Sonic Boom Records

I’m a fan of this record store! They have new and used for both vinyl and CDs, and they always have something new and different for me to check out. It’s a fun place to browse, and it’s right in the heart of ballard!

This is my go-​to place for used records. The price of new records is pretty steep, as might be expected with the recent rise in the popularity of vinyl, but I regularly find a great deal on amazing original press records. The store is well laid-​out, organized, and spacious. I especially appreciate Sonic Boom’s quality rating labels for the condition of each used record. This indicates to me a commitment to honesty in business, and that they listen to each record before selling.
I do agree with other reviewers that the staff are less than friendly or helpful. I sometimes feel uncomfortable entering the store, as though I’m not quite welcome. However, I typically know what I want, so I quickly get over the indifferent attitude of the staff and go about my treasure hunting. For those shoppers who are looking for something specific and want great service, I recommend going elsewhere.

The following observations are made by this very frequent but reluctant customer and curator of a 10,000-album strong collection. This contradiction is due to: 1) The wonderful, reasonably priced selection and proximity to home, and 2) Mostly passive staff with little interest in actively increasing the business’s bottom line by selling records.
Record store staff/​owner: This can be fixed by:
1. Staff: If you can’t get fired up about working in a record store, go do something else. If you’re unhappy because you believed your parents’ nonsense about how incredibly special and smart you are, but can’t fit that with being 27 and selling records, make a change. Great record store clerks are valuable. Even if you’re doing this temporarily, be the best you can be while you do it.
2. Knowing and listening to your stock.
3. Asking customers if they would like help.
4. Qualifying customers, as in asking what kind of music they like.
5. Asking customers if they are searching for anything in particular.
6. And then rattle off a few suggestions.
7. Backing off if the customer politely declines help; the customer will usually come back and ask questions about something unknown, and usually buy more stuff.
This requires outgoing, friendly personalities, something lacking among Sonic Boom’s staff. Most are mere register jockeys, with one or two solid exceptions. I usually peek in and see who is there; if either of the exceptions are there, I shop. Most of the time, I do not. If staff is just there to ring people up, fire them and get a self-​checkout line, and save. There is one staff member in particular, as slight fellow, who appears he might commit suicide at any moment, even while ringing you up. I always let out a sigh of relief after completing a transaction without incident.
The owner knows the perils faced by record stores from the internet (sales and streaming). The strongest defense against losing further sales to the internet is a strong, polite, knowledgeable, staff. The owner should know that customers buy much more when unknown product is suggested by friendly staff; we can’t buy what we do not know about. Elemental salesmanship.
I often triple my expenditures when helped by knowledgeable record store staff at Georgetown Records, Sonic Boom, and Jive Time. So, owner, if you want to increase sales, focus on helping your staff become the proactive, knowledgeable, polite, salespeople they should be. Track staff sales. And watch the bottom line rise.

I didn’t plan on going to this place. I went to across the street «Bop Records» and got a great laugh there and while I looked around the area saw this store.
I skipped this place all this time because of the reviews saying it sells NEW records. However, this place made me feel comfortable being there because they had quite a descent selection of used vinyls at very reasonable price!
I was also surprised seeing how well they are organized AND they had quite a lot of selection of 45’s. I must have looked at ALL the $.99 LPs and 12″ records, quite a lot and worth looking. Cool people working there too and the music they play in their record store isn’t like many others with annoying heavy metal or punkish noise.
I’d highly recommend this place. Also you can also walk across the street to «Bop Records» for some outrageous prices!

I always score nice used records here. A couple of years back, I won a bowie test pressing and when i picked it up, i only got one of the two LP’s (it was a double LP test pressing)…well the clerk missed it and I missed it too! Then a few months later when I was finally checking out the free test pressing, I realized that I only got half of the LP. I went back to the store and one of the owners chuckled and said, «we wondered when you would be back!» He then pulled out the missing LP, that they had been saving for me, and handed it over… way cool guys and way cool service.
Went to a Sonics signing there last year and had a great experience too. These guys are defining great customer experiences and memories. THANKS SBOOM!

