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Mon-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
I was there last weekend and wooaaahaa! f(*(**ng awesome!!!!
I got some beatles records, some dvds great. i think i got some discount but im not sure hahaha f******ng amazing!!!
thanks dudes!
The last few times I've been here when I'm visiting home I've felt like Plan 9 has been slipping. The selection isn't as good as it used to be. A good chunk of the vinyl has gone missing, and some shelves sit empty. Don't get me wrong, I love this place and the nostalgia factor of coming here as a wide eyed teen and spending every dime of hard earned cash from my summer job here makes this a must do everytime I go home. I often fly home with an empty record bag and leave with a full one. I gained a sizeable chunk of my 3,500 pieces of vinyl from here. It's just a shame that the record industry taking such a hit seems to have affected this place so much. I hope it gets back to its former glory.
Now about the store it's self, this is very simply the best record store in Richmond. Good selection (though I will admit, Amoeba in San Fran blew it out of the water). The staff is pretty helpful in finding stuff and the store is organized well enough that needing help isn't really an issue. The vinyl Crypt below is a great trove of good records that I could and have spent hours looking through. This place is essential for DJs still rocking vinyl in Richmond. Electronic section is more limited that I would hope, but it might just be that I'm spoiled with Seattle electronic music.
Loses a star for staff hipsters who think their hipsters. There's a air of arrogance about some of the vinyl dudes in the crypt that's off putting to me.
I guess there's nothing i can add to the locals' reviews of this place. Though, as an out of town record hunter, i give it good marks. For Clevelanders, this place reminded me of old Record Revolution. Lots of space on the main floor boasting new cds and wax, and a cramped lower level full of used vinyl. I found some sort of rare psych stuff for decent money. And i didn't have to dig through piles of dusty commons to find them. They were separate, which i appreciate. The neighborhood was typical college town with quirky shopping, which i so desperately desire in my hometown. Lucky devils.
If you ever need any sort of music, this is the place to start looking. I guarantee that you'll probably find EVERYTHING you'd ever imagine treating your ears to.
Every time I'm in Richmond and I need a CD that I can't find or if my mom puts some weird-ass request on me from Korea, this is one of the places I'll stop by and find my prize (and yes, I do trek the 95 corridor frequently). Prices are pretty good compared to other "vintage" stores and you leave not feeling ripped off when you're done.
What I really about the Plan 9 in Richmond is the vinyl section downstairs. They have large sections of new and used records. I could spend hours thumbing through the racks.
I like the stores in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg as well, but this location is my favorite.
I did a once-through of this gem last St. Patrick's Day weekend visiting my brother. He was nice enough to stop by as I wanted to ask about an event I attended in Richmond in 2000 called Planet Rock. It was absolutely one of the best music events I'd ever been to and Plan 9 was one of the ticket vendors mentioned on the flier. The clerks knew of the event but not of its recurrence which is still cool given that was 8 years ago. Since I was there I did a quick tour to get a feel for what it had to offer.
And it had damn near everything to offer. Used music. Top notch selection rivaling the defunct Tower Records. Memorabilia. Knowledgeable staff. And vinyl. Lots of vinyl. Which is to some considered a lost art. DJs would camp out here. And for the turntable challenged, they even sell the portable USB turntables for laptops. Can't be beat. Oh and they have fantastic posters. Just a great place.
Overall if I was to ever move to Richmond, Plan 9 is one reason that I would feel more at home. In the DC area we have so much culture in arts and music, it'd be hard to leave. But at Plan 9 and the new concert venue thats opened up, Richmond is sure to be a great place to hear the latest and greatest music and be cherished by all who step through their doors.
Hipsters rule and run this place, but they arent too bad. They have such a great selection of vinyl records in the basement- probably the best part about the store. And the records arent all messed up as you often find in some thrift stores. They only accept excellent to good condition vinyl. The employees are helpful, even if they are hipsters.
The one and only flagship store in the Plan 9 empire.
This place has a great vibe to it. They always have great music playing that greets me when I enter. The upstairs portion has the new rock and jazz and other genres. They have a wide variety of both rock and jazz artists. The first time I went here I had an almost legendary pile of CD's that I had to pare down. The used rock is also upstairs. Its a mixed bag as far as used rock. They have a pretty decent selection for the most part.
Downstairs was my favorite place. There they have the used jazz CD's and LP's. As well they have a wide variety of rock LP's and weirdly enough, a second section of used rock CD's. They have a great selection of used Jazz CD's. I made some major good finds here. I also scooped up some good jazz LP deals as well, particularly during their 2 for 1 sales.
