Rocket Records

Just called to ask if they had tickets available for an event and the guy said «No!» and hung up. I attempted to call back with no answer. I am not sure why he was so rude, but this is horrible customer service. It is not hard to politely say «Sorry, we are sold out». They should understand that when a customer calls to ask to buy something that you may have, they are asking to buy something from you and transactions like this will keep your business going. I would never do business here or recommend this record store to anyone.

They have massive $ 1 record rack. The owner’s cool and nice. The only reason why I couldn’t give 5 stars is because of some of the price tag that were bit pricey comparing to other record stores for classic rock albums.

I was there for Record Store Day 2014 and found the owner unappreciative. He told me he didn’t think record store day brought in any business. Which is funny because the only reason I was there because of Record Store Day. I ended up buying a Minus 5 record for $ 15 that I later found out consistently sells for $ 6 both online and in other local stores.
There are other used record stores on 6^th Ave. that are much more pleasant, fairly priced, and have a larger selection.

Over priced used CDs and Records. Go to the other used record stores on the same block.

Terrible customer service. The guy that works there is literally the rudest man I’ve ever met. AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

This store which sells CD’s and such is not bad. The selection is ok but nothing that is totally off the charts. Prices are a little higher than they should be on a lot of the CD’s but the owner seems very nice. There is nothing too obscure here as far as selection goes.

Stopped in to check it out and it wasn’t a bad experience. Not a huge selection but a wide variety. Good quality used vinyl but you will pay top dollar. Could be a frantic place for a record store.

Horrible service. If I could I wouldn’t even give this place any stars. The owner of this place is disgustingly rude. As a business owner, you should be able to provide the most outstanding customer service. I mean, isn’t that what you should do, especially if you want customers to return to your store? He should definitely take some customer service classes or learn how to be a professional adult who doesn’t yell at their customers.

I use to shop at the old rocket records that was located on the corner of 6^th and proctor. They had a good selection, hard to find items, decent prices and a very friendly staff. However, the new locations owner is a rude asshole. I called with some questions about record store day the evening before actual RSD and he was very quick to get off the phone with me and gave me no information about how RSD worked. All he told me is that he hadn’t even opened his shipment of RSD items yet. Really? The night before RSD and you haven’t even started to prepare? So I decided to start there on RSD anyways because the last rocket records was awesome and I thought maybe I just got a rude employee on the phone. Nope, I had my mother run in to get the particular item I was looking for because it was pouring rain and I’m in a wheelchair. When she asked him about it, he laughed at her and gave her this look like she was stupid and said all we have is this and you won’t like the price. He had no idea that what she was asking for was on the list of items to be released for RSD. Rocket records is on the list of stores that participate in RSD… I’d expect the owner to know a thing or two about it and not be such an asshole to customers. If you want a good record store experience, do yourself a favor and go a little further down 6^th ave. to High Voltage records. I went there next and not only were we greeted, we were told all about the the RSD deals and where to find all the limited edition RSD items. I asked about what I was looking for and they knew all about it and where to find it. Great staff, prices, and selection too. Cheers to High Voltage! Jeers to Rocket Records.

Not a bad store, lots of vintage vinyl in a pretty diverse set of genres, including a decent classic hip hop section. A little on the pricey side. Unlike most of the reviews here, the owner has been super cool to me whenever I go in — he always tells me stories about shows in the 70s related to the albums I’m buying. The place metaphorically has a rough exterior, but I like it.

I called to ask a question and the employee was incredibly rude and told me to CALL BACK and hung up. Ya, that really makes me want to come into your store and make a purchase now.

The store was «open», yet there was a sign on the door that the owner went to the bathroom, so I decided to wait outside for the door to be unlocked. I waited a good ten minutes and decided I would leave, as I was leaving I saw the door was open, I decided since I had waited so long I might as well go in. Entering I was greeted by the smell of banana bread, as well as the owner. I asked the owner if he had anything by coil, he told me he never heard of it, so I decided to browse. As I looked at the cds, I was immediately taken aback by the prices, $ 11.99 for an obscure used piano soundtrack cd, $ 10 for a possibly burnt cd missing it’s booklet, nothing lower than $ 9. As I was looking at the cd section by the owner’s counter I saw an unwrapped sandwich, which obviously meant the owner had stepped out to grab lunch, which irked me even more. Looking through the vinyl section showed even more ludicrous prices, $ 20 for a skinny puppy single, $ 79.99 for voivod’s killing technology, at this point I had enough and decided to leave. I wish I hadn’t waited.
Avoid at all costs.

