Antone’s Record Shop

This was our favorite record joint in Austin. My husband was able to find some good stuff and there was plenty to dig through. No matter what your taste they have it. Other than «End of an Ear» this is the best record store in Austin.

Antone’s has been around for ages. They specialize in rock, blues, and country and have extensive selections of each + smaller sections of other genres tossed in for good measure. I’ve been shopping here for years, mainly for the convenience factor since I frequent Tom’s Tabooley and Buffalo Exchange. I’ve spent a lot of $ here and the staff have always been so cool and treated me right.
UNTIL RECENTLY. On (I believe) Oct 5^th I stopped by, parked my car in their lot (no other cars/​customers were there) and asked some pink haired, tweaked out looking chick I’ve never seen before if it was cool to stay parked there while I QUICKLY ran into Buffalo Exchange (their neighbor, who were out of parking spots) to pick up a dress I had on hold — before heading back to shop at Antone’s. It would’ve taken me 5 minutes TOPS to get in n out of Buffalo. I’ve done this before and other staff at Antone’s have been cool with it, knowing I intend to spend with them too.
This chick was NOT ok with it though. She blantantly glared at me with disgust, then in the most obviously annoyed, condescending manner possible went off on some tangent about how I should go to park at Buffalo instead because their parking spots were for THEIR customers. Bitch I AM your customer. Or rather I WAS!
I had $ 500 in my pocket that day I intended to spend with you, but after that appaling, unprofessional attitude I decided to spend elsewhere. I can’t emphasize enough that there were NO other cars/​customers at that time. Had it been busy I would have understood her reasoning. And I would have respected her decision had she expressed it in a NICE way. But that blatant display of assholism was enough to turn me off for good. I’ll steer clear of this place from now on. For the good of the store I hope that bitch finds a new job. I’m sure she’d excell as a prison warden…

Visited 3 record shops this recent trip to Austin; each one had its own thing, great findings on each of the three, but the only one in which we got great service was Antone’s. While in the other two we were barely spoken to (but they did to other customers, I just don’t get it), these guys were friendly and we even got informed about an upcoming concert of an artist who I was buying an album of. Still, great records at nice prices. Thank you, stopping at Antone’s is a must!

I like to browse through record shops every once and while but I’m by no means an expert. However I did notice that place had a stellar collection of blues, soul and early rock and roll records. The fact they Howlin’ Wolf playing when I walked in was a good sign. They have decent variety, but they looked best if you were hunting for some vintage blues and r&b.

Antone’s is where the real music snobs of Austin buy their records.
If you’re looking for brand new releases, you’re in the wrong place. Antone’s is where you get down and dirty with some dusty old vinyl as the whole shop has that smell that’s eerily reminiscent of books you find in your grandma’s house or an old library. You can find some real old gems in this place without breaking the bank. Jazz, Country, Surf (hard genre to find), Rock, Soul, R/​B, and basically all that good stuff you cannot find anywhere else can be found here in a process that I imagine is what discovering Atlantis would feel like. The staff is the classic record store type of pretentious that gives you the slight nod of approval or shock when you make your final selection, doesn’t stop them from being good people who are eager to help.

Pretty great record store. It’s always fun to dig through vinyl for a couple hours. We did just that. The selection was great. Lots of older stuff and prices were fair.

I would give no stars if I could. Went in on a sat. Afternoon — there was a band doing an in store performance. It was very loud and I couldn’t hear anything on the broken cheap headphones at the listening station. I asked the older guy with the short grey hair and glasses if he had a different pair of headphones I could use. He said no. I asked him if I could ask the young girl that works there, thinking maybe she had some earbuds. he said no. I asked why, and he said because she was sick. She was smiling and very nice. I could sense from his attitude that he was getting annoyed with me. I asked him if there was some kind of problem, and he called me «thick»!? — hey man, all i’m trying to do is buy some records — isn’t that the point of your store? BE NICER TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. I’ll take my business elsewhere. The longer haired older guy was super nice though.

