Rainbow Music 2002

Nope, I never got the allure of this place. Look. when I search for music I require at least SOME sort of rhyme or reason. That was not to be found here, just a cramped dusty room with a bunch of discs strewn about the place. The discs were very expensive as well. I guess that’s some peoples cup of tea. I am sure I could have found/​bought TONS of cds if the place was simply organized. I know the place is closed but I feel a way because this was a missed opportunity. At least the old man who ran it was a sweetheart and you could have an interesting conversation with him.

Very sad to see this place go… I was already sad about Kim’s but now this too? :(I stopped by since I knew he’s closing soon and randomly found a stack of 45’s on the floor, coincidentally all things i liked. So I bought them all. I know he’s selling the rest online but I hope this isn’t the last we see of Mr. Birdman! He says Sunday (27^th) is the last day :’(

Coutless materials in this small space.
They didn’t have empty casset that we were looking for.

Very knowledgeable owner, also a very nice man. Impressive amount of cassette records. A little pricey but where else will you go to buy cassettes?

If you’re looking for a CD or record, the Birdman probably has it, but you”ll never be able to find it, so just let him sift through the musical mountains for you. Guy is one of the remaining East Village characters, enjoying an ice pop leaning on the front door on a 30-​degree-​day on my visit, mainly because there’s simply nowhere else to exist in here. Beware: I’m thin and could barely enter/​exit, so I’m shocked but glad some City agency hasn’t shut the guy down. When I asked about the last few months of the operation, he mentioned he’s only purchasing rock DVDs and jazz & blues CDs at this point. He seemed at peace with the transition so I’m glad he’s semi leaving in his own terms, even if it does mean even more of the neighborhood is disappearing. Closing September-​ish (2014), and he’ll be selling his remaining inventory via Amazon, so get there while you can. Before or after your visit, watch this

Pros:
(+) Inexpensive!
(+) Perfect for the avid music collectors.
(+) They buy and sell music
(+) They still sells old school records, VHS, Cassette Tapes, etc
(+) Friendly staff. Birdman is the owner and really knows his music.
(+) Can’t find what you want? Ask the owner, he knows exactly where everything is.
Cons:
(-) A neat freak’s nightmare.
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WOW!!! This place is incredible!!! It’s a very unique hidden gem hidden in St. Marks. It’s easy to miss amongst all the brightly lit stores. Since the new day and age has gone digital when it comes to music… this little mom and pop shop still manages to stay strong… relying on selling a collection of mountain high old school records of various genres to the locals. The owner is known as «The Birdman» and is a true music lover at heart. How can he not? Look at this place!!!
If you’re an avid music collector of vintage albums… well this might be your lucky day. If you’re a neat freak who can’t stand clutter… well, you might just walk in to your nightmare.
The place is extremely tiny. It’s practically impossible to walk in here without doing the shuffle between the clutter… literally. Be careful where you walk, it’s easy to knock down a whole stack of CDS. This place still sells VHS, Cassette Tapes, CDs, DVDs, etc in all different genres. It’s a mound of records ceiling high and your eyes just can’t help but scan every inch of this place in awee! The owner is really nice… so even if you feel a bit overwhelmed by the massive unorganized collection… don’t be. To you, it might be a mess… But to The Birdman, it’s an ORGANIZED MESS. He knows exactly where everything is. Just ask him.

I think everyone in the E Village, Alphabet City has sold their CD collections to this guy. There used to be some space to walk in, now you have to do a side slide, but there’s a ton of stuff here. Just ask him he’ll find it. You have to see this place!

This has to be one of my best experiences in NYC so far.
I was searching online for music stores that carry cassette tapes and i saw some reviews about this one and decided to go check it out. Best decision I ever made!
When I walked in (in a figure of speech because you can barely walk in here) there was a music collector that was getting some albums and he told me «whatever you are looking for, ask the man here and he’ll find it for you».
Amazingly. he could. The reason why this man told me that it’s because if you try to find something by your own it would be mission impossible. The place has piles and piles and piles of cassettes, CD’s, LP’s, VHS, DVD… it’s impressive. (I’m not kidding with this. If you are going at least have an idea of what you what… at least the genre so you can tell the owner and he will help you with everything you need and will give you recommendations). Now, for me, that was perfect because is like a surprise every time you turn around. It’s kind of a treasure hunt what makes it even more fun.
The owner is a very friendly person and he will try to help you from the minute you walk in.
Don’t be scared of the looks of the store… a couple of people walked in when I was there and turn around after 3 seconds. Don’t do this! I felt really sorry for them. they let a magical experience run away from them.
Definitely coming back soon. VERY SOON.
(By the way… If you buy 5 tapes of the same price he will give you one for free!)

Love this place! Totally cramped and unorganized, but if you want to just go somewhere and spend an hour or two searching for great deals and discovering nex music, chek thsi place out. The owner is incredibly helpful, and somehow knows where every single item is, despite the seeming disorganization.
LONG LIVE THE BIRDMAN!

