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I found a Barkmarket CD here once.
Five stars.
Since I am usually ten or more years behind the times, it was the recent news that compact discs are now "obsolete" which prompted me to finally part ways with my 40-year collection of vinyl record albums, and fully embrace the now-defunct CD as my music format of choice.
The problem of how to dispose of a large number of record albums led to a quick search of the internet, and Princeton Record Exchange popped up as a good place to possibly turn some of my more venerated relics into quick cash. A phone call to their "appraiser" ensued, and I was invited to bring my stash down to the shop. After weeding out the albums whose cardboard sleeve-ends my cat had used as a scratching post, and others that were worn out or just sad, I loaded up a couple of milk crates with a hundred or so good ones and drove down to Princeton.
I strolled over to the excellent Witherspoon Bakery, while the fellow inspected my collection, and upon my return, I was presented with two, crisp $100 bills. I was quite content to recycle my ancient vinyl in the hopes that someone else will enjoy my musical treasures.
Need to find something old or rare but don't want to spend a fortune? This place has a lot of hidden treasures as well as the latest and greatest. I could spend hours in here. Has the Amoeba Records vibe to it but no where near as big.
I went to the checkout all excited with my 3 CD selections. The guy behind the counter rang me up and told me the total: $8!! I couldn't contain my happiness as I proclaimed "That's a steal". With that the clerk added "maybe". No man in a Def Leopard concert T can say anything negative about my music selections! =P
Bring a few bucks and enjoy the largest selection of foreign, cult, mainstream and box office dvd hits ever. You can find anything in this store, also if you're a music fan, come here and enjoy. Great selection of everything you can think of, the prices are pretty affordable too, the staff is nice (and wise and NON pretentious) so it's worth the trip, trust me.
Excellent place to buy used (or new) media. Many CDs and DVDs are even below the $5 mark... There's absolutely no reason to not stop in and browse.
What a cool place to go and browse! You'll Always find something interesting there. They sell more than just CD's if you're into games or movies you'll find it here too.
What a great way to exchange your old stuff and get new interesting titles.
i hate used CD stores. they're like filene's basement. they overwhelm me. i leave running out the door terrified. but this place is so well-organized! and there's so much! and it's so cheap! and there's everything!
where else can you get a huge selection of awesome good-quality CDs for 1-3(+) bucks??
riddle me this. i haven't figured out why this place is where it is (in princeton). anybody care to enlighten me?
This place is great, hands down! The selection of new and used CD's is almost incomparable. Though I'm not crazy for vinyl, I've found a few rare pieces at a reasonable price.
The budget section is organized by genre, but not alphabetized. You would think this would be a bad thing, but it's not! I love scanning the CD's in the hope of finding that lost gem I've been looking for at the bargain price of $2.99.
On the whole, the staff is willing to help you look for something if you ask them. I'd recommend calling ahead of time if there's a specific title you're looking for so they can put it on hold for you.
With practice, you'll develop a keen scanning eye and won't need too much time, but it's still fun to take it slow. You never know what you'll find. That's why I'll keep coming back.
NOTE: The only negative is that they don't do any special orders.
I can't think of a more appropriate place to unleash your inner music geek than PREX. Hell, even if your music geek is out and proud, you can always gussy it up a bit by stopping in and checking out the wares.
Like Michael E, I was bummed at how disorganized the store was on a recent visit. It looked like someone shook the place up like a snowball and then left all the merchandise to fall randomly onto the shelves. So boo for that. Its saving grace, however, is the sheer size and selection of the vinyl and CD's. Whether you're into Serge Gainsborough, LCD Soundsystem or Peaches & Herb, you will quiver with excitement. You can even pick up a turntable while you're at it. Now all you will need is a ironic or obscure DJ name, a MySpace page, some sunglasses and a nicotine habit and you're in business.
Crap, I totally just described myself, didn't I?
Oh well, the point is this: Princeton Record Exchange. Go there. If you play your cards right, you could be hobnobbing it with Samantha Ronson and Lindsay Lohan by Passover. And no, "hobnobbing it" is not a euphemism for sex (at least this time).
