Seattle, WA

With over half a million records, including 10,000 classical LPs, it’s easy to see why Bop Street Records has been dubbed one of the greatest music repositories in the country.

Owner Dave Vorhees got his start selling vinyl records out of his parents’ home in the 1970s before stumbling onto a collection of rare blues albums. With this expanded collection he was able to grow his business, eventually obtaining the small Seattle storefront in which they currently reside.

However, the store has only continued to grow since its establishment, now filling two floors of wall-to-wall shelves. A visit practically guarantees a personal greeting and tour from the store’s owner, not to mention a chance to pick the brain of an enormously knowledgeable music aficionado. The store also occasionally hosts bands looking for a gig, so a lucky visit might end with a bag full of records and a singular show experience.

Got there just in time. Dave closed the store in the summer of 2020. His concern over the disposition of more than 500,000 records was relieved when a San Francisco non-profit bought his entire inventory. Happy retirement, Dave.