Platterpus Records

Platterpus Records in Easthampton, Massachusetts is a long-running western Mass record shop with an authentic vintage feel and a deep place in the local record-store circuit. The shop draws customers from Easthampton, Northampton, Amherst, the college towns, and beyond, with many visitors making a full Valley record-store run across a remarkably dense cluster of shops.

For sellers, Platterpus starts with artist, title, and condition. Records that can sell and are in good shape are the easy yes; warped vinyl, musty covers, split seams, and writing on jackets or labels can reduce value or make a record hard to take.

Interview with Platterpus Records

Platterpus is one of the great record store names. What's the story?

It came from a record store in New Zealand. At one point there were four record stores called Platterpus in the United States, that I know of. There was one in California, one in Ohio, one in Louisiana, and me. I think I am the only one left.

Easthampton has become a real arts town in western Mass. How does that creative crowd shape the shop?

I do not know that they shape the shop much. I have been doing what I am doing for the past 43 years without really changing much. I do think they like the store's authentic vintage vibe.

Do you draw from the whole Valley, or is it mostly Easthampton locals?

We draw from everywhere. This area is pretty amazing. There are eight really good record stores within a 20-minute drive of each other, and three more if you drive another 15 minutes to the Greenfield and Turners Falls area.

I often get people who do the whole record-store run. They are local or come from out of the area to visit all the stores. Each store has its own vibe and niche. I am not sure there are many other areas, outside of large cities, where you can find that.

Is there a western Mass music thread that runs through the collections people bring in?

Not really. Western Mass has an incredibly diverse music scene. Rock, jazz, blues, folk, punk, grunge, R&B, hip hop, and reggae all have scenes in this area. I will often see some of each genre in a single collection.

If someone wants to sell records, what's the best first step?

The first thing is the artist and title. Then it is the condition they are in. That includes the vinyl and cover. If it is records I can sell, and they are in good condition, it is an easy yes.

What condition problems come up most in collections from old New England houses?

New England houses often have very musty or humid basements and attics that get incredibly hot in the summer. Unfortunately, that is where many people put their records when they stopped playing them. They warp in the attics and get musty in the basement.

There is nothing you can do with a warped record and, my apologies to Neil Young here, must never sleeps. It can be almost impossible to get that smell out of the covers. The other problems are probably common to all areas: writing on the covers or labels, worn or split covers, things like that. Those problems may not make buying the record a hard no if the vinyl is nice, but it detracts from the value.

First visit to Platterpus: what should someone check first?

The new arrivals bin. It is where almost all of the records that just came in go first. There are often some pretty nice finds in there.

FAQ

Does Platterpus Records buy used records?

Yes. Platterpus Records evaluates records by artist, title, vinyl condition, and cover condition.

What makes a collection an easy yes?

Records that the shop can sell and that are in good condition are the easiest fit.

What condition issues hurt value most?

Warped records, musty covers, split covers, writing on covers or labels, and heat or moisture damage can reduce value.

What should first-time visitors check first?

Start with the new arrivals bin, where most recently acquired records go first.

Is Platterpus Records part of a larger western Mass record-store circuit?

Yes. The shop draws visitors doing record-store runs through Easthampton, Northampton, Amherst, Greenfield, Turners Falls, and the surrounding Valley area.

Last updated: 2026-07-11