Repo Records

Repo Records has been part of Philadelphia record life since the mid-1980s, with new and used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, staff-written recommendations, and in-house merch that has become part of the store's identity. The interview below was answered by Jacci for herself and Dan, the owner.

Interview with Repo Records

Repo has ridden every wave the music industry has gone through since the mid-80s. What's kept the shop essential?

Repo has ridden every wave the music industry has gone through since the mid-80's. Vinyl, cassettes, the rise of CD's, the fall of vinyl, the fall of CD's, the rise of vinyl and currently the rise of CD's again. A lot of this comes from Dan's (the owner) work ethic and ability to hold out when time's get tough. He really just loves what he does, and works hard everyday, and this rubs off on the rest of the staff. He's also been open to change and moving with the times, so when I started at Repo and had lots of ideas, I found it easy to present them to him and we just work really well as a team. As someone who moved here as a teenager in 2001, I'd been coming to Repo since then, so I already had the respect and love for the shop when I eventually started working here in 2013...this made it super easy for me to want the store to grow and be the best it could possibly be! I've learned so much since I started and I couldn't ask for a better job.

Those employee-made shirts, posters, pins, and patches are a signature. How did that tradition start?

The Repo tees were something I started designing back around 2014. I'm still doing them ,and add a couple new designs every year. Most recently I've encouraged other artistic members of the staff to design Repo tees as well. At the moment we have about 9 different original designs available for sale all at once and we rotate them out frequently. This is great because it keeps customers coming back for more everytime we put out a new design. Everything at Repo creative-wise (all the signage/Repo stickers/store display) is done in house and we occasionally have friends or local artists do guest designs.

Customers mention finding titles at Repo they've never seen anywhere else. Where does that uncommon stock come from?

We're well rounded when it comes to selection. We don't turn our nose up at anything. We might not have the largest section of a certain genre of music, but we do have something for everyone. We're constantly trying to bring in new artists and expand every section of music that we have. As for merch, we went from having 0 merch back in 2013, and now we probably order from at least 25-30 different merch vendors.

The staff-recommendation culture seems central. Is that deliberate?

I think the staff recommendation stuff is so fun. The staff enjoys writing up descriptions on the records, and it's always a thrill when someone buys a record based off of the review. I love how everything is hand-written which adds to the personality of the store.

What do Philly regulars hunt for most right now?

We have all type of regulars. I'd say some of our strongest reoccurring regulars are actually jazz guys...they come in like clock-work once a week, sometimes 2 times a week. Other people come back regularly for Friday's new releases, or to check and see if any used stuff has come in.

When someone wants to sell records, what's the best way to start?

If you want to sell records, the best way to start is to look at what you have and ask yourself if it looks like something someone else would want to buy. The titles and condition of the items are equally important. We do love to get different and unique stuff, but we also love getting common stuff that are guaranteed to sell. What helps is to know what you have, and how many...then give us a call so we can tell you the best time to come in and what to expect.

What condition details actually decide whether a used record makes your bins?

The condition can really vary.... a great album in not-the-best shape may make it onto our floor, but the price will reflect that. People don't always realize that the condition of the jacket/sleeve itself adds a lot to the value of the record and what we can sell it for. A lot of times, we'll buy a whole bulk load of records and anything that isn't up to par gets put in our $1 bin.

First visit to Repo: records first or the merch wall first?

You can really do both at once, as our new arrival vinyl rack and our Repo tee wall is right next to each other. Sensory overload!

FAQ

Does Repo Records buy used records?

Yes. Sellers should know what they have, roughly how many items are in the collection, and call ahead so the shop can suggest the best time to come in.

What matters most when selling records to Repo?

Titles and condition both matter. The jacket and sleeve condition can affect value, not just the vinyl.

What should first-time visitors check?

The new-arrival vinyl rack and Repo tee wall sit near each other, so both are easy to check on a first visit.

Last updated: 2026-07-22