In addition to being a great place to find music, this Plan 9 also has live bands/artists that play here. Everyone from local acts like Lamb of God to guys like Pete Yorn. Pretty damn cool.
Oh yeah they also have a pretty big used DVD section if you are into that.
Man now I need to go back. If only gas was cheaper.
One of my old haunts when i was comin up in the ric back when life was oh so simple. Long before I discovered downloading music off the internet, plan 9 exposed me to a myriad of sounds that I can't imagine I would've heard anywhere else. Although i never really bought new stuff here i was always impressed with the depth and diversity of their used stuff (cds as well as vinyl) and always found gems in the hip hop, reggae, soul/funk/r&b, and jazz sections. i also used to buy vhs like it was goin outta style too (lolz).
Ultimately, this place is a representation of what a record store should be in its purest form: an eclectic body of records patronized by people from all walks of life. God almighty, I could cry like a wee sentimental bitch thinking of how cool it used to be to skip class and go down to plan 9 to see what I could find. That experience is gone for me now that I live in a place that doesn't have ONE SINGLE GOOD FUCKIN RECORD STORE in this entire pretentious sprawling hellhole. Without question, plan 9 ranks among the best spots for music junkies in america.
I love Plan 9! I also find the staff very helpful and friendly. I had to pick out music for a local retail space a couple of years ago and the manager walked around w/ me, opened CDs and helped me with all of the selections! What more can you ask for but great service? Still a fan!
I really took this place for granted when I lived in Richmond. Not only is the selection as good as anything I've seen in Philly, NYC or Europe (sorry, I was a fool and missed out on Amoeba when I was in Pasadena and San Fran), but the prices are as low as they come. I've found a handful of new cds and vinyl here that were out of print and were selling for 5-10x less than what their going price is.
Going into any place with tons of hipsters can be intimidating. The kids here know their shit and are super friendly. Special orders- no problems. The kids are on point. Period.
The Amoeba records of the East Coast. An absolutely exhausting amount of music and media at reasonable prices, the type of place where you go in for one specific thing, and walk out with a bunch of other shit you now realize you wanted way more...
I no longer live in RVA, but I go back at least twice a year, and always go to Plan 9 when I'm there. In the past few years they've been slipping. I don't look at the CDs, but my mom has told me that they never have anything she is looking for, that most of the employees don't know what she's talking about, and they usually have to order CDs for her. It's not that she's on the hunt for esoteric discs; they're all fairly entry-level indie releases and Plan 9 has no idea what they are. Very sad. Their new vinyl selection is fairly decent, though it doesn't scratch much below the surface. Their used jazz selection is practically non-existent and not even worth looking at. One can sometimes find a gem in the rest of their many used bins, but it will mostly be an ironic album, like Journey or something. I'm sure they could return to their former glory if they got some new heads behind the counters who still pay attention to new music.
Punk Rock Records for Punk Rock Record hipster nerds.... Awesome!
I'm a fan just cause you can go in and buy tickets to local shows without having to pay $5-10 in ticketmaster fees.
Can't give out a 5 since I lived in walking distance from Amoeba in the Haight in SF. Actually, Ameoba used to be Rock n Bowl back in the day, and the only thing worthy of taking the space was the largest record shop I had ever seen. Life took me to Richmond (who did I ever piss off?) but Plan 9 is a shining star to me. I dig used vinyl, but these days I prefer new vinyl on my reference system and save the used stuff for the bedroom audio system.
By far the best record store left in RVA! Although they seem to have less and less vinyl every time I visit. Tragic! Definitely stop in if you happen to be in the area!
By far the best record store in Virginia. They have a great selection of all popular genres and a good number of jazz albums. Their classical collection is lacking but that's to be expected for a place like this. With a large selection of used CDs and vinyl, the occasional live act, and a knowledgeable staff, this is the place to buy music in Richmond.
Think "High Fidelity"...Richmond-style. You can easily spend hours in here, just listening to music and browsing around the used records in the basement. The array of music is amazing- whatever you're looking for, you'll probably find it here.
Music lovers paradise!
In SF I'd give this place 3 stars, but for Richmond, VA definitely gotta go with 4. Their vinyl selection is pretty good, and prices are on the cheap side. Admirable dollar bin too. Upstairs, they have all the CD's and though I didn't look closely it appeared to be a good mix of used a new stuff.
one of the best record stores in virginia. one of my top 5 or 10 that i've ever visited. i used to come in there and spend hours just going through music. great place and i still have dear memories of it.
stop taking all my money!
Richmond, VA
Category: Music Venues
Richmond, VA
Category: Coffee & Tea
Here's where I spend ridiculous amounts of money…
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