Just like the other bad reviews on here, the guy working there is a total asshole! I called asking about tickets for sale for an upcoming concert and the guy hung up on me before he answered my question. After calling back about 10 times, he finally answered and then said «I already answered your question. You called like 10 times already». He then hung up on me again before I could even tell him that I didn’t appreciate being hung up on the first time! I don’t know how anyone can have a profitable business treating potential customers this way. F this place. I’ll be taking my money elsewhere!

All I came in here for was to get a special DVD of mine resurfaced because several of the files were inaccessible. (Unfortunately, it failed, but it’s not their fault). What I had a problem with was the guy’s attitude. No saying Hi when I walked in, no asking what he could do for me when I stood at the counter waiting. And when it was time to pay? I’m sorry, I only use my debit card and don’t carry cash on me. He said it was a $ 10 minimum. Getting the DVD resurfaced was only $ 5. I was basically «Um…» and he said it was fine, albeit rudely. Took my card, said something about him eating the cost, and started complaining to the other worker or friend in the store that he had to put up a sign immediately about that. He was just really rude and I was uncomfortable the whole time I was there.

I stopped by today for Record Store Day 2012. I was not expecting the best but I was also not expecting such a bad experience.
I walked in and wasn’t greeted. That kinda bugged me seeing as how it was my first time there. It was RSD but there weren’t that many people, and it’s not like the counter is very far from the front door or any other wall for that matter.
The place had a good sized selection of vinyls and everything was fairly well organized. While browsing through the RSD stuff I found some cool 45s that I would have liked except I thought it was a bit over priced. Then I thought about it and I didn’t see them on the official RSD list so it seems they were just throwing other 45s in there hoping someone would pick them up. I also noticed the price tags on some of the stuff seemed to be marked up with a pen… changing a 6 into a 9 making a certain item $ 99.99. Then I heard the guys behind the counter say two things that really bugged me; «It’s a great day if you’re Easy Street records» and «That Flaming Lips record is already going for $ 300 on eBay.». Are these guys really bitter at the fact that they’re not as successful as other record stores that they have to mark up prices and try to make a whopping profit on RSD stuff? They should be grateful that they’re getting customers to come in and browse when maybe they normally wouldn’t. The point of record store day is to support your local record stores, which is what I was planning doing before I got so annoyed that I left. The loud ass Pink Floyd in the background probably didn’t help either.
As curious as I am to see what lies in those bins, I will not return.

Please be advised any reviews on here for Rocket Records before 2008 or so are for a complete different store. That store stocked new releases, had an incredibly well-​priced indie/​alternative section, had some neat rarities behind the counter I’d never seen anywhere, had a local section, run by an awesome dude… This store nowadays is owned by a different guy who sells $ 15 Electric Light Orchestra records and that alternative section consists of Elvis Costello. Attempting to sell or trade anything will get you a response that absolutely everything you brought in will need to be resurfaced and you have to understand things are horrible for small business owners. Which are thoughts that completely help you have a great shopping experience.

Good variety of vinyl, majority vintage. There was a small collection of modern and local vinyl up front.
I though the service was helpful. They offered to help me find a few things, searched through tons of records with me. If you’re looking for something to add to your collection, feel free to ASK.
I felt very at home and will be visiting frequently for sure.

Rocket Records– a local music store featuring local music!
Record (any physical media, really) stores have been disappearing for years, so it is nice to have an independent brick-​and-​mortar shop in town where you can still browse through bins of new and used recordings to find what you’re looking for or something you’d never heard. The fact that Rocket Records has a good sized selection discs from Tacoma/​Pierce County bands is a definite plus!
There are live shows here occasionally, too.

Will never go here again. The guy is weird and Is always thinking people are stilling everything. Pretty pricey too so diffidently not worth going to.

There are some seriously good record stores in Tacoma — and when i say «good» i mean not picked over, reasonably priced, and browser/​collector-​friendly. I frequented Rocket Records mostly in 2006, when I was living a mere half a mile away, and I found some glittering vinyl gems. I totally should have bought that Cap’n Jazz 7″ I found there! FUCK! It still bothers me to this day that I passed on that one. At least I found some sweet Seaweed LPs as well as some $ 2 used CD’s that I had been seeking for days.
Not only does this place hold local shows, which is always awesome, but it used to have a great selection of punk and indie vinyl — although when I went back recently it seemed to be organized differently. Maybe they’ve shuffled their genres. Regardless, even though I’m pissed about that Cap’n Jazz record, I really liked going to this store and I have a Rocket Records sticker on my car.
I also waited outside once until they opened so that I could buy a used Pearl Jam CD for my friends and I to listen to on the road trip that we were about to embark upon. How appropriate for the bleak skies of Washington.