Antone’s was the first of four record stores I visited during my visit to Austin. I could be wrong but I think they only deal in used vinyl as I don’t remember seeing anything brand new. The selection was was decent and I found a few records that I would never have found back home in the Midwest. Organization was little bit overdone with the genres and new arrivals and Texas musicians, etc. Prices are fair. They aren’t giving stuff away and I understand that. Also helpful even though I didn’t use it at the time was a listening station for people who wanted to hear before they buy. In the end I bought more records here than I did anywhere else on my vacation. I’ll be back.

Poorly organized shop with some gems. Love the turntable listening section. They should really sort the shelves better — «Rock and Pop» section just felt lazy. I scooped up a brand new-​feeling Outkast record, which you definitely don’t see everyday.

Antone’s embodies the Austin attitude. it’s a «famous» store near campus where all the kids come and shop, and since it’s been around for so long, they can do whatever they want because it’s an Austin institution. Every six months I go back, expecting to find something different. Nope. The inventory remains the same, and the prices aren’t enticing.
The only thing I will attest to is it’s wonderful selection of 80s 45s for 50 cents each. But once you find that bin and you’ve picked it over, it’ll be a few years until you’ll see something new.

Friendly, and featuring a great collection of old stuff this is yet another of the small mom ‘n pop record stores that made Austin a fun place to browse about for good vinyl. Located near to the University and featuring a lot of used stuff in great condition suffice it to say that those willing to dig for gold can find some serious treasures buried amongst the stacks at Antone’s. A bit musty in some spots and slightly higher in price than similar stores in Columbus or Phoenix this is what shopping for music SHOULD be like… not the sterile experience of iTunes.

I enjoyed Antone’s. The staff is knowledgable and helpful. Good selection, not great. I appreciated a size able jazz section. Overall, glad I stopped. Found a couple things I had been looking for. They have a good «new arrivals» area.

During a recent weekender to Austin specifically to shop for records, we finally made our way to Antone’s to see what all the fuss is about. It’s located near campus and it’s a bit north of where all the action is but totally walkable if you’re spending the evening out on Guadalupe and decide you want to take home some records at the end of the night.
The store isn’t huge but it has quite a bit of selection and it’s focus is clearly on the music of of the 60s, 70s, 80s. If you’re looking for the latest Mumford and Sons album, you should probably go elsewhere (also expand your horizons!) but if you’re looking for some classic rock, jazz, rockabilly, and local Texas artists, you’re more than likely to walk away with something cool but you’ll have to do some digging.
I walked away with a completely random first press REM — Monster still in it’s original packaging and I have no idea how that happened but I’m glad that it did. That alone made my trip worth it. Once I’ve had a few more opportunities to visit and dig, I’m sure i’ll be back with an even higher rating. If you haven’t already checked it out, give it a shot!

Well I really hate to say anything because I have been coming here off and on since Antone’s Records opened and have bought and enjoyed many records here, but I think certain things should not pass without comment. After spending more money than I want to think about here over the years I came in tonight and confronted DS about his occasional spontaneous angry behavior towards me and he immediately got into name-​calling. I responded asking for clarification and he was speechless. I was shocked. In fact he even asked me to leave the store. On what basis? And, did he forget where the phone was?
I’ve seen drunks come in here, be rude and wobbly, and get served anyway because they have a handful of CDs for sale.
Some people are just having a bad day. If you’re having a bad life though and asking everyone around you to bow to your need then you probably will eventually be disappointed when someone refuses to comply and doesn’t have a clue what the heck that need is anyway.
There are a lot of things which have happened here that shouldn’t have but I believe we all need forgiveness at times. I am not going to make this into a comprehensive catalog.
I guess a few of the employees here are very tired of dealing with customers. These folks should be avoided.
I also echo TS’s comment; the selection is very picked-​over. Partly it is because so many resellers come here regularly to see what they can find to put on ebay, partly it is because staff gets first pick at a tiny markup over cost. I think another part of the problem is desirable pieces often are underpriced — hence the reseller traffic.
On the upside if you’re looking for that Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin LP then this is your place. If you’re looking for Stan Getz, Chet Baker, or Bill Evans, on vinyl, then expect to come here often to score that jewel. Yes the Stan Getz is here, but it is not what you’re looking for, and it is overpriced.
If you are selling your records — come here, as they pay more than anyplace else in Austin.
It’s a nice store but staff can be a little cold or distracted, selection has too much chaff, and yeah, getting blasted when trying to solve a problem crosses the line for me. Sheesh.