One day, someone will read an obituary in the New York Times about finding the owner of this shop buried alive and rotting under a mammoth stack of used CDs.
I love mom-​and-​pop records stores immeasurably. They are a dying breed that won’t be making a comeback anytime soon — if ever — so I jump at every single opportunity I’m afforded to check out a new one. This spot could have kept me busy for DAYS, let alone a few hours, easily. The first thing you’ll notice upon entering is that it is a schizophrenic mess of media. CDs are stacked higher than Shaq, and old VHS tapes that date back to the early ‘80s line the walls up high. I didn’t even attempt to look for anything in particular since doing so would’ve required a week’s worth of food rations to keep me going. I don’t know if I can properly quantify how much product is jammed in here, but it’s definitely more than this meager storefront can accommodate.
I didn’t end up buying anything, but the elderly gentleman working was very polite. He stood around, quietly scraping sticker residue off some CDs. I found old CDs I had forgotten about selling for some very reasonable prices. Something tells me he’d be willing to barter if you wanted to negotiate the price down. Most of what I saw was great to find, but I wouldn’t necessarily buy it. Things like old Hammer horror movies and Alice Cooper Prime Cuts on VHS. Those are the kind of nostalgic items that would end up collecting dust in my closet. But coming here was a great experience, and I guarantee you’ll never forget the initial shock of walking into this tiny, unassuming store and finding the plethora of CDs, videos, DVDs and vinyl that awaits you.

Great little shop, knowledgeable owner, but… it’s just too hard to find anything.

The other day, I was strolling around the neighborhood with a friend and, unexpectedly, we came across this amazing store! I recommend everyone to stop by and check it out! It was the first time I have been in a small independent music store for at least 2 years.
Yes, it’s literally jam packed from floor to ceiling with so much music that you have to shuffle your feet sideways down the aisle. Yes, nothing is alphabetized and all you know is that used is on the right wall, new on the left, rap in the back left corner, jazz in the right back corner, etc.; but this store has a great selection (new/​used) and you’ll definitely walk out with something.
The elderly man who works behind a counter with Cd’s stacked nearly to the ceiling is extremely friendly and helpful. He definitely knows his stuff and has a true love for music. Back home, I usually shop at Amoeba (also contributed to other local stores to go out of business), which is the Costco of music. However, I’d much rather spend my money at Rainbow music which has character and charm. I haven’t physically browsed for music in so long and this store reminded me of how much I miss it, but also how much I love music. I’m definitely coming back here!

I walk by the dusty businesses on first avenue all the time, including a thrift shop with the worst items ever on proud display, but this was the first time I stepped into Rainbow. I was happy to see stacks of cassette tapes, The owner complained about his sad life and possibly non renewed lease, which he must do about a thousand times a week, and said he was waiting for the Europeans who come in July. He had a refreshing take on cassettes, pointing out that nobody makes a great product like that anymore. However, I dropped about 20 bucks on 4 or 5 of them, not an amazing price, and one was warped. The good one, The Shirelles, has provided a lot of happiness for myself and guests, easily 20 dollars worth of happiness, so I gotta give this clutter bug shop my full respect. The owner’s got lousy taste in country, though. Just sayin’.

Yes, the shop is small. I’m one of the people who think that that adds to its charm. There is enough room for everyone, though, and staff isn’t particular about you knocking stuff over.
No, the used music is not organized, but that’s not strange. That’s pretty par for the course for used music stores, and it adds to the thrill of the hunt. I like to rummage, and this is an excellent rummaging store. You’ll find what you want at prices that can’t be beat — the most I’ve ever paid for a used CD was $ 5, and very rarely that. Most are $ 2 or $ 3.
The staff is wonderful, and they’ll really help you find what you’re looking for. They also make great recommendations. The store also has cassette tapes, for those like me who still use cassette players. Good music there too.
Tip: If you can, come in with a list of artists you’d like to find. They’ll be able to help you find a lot of that music, and cheaply.

lots of good find here.

I bet there is a ton of good stuff waiting to be found inside this place — unfortunately, I will never be the one to find it… this place lost me the minute I walked in…
I am all for spending hours on the dirty floor of a record store, digging through box after smelly box for that nugget that makes all the effort worthwhile… but with Rainbow, there is no place to start this process — Christ, there’s no place to even park your ass!
Records and CDs are stacked haphazardly, with no apparent rhyme or reason, no order, no room to move… no nothing… if the owner of this place would spend his spare time (and it appears he has plenty) organizing this place, he’d be much better off, especially since he probably gets plenty off foot traffic from Kim’s just down the block.
But for now, I’ll pass…

While I was waiting for other St. Mark’s music stores to open, I happened to walk by Rainbow Music. It was closed at the time, but it had an informative and, uh, amusing? note on the front door. I’ll leave you to take a look at it, but let’s just say that it gave off a uniquely New York feel to what lied in wait inside.
I made sure to come back when the store opened and was presented with literally towers of cds gazing down at me in a very small store. This either invokes a sense of claustrophobia or absolute joy, depending on the shopper. I was the latter, so I began digging through some of the endless stacks of cds. If you dig long enough you can find some very affordable stuff, though you’ll also run into a lot of 80s and 90s dreck. The shop did have many genres available, though you’ll have to squeeze into sections of the store just to view them.
A highlight of the store was the older guy running it, as he was a very nice, low key guy who was quite accommodating. I will say he was a little out of touch with what sells these days, but when cds got knocked over or dropped from the perilous cd towers, he calmly replaced what fell. He also had a small boom box that allowed you to listen before you buy, even if it was broadcasted out to the rest of the store.
Like Rebel Rebel, Rainbow Music is another case of too much inventory in a small store. If you like to rummage then you should definitely stop by this place.

This nondescript music shop, conveniently located next to St. Mark’s Place, is a little gem for used music. The owner is an adorable old man whose knowledge is as extensive as the number of cassettes, CDs, and DVDs in the shop. We’re talking stacks from floor to ceiling. The guy even knows how to rap to Eminem’s «Without Me.» That being said, there are a variety of genres available. If you’re not picky and don’t mind minor scratches on CD covers, this is the place for you. With cheaper prices and a draining economy, I know where I’m going to go for my music fix.