Joe's Records STL

Joe's Records STL in St. Louis is a full-service music shop stocked with substantial vinyl and CD inventory organized by genre for easy browsing. The store features dozens of band t-shirts emphasizing metal and rock alongside posters, patches, and stickers. Owner Joe actively sources records for collectors and offers record player sales priced competitively against regional competitors. A punch card loyalty program rewards regular customers, and the knowledgeable staff creates a welcoming environment for both serious collectors and casual music shoppers.

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Interview with Joe's Records STL

Joe, you actively source records for collectors, not just stock the bins. What got you running the shop this way?

I'm not really sure they're not the same thing. In recent months, as far as used vinyl goes, we've been very fortunate in that what's walking through the door as far as buy-in has been very robust.

When things get really lean, we'll up our game on social media and reach out through other sources to get more used stuff. If you're referring to New Presses, I think if you're doing your buying in an efficient manner, that will just sort of take care of itself.

Sometimes people buy albums because they're rabid completists are radical audiophiles.

Others are much more about the music itself and love expressing their fandom and there's a really cool youth market right now that's having a lot of fun experimenting.

We're not purposefully focusing on any particular demo as far as buying cultures go. We're trying to throw a wider net. Which is awesome because there's no wrong reason to buy music regardless of your intentions.

There's a strong metal and rock streak at Joe's — the shirts, patches, posters. Is that where your own taste lives, and does it shape the crowd?

Yes and somewhat. We're known for being a legit metal/hardrock/classic rock destination and that absolutely is in my personal wheelhouse for sure. I don't think we're avoiding diversity by any means though. I think we just stand out for it because few other stores are committing to it the way we do. We're hardcore into all kinds of genres and do very well with a wide array of choices.

I'm really into a lot of non metal stuff as well but when people always ask me what kind of music I like I always so "Both kinds… Heavy Metal and everything else." I definitely have a pretty wide range of tastes but just like I said In the sentence itself… metal comes first for me.

Even if I wasn't into it myself, we'd still be all over it. Because it's a no brainer. Metal is crazy popular and as a genre it's still totally relevant. It's a good business thing cuz that stuff MOVES. It's also notable that those metal kids/dudes/chicks have never let us down. In 40 years that crowd has never deserted us.

You're in south St. Louis County. What does the shop mean locally, and who's coming through?

We picked it because it was really close to our home on the Illinois side!! It's definitely a little more rural than some of the STL areas. We get a lot of peeps coming up from the south on 44 and 55 and of course regular STL record peeps. The mall, of course, brings us in ancillary traffic as well and it's pretty diverse. All kinds of folks really!

Before you've priced anything, what tips you off that a collection's worth digging into?

TITLES! TITLES! TITLES! Selections are, of course, the most important thing. Once we know we like the titles, we'll take it to the next step and start checking condition, which is equally important.

There's kind of a cut off date… typically anything before the "birth of rock" (late fifties) type stuff is usually not what we're looking for. Lots of big bands and vocal stuff that there's really no market for.

We see a ton of that stuff, mostly because that generation was really good at taking care of their stuff… but about 75% of the stuff we see is unusable. But you still have to try. We always need records so we always do due diligence.

Classic Rock, Metal, Hip hop and New Presses are awesome… but we'll consider anything. No 45's though… just the "big records."

We always try to be super nice to people because bringing in a bunch or records is a real hassle for people and sometimes they get it in their head that we're a solution to financial woes… which can be awkward. We do the best we can. It's definitely one of the more critical operations we have to do.

What's the record you most often have to let people down about?

There's a lot. Elvis records… they're cool and we like them but people think they're super valuable and they're just not. There's millions out there… because you know… he sold millions. John F. Kennedy speech records seem to come around a lot! People always think they're a big deal but unfortunately… as far as our business metrics go… they too aren't really a thing.

And the other way — what quietly sells for more than sellers expect?

Ha! Not just sellers! ME TOO. I'm constantly surprised at the valuation of records. Again… really clean classic rock records that were selling for a dollar in the nineties and early 2000's are a mainstay for us. Whoda thunk it?

Do you see a pattern in who takes cash and who rolls it into store credit?

People who need cash take cash? Music People take credit? A lot of times people are downsizing or they've come into other people's stuff… they don't want MORE stuff. You can never tell… but we would much rather do credit and we really up the game amount wise when you do.

You sell record players priced to compete. How much of getting someone into vinyl is about the gear, not just the records?

It's different for everybody. I was always much more of a music guy than an audiophile. I've like all three of that last major configurations and liked collecting but was never a "I'm gonna buy a 4,000 dollar diamond encrusted stylus" kinda guy. We have a ton of dudes like that, though, and we sell them records for sure. We carry about half a dozen different SOLID midline turntables, no junk. There's a lot of junk out there and it's problematic. But we're not really into the super high-end stuff. Takes up too much money for us. Maybe later? There's no wrong way to do it, ya know? Everybody's different and that's what is really cool about it.

Missouri summers are humid and a lot of collections come out of a basement. What condition damage do you see most?

Good Lord… I've seen so much stuff. I'm always hesitant to beat people up too much about how jacked up their records are because we always appreciate ANYBODY bringing us stuff. Ringwear, splits, scratches, scuffing, and abrasions… all pretty common stuff. A banged-up record is a LOVED record typically… it just hurts the resale. "Plays better than it looks" is a real grade though… and I am constantly amazed by how well some G+ or vg- records we get in play. The old presses are much more durable.

What's the wildest record or collection that's come through the door?

I bought a classic rock/hard rock collection from a guy a few years ago. He had a double-wide mobile home completely filled. Really organized too. It was awesome… about 8,000 records. It was a major win getting that collection.

Back in Indiana, I bought a collection from a dude… a bunch or records… about 700 pieces but there were another 700 I didn't really want.

Guy offered to just donate them. I said, “That’s cool,” although NOW we don't always have the space to do that. Anyways… there was also one of those old plastic suitcase thingies that held 8-track tapes… brown plastic trying to pass off as leather. I told him I wouldn't be interested in those either but since he left them for free I took them. I never even opened the case and it got stuck on a shelf in the back room.

Probably a year later (this store was NOT in a mall) this dude pulls up outside in a HUGE junked out truck with Kentucky plates. It looked like Jed Clampett's truck from the Beverly Hillbillies. This dude got out… he was wearing coveralls and a cowboy hat and he was HUGE. I'm talking 425 and 6'7". Just a Mountain of a man.

I greeted him and he asked if we had any "truck driving" music. Crazily enough I knew I had some of that stuff in our country cd section used… several comps that would be perfect so I took him there and showed him. He's all "Oh naw… I need tapes."

At the time we had a tiny cassette department and I knew we didn't have anything like that and I was like I'm sorry… I don't have any truck driving cassettes. Then he goes "not them regular cassettes… the old 8-TRACK cassettes!"

At first I was like… "sorry man" but then I remembered that silly ass suitcase in the back. I said hold on… went back there grabbed it and when we opened it… it was 30 country 8-tracks… and I kid you not.

About 15 of them were truck driving music. C.W. McCall, Red Sovine, The Smokey and the Bandit Sountrack, some killer comps… It totally blew my mind. He was all "What you want fer 'em?" and I like "I dunno… thirty bucks." And he took them.

I think he never had any idea how NOT normal that transaction was. I think he still thinks he can go into any record store and buy some Truck Drivin' music on 8-track. I tell that story all the time. They were the only 8-tracks in the store. He was a really sweet guy.

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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