Dave’s Records

I love Dave’s! Amazing selection of old and new vinyl, it has that classic record store feel that reckless tends to miss out on based on store size. I grew up buying records here so Dave’s has a soft spot in my heart. Also, they’re wonderfully close to the wiener circle. Hot dogs + new music is a dream.

The mighty have fallen. Last time I was in Dave’s, 90% of the 12″ stock is new records, small used section, just a thin selection. Sad to see. Chicago record shopping is pretty beat.

This review is overdue.
We visited on Record Store Day and Dave’s was the only spot to have the Dave Hause «Home Alone EP» that I searched for all day. I should have come here first but I didn’t know any better since I was new to the city. I found a few other special releases and a few other regular releases to purchase. I was really overwhelmed with their outstanding selection.

chud dungeon manned by someone for whom high fidelity is an aspirational movie. nothing special stockwise and prices on common records are twice that of other chicago stores.

My favorite record store in the city. Dave is such a cool guy and always has the latest stuff first and always makes it a point to order anything for you if you can’t find it when you walk in. The selection is endless and if you plan on coming here for Record Store Day you won’t be disappointed.

We stopped by here because hubby was looking for the «record protection papers» for some of our vinyl records we purchased from multiple thrift stores.
I don’t know the technical name for this kind of paper. The paper typically appears white, thin, and glossy. The gentleman behind the counter informed hubby that the item was available for $ 0.20 per piece.
Well, I guess hubby accomplished his mission. Since we recently started collecting vinyl records, we browsed through some of the records in the store. Hubby found another «Kansas» vinyl for $ 4.
I think this store is a gem if you are a lover for vinyl records. Lots of modern albums can definitely be found in the vinyl forms. We saw Adele’s most recent album (21…containing the famous «Rolling in the Deep») in the store as well.
The entire store wasn’t spacious at all, yet all records were organized so customers would shop with ease. I would certainly come back, take my time, and dip into all the vinyls, one by one.

Dave’s is a well-​curated store with an exceptional collection of 45s (and their sleeves, too) as well a noteworthy selection of soundtracks and rare LPs. The location is convenient (anytime we dine on Clark Street, we always stop at Dave’s). The LPs can be overpriced for their condition, though. Tip: if you have the time and don’t mind hiking over to Reckless Records on Broadway, compare prices and availability between Dave’s and Reckless before you commit to making a purchase at Dave’s.

Huge selection of vinyl, Prices are good and comparable to other shops. What I don’t get is why do these shops think its ok to let their records take a beating on their shelves. Records are over filled on the shelves and the shelving has an angled front edge so nothing fits in neatly without getting bent and creased. Sad to see this.
Also vinyl is categorized poorly with 3 overlapping sections? Rock /​modern rock /​audiophile releases? The same artists could potentially be found in all 3. Thanks but i’ll take a pass on this place.

I havent been in Dave’s for ages, and since I had some record-​shoppin’ money to burn and was right near there… I figured, what the hell?
Dave’s has a rep for being overpriced and Dave himself has a rep for being kind of a jerk… but hey, like I said, what the hell?
firstly, there is nothing in this place that cant be found cheaper at one of the many cool record shops in my fair city… just for example, the last sealed album I purchased was at Dusty Groove last week… Roky Erickson’s «Gremlins Have Pictures» for 14.99…at dave’s…24.99…I also saw Peter Buck’s 2 solo albums, which I picked up at Laurie’s Planet Of Sound for 12.99 each… at dave’s…27.00 each!
ok, then…
As for the comic-​book-​guy-​from-​the-​simpsons himself… today I did find one album to purchase… now keep in mind I was the ONLY person in the store… Dave is staring at a computer screen… i put my album on the counter… shuffle my feet a little… pull out my wallet… nothing…clear my throat a little… nothing…finally, I say «excuse me»…he turns one iota in my direction then goes right back to the computer… that was enough for me…
so, business as usual at that rat-​hole…
There hasnt been a better time to go record shopping in Chicago for years… many great stores… do yourself a favor and skip this one…

A gem of a store, Dave’s is a wonderful place to dig for record gold. I stopped by without looking for anything in particular and just happened to stumble upon two exotica records I had been looking for. Not extremely rare records, but they were in good shape for an average price. The ambiance in the store is perfect. The cramped walkways with records covering everything in sight is exactly what makes record shopping feel exciting and mysterious. On top of that Dave was playing very cool music, presumably from his own collection. Some of the records here are a bit more expensive, but overall the store is a wonderful place to pick up new and used vinyl.

It was record store day 2014. There were the predictable mobs of people at other stores — and this place was busy as well — but it stood out and quickly became my favorite shop of all.
You will find more new records than used. The selection of new records is amazing — especially if you are in to rock, indie rock, alternative, etc. if that is your pleasure you have found your heaven. Welcome home, this place is amazing.

This shop had a great selection of older stuff (think 1970s on) as well as some newer current-​day stuff. If you’re afraid of small spaces though — beware! It was pretty tight in here. You have to shuffle around other people while they’re browsing, which can feel a little weird.
Prices seemed pretty good. This is definitely a place to explore, take a chance on something new or just say hi to the friendly guy behind the counter.