HOLY HOLY HOLY! I freaking loved this place. You could EASILY spend four hours in here. It's one thing to have such a fu**ing huge selection of so many genres of music, but it's a whole other thing to have them at AMAZING prices!!!!!!!!!!!! Once again, I will announce my love of second hand stores. And this one is the shit. I got like 10 CDs here for maybe 42 dollars..? I don't really remember. I'm actually thankful there is not one in Chicago, because I would spend allllll my money here.
**One thing to note, but this is on Princeton people, not the store. The customers were so rude! Come on, people! I doubt we're all searching for the exact same Milton Nascimento '92 release, calm down! My best friend says this is how east coasters are. YUCK. I was inching my way along one of the racks, and this obnoxious guy is moving his way along the ground (there are CDs and records on the floor that are new to the store and haven't been categorized yet) and he just like SHOVED his way under my legs. Under my legs!!?? Not one "excuse me" or "sorry" or "haha, oops" It was so invasive I felt like I was in Japan on the train. If I WAS in Japan on the train, I would expect it, as I would be the foreigner. But here in this cute store, I expect an "excuse me, sorry to rape your legs looking for some crappy punk CD" Sheesh**
But do go here!!!!!
Princeton Record Exchange (Prex) is nothing less than the best record store in New Jersey. Great atmosphere and excellent customer service. If you are looking for the greatest selection of new and used CDs, DVDs and vinyl, then this is your store. Prex also has a great selection of accessories, like album cover protectors, record cleaning supplies and even a selection of turntables! Into high definition DVDs? Their selection of used Blu-ray discs offers some great bargains. Come prepared to spend several hours combing through their well-organized used product. Park in the nearby parking deck adjacent to the Princeton Public Library and walk across the street to Prex. Princeton Record Exchange is truly one of the best independent record stores in the United States.
Ok, if you like old vinyl the record exchange is a great resource for a vast variety of artists and genres. And they are an institution, so I can't give them less than three stars. But (begin the "kids these days" rants), but the stacks are a total wreck.
When I was frequenting the Exchange, the stacks were orderly and tidy. The music was treated with reverence and respect. Yesterday, I was shocked at the state of the store. The stacks were completely neglected and were a total mess. I felt like I went to visit my old neighborhood and found it full of boarded up windows and crack dens.
In my memory the Exchange was like Championship Vinyl incarnate; it was a scared space, staffed by the high priests of music. Seeing its current condition made me mad and sad and not likely to return.
I guess the times they are a changin'...
In my opinion, PREX is far superior to any Philly record stores. They take ALL of my used CDs, despite being scratched or super embarassing and give you at least some sort of cash/credit option. Plus, I've never gotten any major 'tude from the employees, unlike some other places (ahem, Beautiful World Syndicate/Siren Records).
I like the way the store is set up, with the wall of budget used CDs, and the higher quality CDs mixed with the new CDs. I recently found a most excellent used copy of a Trojan Records UK hits compilation which was quite pleasing.
Princeton Record Exchange has a bigger selection of Records than Amoeba in Berkeley, CA according to my observation on my recent trip there. It is one of the very few shops left standing which actually specializes in vinyl.
I started going here back in high school, and even though its not a monthly trip like it was then, its still pretty much my favorite record store around.
The selection (in terms of diversity) is amazing...sure, I've been to better "rock" record stores, or "jazz" record stores, but PREX has it all. Any format you could want, and unless things have changed they used to have some laserdiscs tucked away somewhere. If you are a music fan (a REAL fan), I dare you to not spend at least $100. Can't be done. Even if you stick to the "budget" wall (around $2 a pop) you'll still spend the money.
The staff has changed a lot over the years, obviously, and its been up and down. Sure, you get the token uber-ironic, thick-rimmed glasses wearing Judge Of All Music (judgment = what you like sucks), but there have also been some really cool people there with great suggestions. It has been a while since I've gotten back here, and I've heard things have moved around and maybe the vinyl ain't what it used to be...sad if true, but I can't comment until I see it for myself.
