Allrecords

Visited this place for a new vinyl purchase with high hopes that were met to a satisfactory level.
It wasn’t the easiest place to find but maybe that’s only because I’m not so familiar with that side of town yet.
The person there which was more then likely the owner was a very nice person.
We comfortably shared a chat about music such as Bob Dylan and Vampire Weekend while I purchased The Beatles «St. Peppers lonely hearts club band.»
The only down side (and reason for the 3 stars) was the variety and the depth of the record collections. But then again out of the few vinyl stores that I have been to here in Houston they have all seemed to be lacking a real expanded library. But I do want to point out this store did have some collectibles from some famous artist/​musicians. These are the kind of stores that I enjoy going into on a day off when I’m on the lookout for a new record. I will definitely be returning here.
Hopefully for Vampire Weekends’ «Step» vinyl.

One of the smaller record stores in Houston, but also one of the nicest. The selection is mostly geared towards CD’s and made up mostly of classics and new stuff from established artists. I’d almost describe the make up of the selection as similar to a really good Barnes and Noble (back when certain locations would have pretty deep music selections) which is well suited to the store’s clientele. The main draw here is the very friendly owner who can help you find anything you need and is more than happy to order anything they don’t have in the store that day. He keeps the store organized, well laid out, and inviting, and always remembers his customers. Some of the other local stores might have more obscurities or indie records, but if you want a good store that hits right in the middle, drop on by and support one of the nicest games in town.

I am a regular here. Fred is a great guy that runs everything, and this is a great place to search for records. I liked the old place, but this locations works just as well. Mainly jazz, classic rock, classical, and show tunes. You can also order anything you want and it will arrive on Thursday. This is a real bare bones place, but you can find some gems. Anything from cds (of coarse), vinyl, to box sets, and other collectables. The vinyl is almost always in good condition, no scratches, and some have never been played before. Unlike some vinyl stores, were the quality is always suspect. I can easily spend a few hours here chatting and browsing. I like Cactus, but this is the place I feel most comfortable.

I came here looking for records, because as the name suggests they sell records. What I immediately saw was several boxes of unorganized used records, with a few (maybe 50 – 70) new records in a small bin in the back. I did find one album I liked in the new records section and decided to take it home. On the other hand, I was very disappointed by the lack of record organization overall. I spent around an hour looking through the stacks of used records on the floor to find one or two that I was mildly interested in purchasing. When I took the records out to see if they would play without skipping I found several bad scratches. Most of the used records that were of any interest were in bad shape. It seemed to me that most of the good records have been picked from these stacks long ago.
With that said, if you are looking for a good locally owned place to buy cd’s then this is a great place to do it. The owner has the cd’s in what appear to be a very organized fashion. I did not really peruse the cd selection as I came in for records, and since 2005 have purchased my non-​vinyl music online.
To me it is sad that this place is not a better record store, because of its great location and knowledgeable owner. I would suggest if you are looking for rock, jazz, or folk records to check out locally owned black dog records on Shepherd near 59.

The CD selection here is fairly current (though not tremendously hip) and customer service is so personal and fantastic that I wouldn’t be surprised if the very hospitable and knowledgeable owner, Fred, wouldn’t offer to special order something if you needed it.
The record selection however has a tremendous amount to be desired. There is no organization to it and in large part it’s boxes of old records that people have just dropped off and never been sorted. In the half hour I spent sitting on the floor rifling through albums, I found only 3 that seemed interesting but they were all poor quality. Overall there was a lot of easy listening type music that would cater to an older crowd. Not the place where you’ll find that holy grail zepplin.
In sum, great homegrown place to patron for pretty much anything you need in CD format but notsomuch with the vinyl.

Allrecords has been in its new location on Edloe for almost a year now, and I finally made it around to stopping by today. Great new space! It’s a bit harder to find since it’s now in a small business-​park type place instead of in a strip center that faces the street. But just look for the Well Groomed dog salon, and it’s in the building right past there. Look for the sign, and turn in. Allrecords is in the back left corner, opposite the camera shop
But Allrecords’ owner, Fred Allred, has been selling music to fellow enthusiasts in Houston for 20+ years. Here you’ll find well-​curated collections of jazz, classical, world, Broadway soundtracks and classic vocal selections. If you’re like me and still buy CDs to listen to in your car (I know, what’s up with that? Well, what can I say… I’m a bit of a luddite) and vinyl for listening to/​collecting at home, then Allrecords will be like mecca for you.
Someone’s got to hold down the fort what’s great in music, and Fred is the man for the job. He can special order many things and will always offer a knowledgeable suggestion if you’re looking for something new. Stop by, buy something awesome, and chat a few minutes with Fred – he’ll let you know in advance about new releases related to what you’re buying, too!

If you want to find indie or pop music, go to Cactus. If you want vintage, go to Sig’s Lagoon. If you want ANYTHING else, go to All Records.
Their specialty is jazz and classical and owner Fred Allred is as knowledgeable about both as anyone you’ll meet. Fred is also a wonderful guy who will sit and chat with you about music, special order you a record or give you a recommendation.
It is truly a music store in the old school tradition — a great place with a helpful proprietor who can find you almost anything you want.

Allrecords is the last, great independent music store in Houston. Opened in 1980 by Fred Allred, Allrecords is a music-lover’s oasis tucked away in an unassuming little corner of the River Oaks Shopping Center. Most days Fred himself mans the register and stops to chat with customers about new releases and special orders. He is a true music lover and will bend over backward to find anything you’re looking for.
Although Allrecords always has the latest releases, their specialty is jazz, classical, showtunes and pop standards. I have a real weakness for big band music and the vocal greats like Peggy Lee and Mel Torme. Fred always made sure to let me know when box sets, new releases and remastered reissues would be available.
With the advent of iTunes, I haven’t been back to Allrecords in a while. But just thinking about the fun I had climbing over boxes and shuffling through stacks of yet-​to-​be-​alphabetized discs (the place is so small that it’s literally crammed to the rafters with merchandise) is making me nostalgic for the thrill of musical discovery once more. After I get my next paycheck, I think I’ll pay Fred a visit — hope to see you there!