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Open Mind Music - CLOSED
Categories: Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Music & DVDs Shopping Books, Mags, Music and Video Vinyl Records Music & DVDs, Vinyl Records [Edit]
327 Divisadero St(between Page St & Oak St)
San Francisco, CA 94117
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
(415) 621-5424
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
DJ Guan Yu M. said: "This Amoeba is another great place to find a variety of music, movies, and shows. The place is very close to the Rasputin in Berkeley. Amoeba is close to a lot of good stores, restaurants, and UC Berkeley. Bringing your student ID is a…" read more »
29 reviews for Open Mind Music
Review Highlights
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"Their selection in hip-hop vinyl is dope too." In 10 reviews -
"At least they have listening stations." In 3 reviews -
"They had many bins of different genres." In 3 reviews
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29 reviews in English
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Review from Robert M.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2008
Every serious vinyl collector that live's or has passed through San Francisco knows about this spot. I've bought some serious heat for hella cheap. Great deals
Sad to see the doors closing at the end of October. Check the online store that should be up in 2009. -
Review from Jessica T.
San Francisco, CA
8/22/2006
I have a horrible habit of using CD's as mirrors. It's tragic I know...but they're so accessible, I have so many, and I love that handy hole in the middle of each, which allows for easy mirror grip. Needless to say, as much as I've tried to avoid using my favorite CD's for quick makeup-checks, - in a mad rush - Marvin Gaye and Etta James have had to endure a knock or too, for my vanity....eugh......this habit has gone too far! Anyways, a couple of weeks ago, I was craving some soul and many of my foundation and eye-pencil smeared CDs weren't cooperating - so I decided to go on a hunt for some new ones.....
and that's when I discovered Open Mind Music
Open Mind is a great place to not only find used records, but unwind to them too, with the handy listening area. I mean come-on where else can you buy a late 80's soundrack for the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders- complete with a handbook outlining all of their choreographed moves? Yup....that's what I thought....not many places. Like a breath of fresh record dust....you don't have the hectic aisles of Amoeba and are able to take your time browsing through the great collections. I was one of two customers in the store....so definitely lots of space and time to browse.
My parents used to be avid collectors of old records and had amassed a beautiful variety of records, ranging from Tom Jones, Francoise Hardy, some great Motown classics, and many more. With all of our moves, we lost alot of these great records, selling them for nothing and donating them. This store allows me to revisit the nights I used to spend in our basement, marvelling at the music that raised my parents. Open Mind - is just that - open mindeded about all genres of music.
I didn't leave with any records that day, but I did manage to pick up two relatively cheap Ettta James CDs, which I can proudly say have not seen my face once! Step one to recovery. -
Review from Ben P.
Los Angeles, CA
1/26/2007
Cluttered and cramped, Open Mind Music feels more like a work in progress than Amoeba or Aquarius, but less like a war zone than 101 Music. Once you get the layout, it's easy to navigate their bins. But even after you've memorized the trails of CD and vinyl, it still seems like everything's constantly being rearranged into new arrangements and patterns -- new stacks of seemingly-unsorted LPs jump up from the floor at random intervals, keeping you and your music-bargain-hunting instinct alert. For me, it's quite possibly the retail equivalent of one of those Zen meditation gardens: grains of sand replaced with albums, rake replaced with barcode scanner, monk replaced with music geek, the sound of trickling water replaced with the quick clicks of CDs and records being flipped through.
Get there quick: Open Mind is moving to an as-yet-unfound location, and everything's discounted (up to 75 percent) so they can whittle down their inventory. -
Review from James M.
Oakland, CA
11/19/2006
What a week I've had! There was suspense, romance, action, excellent food, great friends, . . .and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I walk into Open Mind Music. . .ah vinyl!
I love records. I have such fond memories associated with vinyl. Clubs, friends, dinner parties, travel, DJ's. . .good times.
I haven't spent much time in a record shop in a few years, so it felt especially good to be in Open Mind Music today. They have a huge collection of blues, hip hop, jazz, dance music, electronic, and rock. Great specials too!
I think I got out fairly unscathed but only because I had to be some place within the hour, . otherwise, I think it could have turned into me sifting through records for hours. I found a copy of Sergio Mendes Brasil 66 for only $2.95, and it's in great condition! They were playing the new Dj Kicks Henrik Schwarz release which sounds awesome!
Open mind has a great selection and they're nice people.
Get your vinyl on! -
Review from Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
9/23/2008
I LOOOOOOOOOOVED this place when it was on Divis. Now it is moving again! I saw the owner at Treasure Island on Saturday and he said they have been evicted, yet again.... and therefore will be having a GREAT sale throughout October. Call him to find out more and say that dorky guy with the lp shirt from TI sent you. He is an AWESOME guy and has been around for at least 15 years. I hate to see him go, but it doesn't sound like it is a going out of biz sale.
So we shall see... but definitely hit this place up in October!!! -
Review from daniel m.