3 stars for nostalgia sake!
I love that there are places that still sell vinyl and that there is a sign in the front of this place that says «we don’t sell CDs and never have»!
Very small space as 2 people walking down the aisles is too many. This place is great if you are a fan of classic or modern rock. I happen to be a hip hop/R&B fan and the selection was pretty slim, but they did have some good stuff though. I just got a record player so this place will now get visits from me as I start my collection. Prices are pretty steep in some cases.
Good spot, but needs to diversify a little more

This place is so peaceful. It’s relatively well organized and when you can find a record that you want for a cheap price, jump on it! Typically, things are priced pretty steep here. However, you also don’t find too many record stores these days. I’m a returning customer and I will continue to be!

There was quite a bit of selection here, but unfortunately, the way it was organized was a bit precarious. If you’re looking for something specific it may not be your best place to go (the staff was a bit surly and unapproachable) but if you’ve got some time to just browse around it’s worth the stop. I still purchased about 5 albums that were very reasonably priced.

Good record store, absolutely worth a visit. Has a lot of stuff and I immediately found 4 records of 4 different genres (new and used).

Dave’s is a small and intimate record shopping experience. There is a little bit of everything here, from new records to 99 cent Christmas records, I always find something every time I stop by. Prices are reasonable and there are many discount records. You have to dig, often in impossibly high or low bins, but hey that’s the fun.

Dave’s Records was the first record store I came to when I moved to Chicago. They have a variety of vinyl, mainly Rock, Soul/R&B, and some metal and country, and while the browseable selection can be nice, it’s not everything you might hope for.
Since this store is small, Dave has to stack everything up that he can’t display (or doesn’t think is worth displaying) on the eye level and below sections. I have found some great albums up there before, but have to admit it’s not the easiest thing browsing those. The albums I’m talking about are above eye level, and as you know, the spine of vinyl records are not always easy to read, especially if it’s not in mint condition. The other albums at below eye level are easy to browse and there is a great selection.
The thing that bums me out about this is most of the featured vinyl is new or in new-​ish condition. That is great and all, but there is something to be said about finding a cheaper album that’s still in «Very Good» condition. I don’t collect vinyl as a monetary investment, so if I have the choice between a $ 8 «Very Good» condition or $ 20 «MINT» condition album, I will actually choose the $ 8 over $ 20. Maybe I’m not purist enough, but this is how I do things.
Overall, Dave’s is a great record store. I wouldn’t call it THE best in Chicago, but it’s definitely amongst the best in town I’d say. If you are a music fan, especially if you like or collect vinyl, the place is definitely worth a visit. Dave is very knowledgeable in music and vinyl as well, of course, so he can be a great resources sometimes. While it is true it’s a great place, I would still like to see it be more browseable somehow. I suggest putting an inventory online honestly. It might take awhile (depending how much Dave has in his computer online), but I think it would definitely drive more people there and also be easier just to see what’s in stock.

This record shop is tiny. Really tiny. They way Dave stocks his store is by placing records rather high up. How the hell am I supposed to reach those, bro? Don’t even thing about asking for help from the sassy man behind the counter. I asked a simple question and I got the kind of sou-​less stare that I usually see reserved for people asking why a «grande» at Starbucks is only medium and not large. Maybe its because I look like a 10 year old who jacked their moms makeup case, but why would you be nasty to a potential customer?
Besides that, I did find some decent stuff. Newer «hipper» music along with older used records that were in good shape. The prices are a bit high compared to other shops in Chicago, but I found some things I new I couldn’t find other places.
Def. look at the records that are on sale or discounted! I’ve found some great stuff in there. It changes all the time so don’t be discouraged if you don’t find something.
I perfer Reckless, but Dave has some great finds for a higher price that you probably won’t find at your run-​of-​the-​mill shop.

I began collecting vinyl because I missed making an event of listening to music; gone was the excitement of tearing off the plastic, using a saw to get that annoying top sticker off, and flipping through the CD booklet for the first time. With vinyl, everything is bigger and better in terms of packaging, and albums I’ve loved for years have new life breathed into each song.
Dave’s understands and promotes this ideology with a no frills all thrills record store. My first visit was a few weeks ago. I was searching for one record and came out with 8. Sure, my bill was $ 100+ but I snagged some fantastic, rare finds. My second time, exact same situation: eBay proved futile for a single-​record hunt, but Dave’s had the album at a ridiculously great price. The quality stickers have always been accurate, their selection ranges from low-​fi indie rock to big bass hip hop. The two gentlemen who’ve been at the counter during my visits were friendly, knowledgeable, and provided a nice soundtrack for my flipping.
Make this a stop on your Sunday record shopping trips. Chances are you’ll drop the most cash here.

Dave’s Records is exactly what it sounds like, a man named Dave who sells records. No CDs, just records. In fact, Dave takes a lot of pride in the fact he has never and will never carry those shiny discs. Although I generally think it is detrimental to a music store to only care one format, I applaud that Dave at least sticks to his convictions and doesn’t just fall in the middle somewhere.
That being said, Dave’s is tiny! I literally have had bedrooms bigger than this place. However, Dave’s utilizes the space it does have by stacking records from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Although I found their selection to be pretty decent, I did think the prices were a bit high. In the end however, I was able to find a few things to walk out with.
Dave’s Records is definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in the neighborhood, and as other users have posted, it can be a nice escape from the hipsterism that has made it home at other Chicago staples such as Reckless (although I do love Reckless). Keep it classy Dave!