In support of Record Store Day, Laura Harker & Bertie Alexander round up some of Berlin’s best vinyl stores…
Launched in the U.S, by a small group of enthusiasts in 2007, Record Store Day was created to support struggling record stores and celebrate vinyl in general. Quickly crossing the Atlantic, it has since spread to Europe and the U.K. with over 3,000 record stores participating worldwide.
As a supportive measure, we have listed some of our favourite local record stores below. Spanning all genres from punk to techno, not all of them are participating in RSD – but they’re still fantastic shops to browse anyway.
CORE TEX
Located in a former squat along Kreuzberg’s vibrant Oranienstrasse, just a few doors down from legendary S036, CORE TEX is one of the last remaining throwbacks to the days when Kreuzberg was a haven for anarchists, pacifists and those of the radical left.
Opening in 1988, the shop quickly became a meeting point for the city’s punk and hardcore scenes, as well as the Neue Deutsche Welle, hosting gigs by bands such as The Unseen, Anti-Flag, Kill Your Idols, Danny Diablo and Final Prayer.
Despite its punky roots, it’s a remarkably friendly and enthusiastic space that even hosts Meet and Greets where you can enjoy a glass or two of beer with staff, regulars and local musicians. As well as their guitar-heavy music collection (mostly CD these days but still around 1500 vinyl), the shop offers DVDs, fan merchandise, concert tickets and memorabilia – including skate socks and decks.
CORE TEX Records, Oranienstraße 3, 10997 Berlin; 030 6128 0050
Galactic Supermarket
A regular at the Milan and Utrecht record fairs, Galactic Supermarket’s Berlin HQ sells all imaginable genres of music including many obscurer ones like exotica, avant-garde, industrial and fusion.
Their largest collections are in their two specialites – krautrock and psychrock – but there’s also a significant selection of 7″ records spanning various genres. You can try before you buy in the snug listening station – and don’t forget to peek into the back room for a chance of some real rarities.
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