San Francisco, CA
3/12/2008
I finally dropped in here after living within walking distance for a few weeks. It's always exciting to walk into a record store you've never been into. 'Cause sometimes you walk into awesome record stores with intelligent staff and decent prices. Or if the prices are a bit higher, you don't really mind because the store is so specialized that it carries records that you just aren't going to find anywhere else.
Then there are stores like Open Mind Music. New vinyl is overpriced, which I suppose I can understand because different stores have different overhead and not all of them are able to order direct. Used vinyl is overpriced. This is a little less forgivable, especially when records you commonly find in either dollar bins or are $2-$4 in other stores are marked at $6-$15 here. Anything that is remotely decent is going to start around $15 and just go up and up from there.
That sucks and all, but what really got me and got me to walk out without buying anything I was interested in (and there were a few things I was going to pay a bit more than normal for...) was the fact that I dug around the 7"s for a bit and found a 7" I wanted. The problem was there was no price tag. So I bring that and a 7" I knew was a dollar bin item and at most a $2-$3 record (especially used, sticker tear condition) to the counter and the clerk looked at the records for a bit. He clearly had no idea who either band was and finally gave me a tally of $7, "for both?" "no, each."
Now that my friends. That is unforgivable. Clearly, he had never heard of either band, and to throw out a number like that, especially a price so high (especially for the dollar bin 7"). It was obvious he didn't know what he was pricing and to be honest, he seemed like he probably didn't care. I thought about trying to argue down saying I'd pay x for that record and y for the other one, but neither record was anything I really wanted that badly and everything else in the store was so overpriced that it didn't seem worth it.
I understand that record stores have to compete with eBay and the rest of the internet nowadays. I know CD sales are down, but when will stores learn that a) not everything is valuable b) pricing randomly out of your head with no knowledge of the record or band you are pricing is going to leave you with racks of unsold merchandise? And when will they learn that record stores aren't eBay? Just 'cause something sells for x amount on the internet, doesn't mean the same can be done at a store. It's good to know online prices, but it's also good to know what's going to actually sell you records and not have everything sit there.
Oh well. As someone who willingly spends hundreds of dollars on records a month, I hope they are ok with losing my business. It would have been nice to walk less than 5 minutes here once or twice or so, but I am not OK with record stores pulling the sorta things this store does.Listed in: Hunting for Records.
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Review from Herbert S.
Davis, CA
9/21/2005
So much vinyl...so much. Vinyl overload...
If you want a vitnage pressing of the Byrds, if you want to browse through hundreds of Grateful Dead albums, if you want anything old on vinyl, this is a good place to start. How many stores this size can claim both Black Sabbath and Ofra Hazza? Furthermore, they are also quite helpful if you need to repair that old broken turntable of yours. If you want a Cd, this might not be the best place. -
Review from Rego S.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2008
One of the few SF record stores with listening stations, and plenty of harder-to-find albums. The records here tend to be a little more expensive than Amoeba or Rasputin, but it's worth being sure of the quality.
BTW, if you see the "Open Mind Music" sign above other storefronts, it's because they are a dealer at those stores (such as The Other Shop). But as far as I've seen, the best of its records are at this location. I'm making a note of this because it's very confusing when a dealer's sign rivals that of the store itself (such as at The Other Shop), and others have been fooled by this as well. -
Review from Jason S.
Oakland, CA
12/15/2006
My favorite shop for used dance music this side of the Mississippi!
Not only do they carry tons of used dance and hip hop but a lot of jazz, soul and funk as well. Friendly and knowledgeable staff is a big plus...I never leave here empty handed :) -
Review from JeFF T.
Fremont, CA
12/4/2006
Walking in here brought a smile to my face. Vinyl was still alive! They had many bins of different genres...rock, soul, hip-hop, house, jazz, reggae, etc. I just couldn't sift through it all...too much in a concentrated area. I didn't have the whole afternoon to browse. They don't seem to have that much new vinyl. I'm more of the mainstream type, so there was a lot of stuff that I didn't recognize. I'm sure there are gems, but I'd really have to dig. I did find a few pieces...but now I'm thinking I already have it.
Listed in: Diggin' for vinyl
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Review from Lalo G.
Los Angeles, CA
9/18/2006
Dope spot. Their selection in hip-hop vinyl is dope too. Sometimes I just wish i had more time to spend here. I just started spinnin and this spot has contributed to my vast collection of records.
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Review from David P.
San Francisco, CA
7/27/2006
Great place to hang out and take your time record shopping for used records. You can listen to them before you buy so that is very helpful. Daytime during the week is the best time time visit. Cool selection and decent prices. Sometimes you can find some real gems.
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Review from Ryan H.
San Francisco, CA
1/3/2006
This spot, located on Divisadero near the panhandle, is a great spot to find some of those old records you never picked up back in the day; especially electronica/dance albums. They carry a wide assortment of all genres and the key to this place is you can actually listen to everything. The shop can get a little hectic on the weekends, so try to visit during the week so you'll have elbow room at the listening stations.
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Review from i. o.