The negatives aren't really the fault of the store...parking can be a royal bitch, and if you hang out in town at all you have to suffer some Princeton students, but all the obstacles make the destination just that much better, I suppose.
Great place to wander around... and find some interesting music!
However, yes, the categorization often is lacking in the stacks, but that adds to the fun (for me at least, since I'm not really a serious collector).
Located in a nice spot, too, and good prices on most stuff.
NOTE: No longer has a large parking lot next door. Being made into a new building. Oh well.
I am a vinyl junkie, and being at the Princeton Record Exchange is like getting a fix of the best stuff in the world. They have bins upon bins of vinyl from every genre of music and an excellent selection of used CDs priced from $1.99 to $4.99. I've found so many gems here that I can't even begin to list. They're the most reasonably priced record store I've ever been to with the best selection. I go to Princeton just for this store.
PRex helped me cultivate my love for vinyl as a young teenager in the greater Princeton area. My best friend Alby and I loved to go here and peruse the boxes upon boxes of vinyl for hours, and no one bothered us. In fact, the staff was very helpful. To this day I love returning to flip through the titles. Amazing selection in a cool, casual, little place. A Princeton staple, for sure.
The owner contacted me via yelp (a feature I wasn't even aware of!) to clarify any problems and ask for any further advice. This is possibly the best customer service step any business owner could take. For this alone, I will make my best effort to come back again.
Frankly, I don't love this place. I did end up buying Jethro Tull "Stand Up" on vinyl for 12… Read more »
PREX has a lot to offer. It is pretty easy to find whatever new album you are looking for. But if you want to have tons of fun, just wander aimlessly through the used CD section for hours.
This place has a good selection of LPs, but I can't always find what I am looking for. Oh well.
Lastly, I have fond memories of coming here in middle school and trading in all of my CDs for $25 and buying something new and amazingly not feeling ripped off somehow...
Amoeba records is a classic. Buuuuuuuuuuuut classic this! Princeton Record Exchange can out-dance Amoeba anyday. PRE can bust out moves and tunes for such crazy prices that Amoeba would have to dust off that shoulder and just walk away. Amoeba would get serioulsy SERVED if it had to compete with Princeton Record Exchange.
I grew up with PRE, so like Bonnie am probably a little biased, but I can say with whole-heart - that PRE is an original. It takes a beautiful group of people with different loves of all kinds of music to create a strong second-hand record store. PRE has such a superb following with such diverse tastes, for such a long period of time now - that the gems in this place are everywhere. It glimmers. All sorts of people wander in - trying to sell back CD's, records, videos, and DVDs. There are no pretensions. They have respect for everybody's music choices.
"Next....
Mariah Carey - sweet.....Yanni.....uh nice.....Tom Jones...classic.....Kenny G ....uh.....is this yours (ok maybe a liiiiittle pretentious. But we can sum it up to taste....and let's be honest here - Kenny G was my dad's)
PRE is like rummaging through your grandparents' basement, it's slightly dingy, and the dust may stick to your fingers, but you have no qualms about plopping yourself down, inches between the black leather soles of a punk/rocker and the leather wedges of a well groomed "sorority-ish" girl to burrow away in the big bargain CD and video crates.
It is here, where I first began my video and foreign film DVD collections. Scooping up piles of classics like The Mirror has Two Faces, Zoolander, Animal House, Detroit Rock City, Sex Y Lucia, and more. Prices are so cheap that it's a great opportunity to branch out and try new genres of movies and music.
Of course, sometimes PRE's magic is so alluring and many a friend that has accompanied me here - can testify to it's hypnotizing powers; that you end up buying lame crap: Old 90's pop, Whitney Houston singles, and and early 80's and 90's soundracks That at the end of the day - you're ready to trade it right back.