I recently inherited about 200 vinyls and was debating between selling them and throwing them away. I heard that this place buys records so I went online to check it out. It says they give between $ 1 and $ 7 for records, but really common ones get $ 0.25-$ 0.50. I called and they said to bring them in so I hauled a hundred pounds of vinyl in three separate boxes into the store.
They ended up only buying 15 of them, giving me $ 5… Not at all what their website described. The money I got for them barely covered the gas to get me there and back. I had to haul 95 pounds of plastic back to my car which I parked a block away because there is no parking by the shop. Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest. Do not plan on selling vinyls here unless they are all old school rock. That is the vibe of this place and that is all they are interested in buying.
A huge waste of my time.

This is the No. 1 record store I’d recommend in Seattle. I never leave disappointed. I’ve found obscure records here that are worth quite a bit for relatively cheap. I never regret purchasing a record at Sonic Boom. A lot of other stores around town, especially the one across the street, sell records at a higher pice that what you can easily find online.

Just a frickin awesome independent music store. Get fix for STG Presents shows here too and save some $$. I love Sonic Boom!

Was visiting from Palm Springs, Ca, went into this store, just got blown away on how great customer service they have, loved it so much, had to come back again and again. Totally recommend this store!!!

I’ve been shopping here for a long time and the staff is always friendly, the selection can’t be beat, best trade in values… this is the best record store in seattle… hands down!!!

Decent selection, but not huge. Decent prices. Nice atmosphere. Friendly staff.

This place is GREAT! Go when they have a sale. I picked up a sweet White Lung 7″ for two bucks and a Red Herring (Portland) for a $ 1.
I wish I stayed in town long enough for the Sonics signing. Great prices on used stuff!

Prices were fair but I was treated so rudely after leaving to use the the restroom tonight by an employee when I did not see one anywhere. I came very far to check this place out, but will never come back AGAIN!!! I even bought a record, however I don’t tolerate being treated so awfully.

Hey! They sell turntables! And modest shelving/​storage for LPs!
I wandered in here to look for a record for my newly purchased turntable, and was surprised to find that they actually had turntables in stock! Not only that, but they have some accessories for cleaning, and even shelving, including one that I saw in a catalog (at Bop Street) recently, for the low price of $ 19.99. They also are happy to forward you to other businesses that will fulfill your audiophile needs. This is a strong contrast to when I went into Bop Street a few weeks ago, which didn’t bother to send me to ANY other business, let alone, one across the street. SHEESH.
As I wandered helplessly, a sales assistant actually offered me help, but otherwise let me browse without pestering. A great experience, overall, and I will be coming back!

(3.5 STARS) I round up because it’s the generous thing to do. And the appropriate math protocol.
This was my first time coming here, just happening to be be in the area and searching for a few CDs. The person working wasn’t particularly hospitable on our entrance but then again, it was nice that he just let us browse until we had any questions or anything. They have a very nice selection of CDs and Vinyls that are fairly well organized and fairly well priced!
It’s the kind of place that I would come by again if I was in the area, but probably wouldn’t go out of my way to go here.

I LOVE Sonic Boom. Every time I visit, I find something. Nearly everything I am interested in is always in stock. They stock both a large general vinyl selection and go out of their way to feature northwest bands.
The added bonus is they are a tad cheaper than Easy Street, Silver Platters, and Everyday Music.

Sonic Boom is a terrific local music store. They stock a lot of new CDs and LPs but their whole catalog of new and used is really well curated. Everyone in my family found something to explore and almost everyone made a purchase. Good prices, GREAT service, and a selection that has something for any music fan… how could you not love this place?

A good selection of music. And a bargain bin with records that aren’t scratched to heck! The staff is friendly and not the snobby type that are usually roaming record stores in Seattle.
Go here, then go to Bop across the street. You’ll see the difference:)

Music: 90’s
Layout: Organized, neat, cool posters all around.
Prices: Very fair.
Customer Service: 5 out of 5, very helpful and friendly.
It’s mostly new CD’s and new Vinyl. It made me sad that people gave up such great music, like giving up that baby and leaving it on the church steps.

Wandered into Sonic Boom while wandering through Ballard, and I was really impressed with their selection of new vinyl. Normally when travelling, I don’t buy any records, because I don’t want to bother shipping or cramming them in my luggage. But when I see a colored Old 97’s record for a reasonable price, it’s a little more difficult to turn down.
Great selection of new stuff, but weak selection of used vinyl. Prices were reasonable. Pretty good record store.