see if anything caught my eye. My only problem? Too much did. I wound up not getting him a present there after all. I think it’s best if I just take him shopping and hook him up then. I can’t choose and Lawd knows I would probably choose the wrong one and ruin the whole idea. Plus, it would be great to see him face — like a kid in a candy store. Impressive, True Vine. Impressive!

RAD! this little gem of a record shop truly blew me away.
crazy wide variety of well cared for vinyl. I only had time to pick through a handful of rows but still managed to score some major finds I’ve been after for a while, including a feelies record I had seen going on ebay for around $ 70. a super reasonable $ 15 at TTV.
the staff were super friendly, unpretentious, and even helped me find a walkable path back to our hotel downtown.
the true vine was easily one of my favorite things about baltimore. I hope to return one day.

Its always a good sign, at a record store, when you can ask the person at the counter for a specific group and they can immediately tell you where, in the stacks, to find them. The other day, I asked Jay if he had anything by the Dillards and within 30 seconds he had two of their albums for me. True Vine is a great place if you have an open mind and are looking to expand your musical horizons. You’ll be hard pressed to much by the Beatles or Led Zeppelin, but there’s a wealth of great music for those with tastes more on the obscure side. One of my favorite things they’ve done is create mix CDs of various styles of world music; I picked up one such CD of Hungarian and Ukrainian folks songs which I love. The selection, the staff and the display case in the corner with bizzaro, cricuit bent and homemade instruments make it worth the stop.
(Just be aware, they’ve moved and are no longer on W. 36^th st. but around the corner and down the hill on Hickory St. You should see the sign as soon as you turn the corner. If you’re going up hill, you’re going the wrong way.)

Jason Willett will help you discover new dimensions of sound that will tickle you in ways that you didn’t know were possible.
Also, yeah, did I mention that Dan Deacon works here?
If you vouch for music, you should check out this store. There’s a small, but special selection, and most importantly, it’s a great place to talk to people to learn a random fact or two pertaining to the vast universe of music.

Oh, The True Vine Record Shop! Located at the beginning (or end) of The Avenue, how I wish you were in the Boston area. This is one of my favorite not-​local-​to-​me-​and-​have-​only-​been-​there-​once record stores. They have a singular collection, and a space that is organized and easy to traverse, while being conducive to serious digging through rows of vinyl.
I was visiting Baltimore & DC during one of the few times I have ever been paid for vacation days (yay to my former teacher days). I explored much of Baltimore by day alone. The Avenue is a great area of stores — reminds me a bit like downtown Northampton, MA; downtown Santa Cruz, CA; and parts of Cambridge, MA.
Though I could have spent a couple hours at this store– what with their collection of obscure recordings, rare 7“es, countless «white whales» (albums– of various obscurity or just «hard to find on vinyl”– that you have been looking for/​hoping for for quite some time), and more. Sadly, I only had less than half an hour here. That said, I found 2 of my white whales– and even a great Joe Tex live album for $ 4– in less than 20 minutes! Which white whales? TOM WAITS’S CLOSING TIME! & TELEVISION’S MARQUEE MOON!» Both in great condition.
If only True Vine were nearby, I would go there often. I would suggest it to locals and visitors from out of town. It’s the kind of place where, even if you only kept a budget for «records under $ 10» or 7“es, you would still find better-​than-​solid records.
**** Note: I am a freelance editor. I sometimes barter my services for vinyl and books. I would be more than willing to barter editing & writing coaching help for vinyl from this store. Contact me if you are a Baltimore/​DC local, or if you plan to visit the store someday soon.

Quality over quantity. Owner is very friendly, enthusiastic, and recommended two records I really, really like and would’ve never bought on my own.
I came in the door 5 minutes after they were supposed to be closed on a monday, and he let me browse the entire store, then spent another 20 minutes playing me music and chatting. This kind of interaction rarely happens these days.
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