Creme Tangerine

This little record store is really one of the last places in OC you can find some quality records at cheap prices. The owners are collectors just like you and they seem to value the rare/​weird/​eccentric gems, so there’s a lot of that in stock. Sure, there’s lots of stuff you’ll want to see like your Led Zeps and whatever but there are a lot of rare/​weird gems too. That means a lot of collectors that already have all of the easy to find stuff can come to a place like this and find new things they haven’t heard about yet.

I have to agree w/​many of the other reviewers here. This shop is small but does have great records within (and outside). I always walk away with 2 – 3 great quality records I’ve been looking for that are priced well below what other area stores charge.
You also get friendly, no attitude service here as well. What more could you want?!

Very good prices and selections on records. Tiny little store but we always manage to find some serious gems that are priced way higher at other stores.
Staff always has good recommendations if you are looking for random records. Be sure to check out their just in section as well.

Best record shop in OC! Great knowledgable and friendly staff. Great hip and trendy location! My husband and I stumbled across this gem of a shop after grabbing dinner one night. My husband is a «music snob», so him and the owner of Crème Tangerine, I believe his name is Parker really hit it off. Visit this shop, you WILL NOT be disappointed.

Such an amazing spot. I really like how the guy working is always so helpful and has great vibes. Found my favorite record shop

Worst experience ever!!! I’d give 0 stars if possible. My husband and I called in advanced for a specific Ramones record for a gift. When we got there, they didn’t even have it so we purchased a different Ramones record. After we left, about 6 minutes later, I called Parker (assumed owner) to ask about the return policy. We had literally just drove away and I specifically asked if I could get my money back because this was a gift and we weren’t going to gift it after all. To which he said «You can get your money back as long as it’s still sealed and you have your receipt. That should be ok». After being clear on the return policy, the call got disconnected. He left me a voicemail saying that we just discussed the return policy and to call back if we have any other questions. Since he answered my question, I didn’t call back. I ended up purchasing my friend the actual Ramones album he wanted and planned on returning this one. But when I went back, an associate said that they can not give us back our money, but they can give us store credit. I told him about the conversation I had with Parker and he said he was unavailable. He called him a few times and Parker did not answer because he was on a hike. My husband and I left and gave the associate our number to give us a call when he heard from Parker. I was certain that Parker would honor his word and simply give us back our money. However, this was not the case and they refused to give us back our money. Horrible customer service! They DO NOT honor their word, it would be so easy to give us back our money. We have not opened the record, it’s still in the plastic, still in the bag, and we had the receipt. If Parker would’ve told us on the phone that they can not give us back our money, that would be understandable, but either he lied to us, or his associates lied to us. Or they simply don’t care about their customers and their experiences. what is so sad is that we’ve purchased records from here before, but after they refused to hold up their agreement, we won’t be coming back!

Absolutely adorable.
I’m not sure I would call Crème Tangerine a «store» but whatever it is… is pretty neat.
Crème Tangerine is essentially a dinky airstream plopped in the middle of The Lab, an outdoor mall l. It’s hard to miss if you’re at The Lab but impossible to spot if you aren’t in The Lab.
The prices are excellent. Even for Orange County stores, I’ve been able to snag a few records that are cheaper than other nearby shops.
One thing I love about Crème Tangerine is that for some reason the place all seems to hold down a steady stream of weirdness that I haven’t quite captured at other stores. There are always some completely absurd selections there that I have never seen at other shops– and they’re always cheap, so it doesn’t seem like a big risk.
As other posters have said, CT has a great selection of solid everyday records for an outpost that boasts such a tiny size.
The service here is great. It doesn’t feel much like a store. I believe the owner’s name is Parker. He’s super friendly.
Be forewarned, if you aren’t familar with the lab, parking is a nightmare. Now you know.

Now if only the place were bigger… and open later…
It took some effort to find the place, as it sits in the middle of an outdoor mall (and on its own really has no signage). This mall is also jumping with insufficient parking for all the stores it serves, so lucky enough after some persistence I finally got a spot. Parking on the street is a no-​go, and parking in the neighboring Pep Boys parking lot (per a sign the mall put up) is grounds for getting a tow. «We love you, Pep Boys tows you», or something to that effect. I decided to play it safe after I’d already parked and move the car, and low and behold, got the last spot seconds before the next in line.
As pointed out in other reviews, the store is like a mini Airstream, which when they close must get packed to the ceiling, cause there’s standing room only inside once all the stands are outside.
I got a ton of stuff and all for decent prices. All the while I was there (about an hour, until they closed), there were a group of guys chatting it up, shooting the breeze, not bothering anybody unless asked a question. Sometimes with these exciting conversations, you can’t tell who actually works there and if they would mind having their great debates interrupted long enough to answer a question.
3 Eurythmics, an All in the Family (hadn’t seen it anywhere prior), two albums in great shape from The Band, and a bunch of other 70’s/80’s classic rock. Leaving with a nice stack for under $ 50 is always a good thing. Lots of very inexpensive options outside, with moderately priced goodies inside.
Not sure how often they get new stock, but they have a huge variety, so just going back a couple times would result in new finds even if nothing had changed. Highly recommended, and worth the effort to get there.