If you're ever anywhere near this store - you owe it to music to try it out. The music gods will smile kindly upon you (PRE is blessed) and will guide you towards rows of music nostalgia. There'll be some sweet music at the end of it - - I'd even bet my used Jerky Boys 2 CD on it.
By far and away the best record store (yes, I still call it a record store!) I've ever been to (Secret Sounds in Fairfield, CT is a distant second). Princeton Record Exchange features the most ecclectic mix of music this side of my music collection -- and you're talking about someone who owns over 6,000 albums. (God, I need help...)
Anywho, the staff is extremely knowledgeable -- each person seems to have his/her own area of expertise. I've had lengthy conversations with staff members on topics ranging from which British band was the epitome of "shoegazing" to which label featured jazz pianist Bill Evans' best work. These people know their stuff!
The prices are very reasonable -- even for imports. And, if you have time to spare, their used CD collection is as massive as it is cheap. (But it's organized only by genre -- not in alphabetical order -- so it makes things sort of difficult.)
I've found so many wonderful (and hard-to-find) albums here -- it's music nirvana. Highly recommended!
A nice little used record shop tucked away on a side street off Nassau Street, the main drag central to Princeton University. Ever since I started resorting to iTunes to buy all my music, I have not purchased a CD in about, say, 2 years, unless the CD was not available on iTunes. However, the prices are great and they do offer a good selection of used DVDs--i happened to be looking for "The Wizard of Oz" the last time I was there and could not find it, but that doesn't mean they won't have it in the future...besides, since none of the Beatles' albums are available on iTunes i am hoping to stumble upon some rare Beatles stuff I can't find anywhere else--next time I'm in Princeton then!
Amazing selection of CD's, DVD's, LPs for under 5 bucks. They have music from all genres and all eras so you're sure to find something you love or forgot you loved.
Visiting PREX is a great record (and CD) shopping experience! Well worth the drive or train trip if you are out of the area. Other reviews are right on about the 'High Fidelity' feel and staff that lets you go about your business in the stacks. Great variety at all price points. Only drawback for me are the price stickers that they affix directly to album covers. I assume it si to avoid unscrupulous customers from switching prices, but on some relatively hard to find items, I've had trouble avoiding ripping the covers no matter how careful I am removing the labels.
Anyone who's a fan of good music is a fan of this place. It's mecca for music lovers.
I don't get to here nearly as often as I would like. It is one of my favorite destinations in Jersey. I've always loved the High Fidelity-esque feel of independent record shops and the Exchange is no exception. The selection is outstanding, and I always find what I am looking for. The staff is pretty helpful and friendly. One downfall: so easy to drop fifty bucks! Without a doubt worth it, though.
Let me say first that while I like music, it does not consume me. Most of the music I listen to is highly popular, not very eclectic, and often discovered by way of others' suggestions. That being said, PREX is not my kind of place, but I can recognize who it's for -- it's for the music geek -- the person who's looking for that special find, DJ's for are looking for a new drop, filmmakers who are looking for the perfect musical interlude, etc. For me, I can find most if all of my musical boundaries on iTunes. For the Sam Pinolas and Brian Kelleys of the world, there's the institution of PREX.
This the record store I use to compare all others. After being alive 27 years, I still have not found a record store that compares to PRE. I have DREAMS about this place! A high school staple, the set up was amazing-all these used and new CDs, displayed just so. The vinyl in the back, all the rare singles, the cheap ass cassettes, and the endless supply of cheap overstocked CDs. The real treasure hunt was the promotional discs in boxes. Sitting on teh floor for hours, digging through literally THOUSANDS of promotional CDs, I found some real gems including Radioheads OK Computer before it came out~Whoa!
I love you so much Princeton Record Exchange...I would marry you.
I spent a summer in Princeton at NYFA summer camp back in high school years ago, and while my dorm room had a fireplace, it didn't have air conditioning. That was quite the problem, sweating was just a given that summer.
