Village Vinyl
Where the needle meets the soul
Record Shop · California Avenue District · Est. 1982
The Story
What started as a college kid's obsession became Palo Alto's most beloved record store. In 1982, Marcus Chen quit his engineering job at HP to open a tiny shop with 200 records and a dream. Four decades later, Village Vinyl has survived the CD era, the digital revolution, and a pandemic — all while becoming a pilgrimage site for audiophiles and a Saturday afternoon ritual for three generations of locals.
Every record in here has a story. My job is just to help you find the one that's yours.
Marcus Chen
Founder & Curator
Known For
The Vibe
Atmosphere
Late-night jazz bar meets dusty library
Soundtrack
Coltrane to Khruangbin
The Crowd
Students, professors, weekend dads, vinyl pilgrims
Best Finds This Week
Updated daily
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1st Press)
Near mint, mono
$450
A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders
Original pressing
$85
Steely Dan - Aja
Japanese import
$120
Community Photos
“The kind of place where strangers become friends over a shared discovery in the jazz section.”
Local word on the street
Visit
390 California Ave, Palo Alto
0.3 mi away
Open · Closes 9pm
Today: 11am - 9pm
(650) 323-8789