Antone’s is really hit or miss for me. The same could be said for their staff as far as friendliness from my experiences. Some days the staff will openly greet you and ask if you need help finding anything… some days they can be short… bordering on rude with you. Each experience has been different and sometimes I do find good records, but there have been droughts where I didn’t find anything for long stretches of time, too. I’d say check it for yourself and see if you agree, because this is just my experience.

This is hands down the best record shop in all of Texas.
Before you dispute me, consider this.
Most folks who collect records are not interested in new release’s. That’s not say that collectors are snobby, it’s just that many have a deep understanding of the wealth of good music that was ONLY PRESSED ON VINYL and long out of print.
Think about it…
Up until 2010 iTunes did not have any songs or albums from The Beatles who are easily one the top selling bands of all time.
If it took all that time just to get reissued in mono, on mp3, and on CD imagine all of the other great albums out there that still haven’t made it!
That is not say that Antone’s does not keep any new release’s in stock (which they totally do) it’s simply that they focus on music that is a little more difficult to find.
Anyone who is fan of blues will easily be impressed by the largest selection of which I have seen available ANYWHERE, neatly organized by name, and even region!
Fans of soul have a slightly smaller but equally impressive selection, especially when it comes to 7 inch singles!
Local Music, Rock-​A-​Billy, Garage, Punk, Funk (also organized by region) Jazz, rNb, Surf, Folk, Classic Rock, Tejano, Metal, and more can all be found here.
If you can’t find it, they will often order it just for you!
The staff is very knowledgeable and have often recommended things to me that I would have NEVER FOUND OR EVEN HEARD OF WITHOUT THEM. I feel the need to note that they only made suggestions when I asked them too, and never once pressured me to buy something.
Prices are very reasonable and the shop is clean.
I don’t think you could ask for anything more…

Sadly, the selection is picked over and there is very little to get excited about. Every artist I tried to find had a name marker, but it was empty. The «New Arrivals» were all «meh.» I have a feeling that the staff gets first pick… I heard them talking about the newest albums that just came in, and the ones they got. I know it’s part of the «employee rights» thing… I’m not against it. I’m just passing along that if you want Jefferson Starship or Olivia Newton John, the employees won’t be picking through those, and this is your place.
There are so many other amazing vinyl stores in Austin, and with better prices.
And it’s nice that the owner cares enough to respond… that’s a rare gift. However, I know what I heard, and the discussion took place at the «New Arrivals» display, and the employees were discussing buying an album for themselves from the display… and the extended conversation left no doubt in my mind that they cherry pick. Still have nothing against it… employees should own the merch they sell. It’s just fair warning to those of us «not in the loop.» But fair dues on the sale… that might be why there was little to choose from.

OK, I am REALLY not a fan of country, blues, or jazz music… With that said, I did see some incredible collectible surf rock and 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s rock at Antone’s. I was pretty disappointed that there was very minimal punk records on display, but did manage to find a decent selection of punk music in the 7″ 45 section. I walked away after paying over $ 50 for some decent records that I couldn’t find anywhere else, so kudos to Antone’s for that… I probably won’t go back tho…

If you’re into country/​rockabilly/​Texas music, you can’t do better than Antones. If you’re into new releases, don’t waste your time.
Unfortunately for Antones, I’m in the latter category. I enjoyed browsing what they did have in my preferred genres, but I found the general organization somewhat confusing, and as a savvy veteran of combing through used vinyl, that shouldn’t happen.
I’m sure there’s plenty of people who love and adore this place, but as an indie rock loving music snob, it wasn’t what I was looking for in a vacation record store.

This is the ultimate place for record collectors. Its selection of records far exceeds Waterloo’s and it reminds me of the kind of record store you’d find in New York or Providence, RI back in the 70’s.
One of my roommates is an avid record collector and he was in heaven when he walked in, mostly because they started playing some really old blues he really liked. The sales associates are also really friendly and there are pretty cool posters for sale throughout the store. Actually, that’s the best thing about this place because I’ve met a lot of pompous people working in record stores.