San Francisco, CA
12/18/2005
If you have a brother/mother/amiga/etc who's a soul/funk/jazz/hiphop/techno purist and you're stuck for a christmas gift, get your wobbly arse down to Open Mind Music for stress free browsage!! They carry mostly 2nd hand records of a simply astonishing range. It is mostly vinyl (re: purist) and if you have some time to go through the bins, major gems await! Significantly less "fleeced" than other haight record stores ..*cough* *amocougheba* and you can listen to anything and everything!!
Listed in: Ear Candy
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Review from Jhoe G.
Vallejo, CA
1/26/2007
This is a great place to find rare records. Jazz, funk, blues, rock, hip hop, jazzercise, you name it. You will have to spend a pretty penny but it won't be as much as Groove Merchant. But Groove Merchant probably has some more rarer records than open mind. You can listen to any record here, check the ones hanging on the wall. Hit up the "new arrivals" section first of course. I could spend hours here.
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Review from Ligaya T.
San Francisco, CA
1/11/2006
A-MAZING. and great name, too. serious vinyl galore and the employees really know their shit. for deep house and techno, open mind is so fantastic its almost intimidating. i am lost to all for hours neck deep in listening stacks. they'll buy records for nominal amounts, but the credit adds up. their tables for testing are crucial, too.
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Review from Eli G.
Allston, MA
4/5/2006
Shopping for records in SF can get overwhelming, but I always make sure to leave a nice chunk of hours to sit on the floor and dig through the ridiculous selection of dance music at Open Mind. The bins underneath are clearly a bargain as I usually leave with 40+ records and never spend too much more than $100. There's nothing like digging for classics and there's nowhere on the west coast like open mind to do it!
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Review from Mark C.
San Francisco, CA
10/23/2006
Good selection of dub, rocksteady, hip-hop, etc. Not so pleasant to deal with employees. And I worked in a record store (yes, an independent vinyl store) for seven years, so I know the difference between being annoyed by lame clientele and being a full-on dickhead. Really, get over yourselves.
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Review from Colleen B.
San Francisco, CA
8/30/2006
Small, but excellent shop for perusing and buying something you didn't think you needed. Also, a great place to buy a gift for your favorite musician.
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Review from Angela C.
Berkeley, CA
10/13/2004
This is the place to go for records. I have a few friends that DJ in the city and this is a popular hit for them.
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Review from Sal B.
San Francisco, CA
6/13/2005
This used to be a good place for vinyl. Especially hip hop. Unfortunately the old employees who did the good ordering no longer work there. This was the place to go through if you didn't mind paying a little more to save time sorting through less bullshit. I haven't been back since Mooney left. At least they have listening stations.
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Review from Entertainment M.
Oakland, CA
5/29/2006
Decent selection of 60s soul, r&b and jazz. Some new stuff, but mostly used vinyl and hip-hop singles.
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Review from Cameron M.
Rocklin, CA
7/27/2008
OMM is a little more spacious than their old Lower Haight location, but it's still a vinyl junkie's haven. Their speciality is used indie rock and hip-hop records but they also have a good selection of nearly forgotten jungle and house records from the 90's (although their abstract techno section is not that rich these days). I especially dig their selection of vintage music magazines where I've snagged old issues of The Wire and the SF Oracle (a veeery old Haight-Ashbury hippie rag) for a steal. Just be prepared to lose a quarter of a paycheck there.
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Review from James T.
Oakland, CA
9/14/2008
Open Mind is great- super-nice staff, everything is in real good condition, and there are records for days. There's a decent budget section, too- but it since it's 5$ and under, there are actually some good records in there. It's frustrating to wade through all of them when some could just be filed under the artist, so I can find my copy of "Slow Train Coming" with greater ease. Regardless, I try to visit every couple of weeks, and it's certainly nice to have within walking distance from my house!!
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Review from Amanda T.
San Francisco, CA
3/21/2006
This was my first stop in san francisco...fresh off the greyhound in summer of '96 and I found some super freshy fresh Deee-Lite records then. I still stop by whenever I'm in da hood...and I always find somethin' sweet and unexpected.
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Review from Gene W.
San Francisco, CA
10/13/2007
What a nice surprise! Open Mind is back and in a nice big location in the Castro. I haven't started digging yet, but I know the owner has been in the business for many years and keeps many gems in the store(both new and used). I'm a music collecting fiend and know when I walk into his store I will see something that I could say, "Wow!". Fellow music collectors, let's help these smaller well stocked stores stay open, frequent them, and keep the Culture rich.
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Review from Noah K.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2008
I love this place, everytime, I come here for tunes, I say to myself, "I'm only going to spend $20." And I always end up spending twice as much than I wanted to.
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Review from michael bolton n.
Portland, OR
3/25/2007
this was the best record store in the bay area. i found a few gems here, especially in the used hip hop section. i hear they also sell their rare stuff on ebay. anyway, i hope it comes back soon.
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Review from eeeee d.
San Francisco, CA
3/11/2006
decent record selection for a small store, but the staff always has such an attitude it's a real turn off. i'll only go there in a pinch.