Where do I start… when I bought my first record player about a year ago, I came straight to crème tangerine since I knew nothing about vinyl. Parker showed me how to use my newly aquired record player and sold me a few records at a really good price since I was new to it all. Ever since, I have shopped at different stores and met different people, learned about vinyl, and finally came to appreciate it all. I shop almost exclusively at crème tangerine because Parker genuinely cares about the music. He’s not about the money. He is down to earth and wants to see the excitement in your face when you buy a record from him. Love this place and I have nothing but good to say about Parker and his establishment.

There’s no better place around if you’re looking to buy or sell records! The owner, Parker, is extremely nice and has an insane knowledge of music!

Parker, the owner, is genuinely nice and truly salt of the earth. Doesn’t get any better when it comes it music. Lots of variety and great prices, fantastic service. My personal #1 record store.

One of the smallest stores in CA. But… amazing selection of records for its size. The fellas that work here are extremely nice. I always come away with something nice. Major thumbs up!

If you like buying well priced, clean records, in a slightly cramped but well curated area then this is the place for you. Wish he had a little more selection but he has nice stuff. He’s well located just outside Urban Outfitters at the Lab and as you’d expect his prices are much better than those at Urban. Whereas Urban carries more new releases and has used stuff at $ 12, Parker offers more used selection of harder to find stuff at various price points. Great to dig here when your friends want to shop for other stuff at the Lab.

Parker is super chill. Awesome prices and great selection for a small place… The dude gave me a Beatles bootleg cause he claimed he scratched it while playin the record for me over the shop speakers… Coolest shop in the OC for sure!

This «store» is located inside of a trailer slightly larger than my bathroom, yet they manage to have such a varied, diverse selection it’s almost embarrassing for some of the major shops. And the prices are absolutely fair and wallet friendly.
I don’t know how they are able to stock so much great stuff, or how any of it manages to actually be there when I arrive, but only one visit was enough to prove this is a place worth repeat trips. The guy working was playing some hilariously bad recordings of Broadway tunes as sung by some old grandmother. After it ended, he threw one of the LPs I was planning to purchase on so I could hear it.
It’s tight in here. You can’t fit more than a half dozen people or so inside before things start to get a little too close for comfort. Luckily, they’ve also got a nice selection outside of $ 5 and under titles, with more than just the usual cheap-​o crap other stores dump into their discount bins.
Finally, on a personal and highly nerdy/​OCD note I’d like to say they use fantastic price stickers here. They come off very easily, with no residue or unwanted shit left behind on the record jacket. It’s alarming how few record stores get this.

Great pop up record shop in Costa Mesa. It’s small– but don’t be discouraged– the limited space makes for a unique collection rather than a limited selection. Massive record stores can feel more like stagnant ponds and this airstream esque trailer is more like a flowing river. Like a good butcher, Parker trims off the fat to deliver a prime cut.
Parker is the long haired record guru who runs the show. The cool part about talking with him is that it feels more like a casual conversation than a business transaction. If that’s not enough, it’s probably worth mentioning that this place is well priced, which may come as a surprise considering that it’s smack dab in the center of the Lab.
All in all, this is a great place to find solid jamz and quality conversation without feeling like your new friend pillaged your pocketbook.

I had such a fun time shopping here today. This place has the perfect balance of new and used records. I somehow picked up three used records here today that I was thrilled about for only $ 27 (plus all were records I couldn’t find anywhere else). The discounted record section is incredible and I found plenty of great albums in there. What I also liked is it’s a small place and you can go through everything in an hour. It’s definitely worth dropping by here. Neat part of town too. I can’t wait to go back.

Great place for vinyl !!!
This shop is housed in an airstream trailer. It has some great vinyl inside and excellent bargain bins surrounding the trailer outside.
Highly Recommended !!!

Of all places, I learned of Crème Tangerine in the AAA Magazine that showed up in my mailbox. I’m going to have to stop tossing that aside.
I stopped in and met Parker, a really nice guy who makes you feel at home. I love this place, in fact, I wish I could show up with a trailer hitch — attach it to my car, and take it home.
Reasonable prices, with bargain bins at a buck can’t be beat. I love the organization, and the obvious passion behind the business. I got a Jackson 5 greatest hits to introduce to my middle school daughters, and some Joni Mitchell. This was my first fly-​by, so I intend to spend MUCH more time in this little trailer adding to my vinyl collection. My vinyl loving son who is in college out of state will be here next week… so I’ll be back then, for sure.
As far as the way it looks — adorable and charming meets hip and cool.

The Black Friday sale was a pretty good one. I bought all the following vinyls:
1) The Best of Blondie
2)Cher Greatest Hits
3)The Best of Sonny and Cher
4)More of the Monkees
5)Aerosmith Toys in the Attic
6)The Association Greatest Hits
7) The Pretenders
and a casette:
8) Buddy Holly lives on
All for the price of $ 12.50!!!
The place is pretty rad! It’s a really small trailer next to Urban Outfitters. The owner was super nice, and gave me an additional discount «because we’re friends.» That made me laugh. He was really cool, and knows so much about music. I definitely recommend this place to everyone. There are some places you just can’t go to because people are so rude, and pretentious, but this place is really chill, and so inexpensive! There are Doors vinyls, David Bowie, and others that are prices at $ 7 to $ 10. 1,2,3, Go!!!