We had free reign to go around town, and for some reason, even though i can't find it anywhere, I used to get ice cream from Camber(?) ice cream shop, and then waltz down Nassau, a very quaint street in a very nice 'hood, until I hit this place. Over the course of the summer I ransacked their used section as well as their new stuff. It is by far one of the top 3 record stores I've ever been to in terms of just solid, solid selection, good prices, unpretentious nature, and a general goodness in un-ironic, non hipster attitude about musical tastes. It has a bit of everything, easy to browse. I must have bought at least 12 cds here over the course of 4 weeks, and even at that I would go just to hang out.
Seriously: this shop is as good as record shopping gets. I work in Princeton, so I cross paths with the store daily. It's quite easy to spend a lot of money here, so I have a personal $20 spending limit when I walk through the door. Of course, the great thing about Prex is that whether you spend $20 or $200 dollars, you'll always walk out with something great.
Another Jersey Gem. Seriously. Looking for hard-to-find music/bands? Something new and/or obscure? Sick records/movies? You will probably find it here (I'm not guaranteeing anything because this is not a perfect world, but PREX comes pretty damn close in my opinion). Be sure to be well rested before rummaging through the budget CD section, because not only will you spend hours squinting at CD titles and bending into uncomfortable positions, you will also be maneuvering yourself around 10 other people who are too engrossed in their CD search to pay attention to how uncomfortably close they are standing next to you.
There is a reason that my checking account is at $1.49 right now.
It may be due to the following:
-Buying too many records.
-Thinking that since they are all marked under 10 dollars and in perfect condition it is okay to buy them all.
-"I've wanted this album for sooo long."
-"I'm never going to find it in this condition again!"
-"But it's the Mothers of Invention!"
-Thinking I should treat myself.
Or possibly, all of the above.
I have a severe problem.
It's record shopping.
I love vinyl and I can't help it!
Ugh.
Just leave me alone!
I mean, this is a fantastic affordable place with a huge-o-mongous selection of vinyl, cd and dvd. Used and New. Right across the street from Princeton University. Although, if you don't have a car, good luck getting here--Princeton,NJ is the middle of nowhere.
Very very very cool place. The best part, besides the perfect smell for a place like this, is the very cool and helpful staff. All very nice, very down to earth people that work here and will show you a lot of cool new bands/artists to check out.
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Best Record Store Ever! Record exchange has anything you can think of, a huge selection of used CDs (no more than $3.99), and the friendliest staff. It's the best feeling walking in with 20 bucks and getting 5 or 6 cds. The used CDs are even organized by genre, saving you time!
Ridiculously awesome selection of new & used music and DVDs... definitely some great bargains to be had on the used stuff. I can spend hours in this place. I've never found the staff to be too helpful or friendly, but whatever. CDs are priced reasonably, but their new DVDs can be pricey... I'm willing to pay that premium in favor of avoiding some behemoth retailer, though.
Like Hoagie Haven, another institution that survived a quarter century since I schooled here...glad to report that there is still plenty of vinyl (their new arrivals section is actually larger than Amoeba's), their budget CD's actually has non-shite (I picked up the Gun Club's Fire of Love for $3.99)...perhaps my only "beef" is their lack of 7" used records (they've had the same tired boxes their for ages). Doesn't stop me from digging thru till I'm bleary eyed tho.
It's the best record/cd store in New Jersey. It's really as simple as that. With that said, it's a place for people who love music. The geeks, the nerds, the indie kids, the punks, the hipsters, the old classical music freaks, metal heads, jazz cats, vinyl fetishists, used-cd freaks, bargain hunters, bin flippers, and every sub category of geek-dom you can think of. The store is one of the reasons I moved to the Princeton area and I often stop in to check out the new used arrivals when just passing by. I would recommend getting up early on a Sunday or Saturday and being one of the first through the door. The place can get a bit crowded on weekends.
PREX!!! Awesome record store. Growing up, my dad used to drag me here all the time, and I didn't appreciate its awesomeness. I haven't lived in Jersey in 10 years, but I still try to get to Princeton Record Exchange whenever I'm down there. Lots and lots of records, CDs, movies, etc. You can be here for hours.
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