T-Bones Records & Cafe

T-Bones Records & Cafe in Hattiesburg brings records, books, and DVDs together with a full cafe. Visitors can browse while they wait for a meal, coffee, or dessert.

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Interview with T-Bones Records & Cafe

T-Bones pairs classic vinyl with a full cafe — coffee, sandwiches, soups, salads. How did the records-and-food combination come together in Hattiesburg?

They say music is the food of the gods. It just seems like a natural fit to put good music and good food together in one establishment. Come in and grab a quick lunch, peruse the records while you wait for your meal. Place an order online to expedite your nightly meal for you and the crew. During your brief wait, check out books, music, and even DVDs. Next thing you know, you're showing up at home with "dinner and a movie."

Locals and people driving through both know the place. How do the record side and the cafe side feed each other?

The record store is a great place to spend some time. However, not everyone in your party may want to watch you browse every one of our pre-loved selections from A-Z. So, they can grab a book and cozy up in a corner. Sit down at a table with an icy Cold Brew coffee and people watch. Or treat themselves to one of many housemade delectable desserts. We like to think that no matter how old you are, where you hail from, or even what mood you are in that day - TBONES truly has something for everyone.

Reviewers love browsing kitschy gifts and books with vinyl spinning in the background. How intentional is that whole atmosphere?

The whole selection grew organically. While it may stem from our interests, we hope the resulting "living room" atmosphere makes the store immediately inviting. From there, the plan to offer the best of everything morphed into hoping that visitors always find some enthralling at every turn. While music is always playing, we love the sound of hearing a customer excitedly say to their friends or family, "You gotta see this!"

You host events — trivia nights and more. How central is being a community gathering spot to what T-Bones is?

TBONES has long been a site for meetings, confabs, book clubs, and dates. Located just four blocks from the University of Southern Mississippi campus and right in the heart of a neighborhood, being the community meet-up spot is the goal. It's not just products, it's the people. Come to a show, come to a listening party, or come watch one of our many DJs spin a set like no other you would hear around here. Whether it is a study group pounding away for that big exam, or just the Mayor stopping in to recharge with a double espresso before bounding off to another task. Our goal is to make you feel like this is immediately your place.

You handle online orders too, with staff going above and beyond. How big has the mail-order side become?

Customer service is our specialty, and thanks to the internet, our outreach now goes farther than ever. It starts with purchasing great products and staying on top of new releases and limited pressings. Offering local artists and new releases online makes our website a great draw for the avid fan or discerning collector searching for unique products. From there, we want our attention to detail and careful packaging/shipping to bring you back for that special order you have been seeking out for years, or the freshly announced reissue that they are only making 500 of on swirly vinyl. In the store or online, our goal is make you a valued (and hopefully) repeat customer.

What do Hattiesburg customers reach for most in the bins?

Hattiesburg is an amalgam of people. We have a lot of students whose playlist-driven tastes mean one group wants today's sparkling Pop, like Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift, while another grabs Phoebe Bridgers, Steve Lacy, Ethel Cain or something really wild like Slayyyter. Then, we have the older shoppers who grew up around vinyl and music stores. Their quest is less of a trip down memory lane, and more of a second chance at finding that RL-mastered Led Zeppelin, rare Japanese Pink Floyd, or a second-state "Yesterday and Today" from The Beatles. Most customers hit it right down the middle, getting wide-eyed at the sight of classic Police, Stevie Wonder, or country albums that will likely never be pressed again. Finally, the newest set of customers is the next generation. They have grown up with streaming and playlists. They have only recently experienced the tactile charm of holding music. They flock to CDs and cassettes as their chance to celebrate actually owning music.

When someone wants to sell records, what's the best way to start — and what makes a collection an easy yes?

We view all collections as an opportunity. We prefer to focus on helping them with the whole process rather than viewing it as simply them "getting rid" of items. The idea of their music (or their parents' music) finding another use is often a comfort. The easier we make the process for them, the more confident they leave that they did the right thing. As far as the records themselves, we are all diggers. The best experience is flipping through everything the customer has and finding a surprise. Once a customer brought in a massive stack of Mantovani, Ferrante & Teicher, and Ray Conniff records. One "easy listening" title after another. However, we kept flipping and right in the middle of the stack - a first edition "New York Dolls."

First visit to T-Bones — lunch first or records first?

Tough decision to make. The compromise would be to order your food (for here or to go,) and then hit the racks as you wait. Right about the time you have gathered that sweet stack of Cars, ELO, and the rare Mono "Pet Sounds" - your food is at your table or bagged up and ready to go. Not only did you have a fantastic lunch, but you also saved time.

Last updated: 2026-09-06

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