Block Street Records

Block Street Records in Fayetteville is deeply tied to Northwest Arkansas music culture: a college-town record shop with young regulars, underground tastes, used and new vinyl, CDs, tapes, turntables, record care supplies, limited BSR shirts, posters, buttons, and the kind of in-store energy that makes people buy a record right off the turntable. The shop buys used records regularly and has built its reputation around fair, practical deals with sellers.

Interview with Block Street Records

Block Street feels tied to Fayetteville and the Northwest Arkansas music scene specifically. How does that college-town energy show up in what people buy and trade?

I've always been thrilled that BSR isn't just a record store for "old guys" of which, I'm one. We have a really young customer base, which affords us the ability to carry a wide variety of more modern artists and genres. Tons of things that might be considered underground have a strong fanbase here. I think I'd be bored to tears if it were only a static "classics only" type of used store.

You carry new and vintage vinyl alongside CDs, tapes, shirts, posters. How do you decide what belongs in that mix?

Music, 100%. All tangible formats, with an obvious focus on vinyl. Beyond that, it's essentials like gear working down to the periphery, like incense: cool things you might expect in a good record store.

There are space management concerns that dictate things as well. For example, we only sell BSR design shirts, limited edition designs, and so on. We don't really have room to feature a full range of music and pop culture shirts in a variety of sizes.

If someone wants to know whether you're buying used records right now, what info actually helps?

Always. There are things we're generally not looking for, like classical, which we have loads of, and 50s-era listening stuff. Beyond that, we're likely interested.

We'll meet with people in-store, typically Monday through Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, we accommodate drop-offs and reply within 24 hours. For larger collections, we'll come to the seller's home. House calls often come with really incredible stories.

I've always made a point of paying fair prices. I think, in the long run, it's served me well both karmically and with people just knowing they can stop by and make a good deal happen.

Do Fayetteville and Bentonville crowds want different things, or is there more overlap than people assume?

I think the Fayetteville crowd is a bit more adventurous and knowledgeable about more underground artists, almost certainly because of the university and just more people in that age range. Fayetteville has always had a really hip, musically knowledgeable scene of people. I've been around here forever, since the mid-80s. But they are largely similar overall.

What local detail about Block Street would actually make a store profile useful?

I'm not sure I understand the question. Sorry!

How did the shop end up carrying such a wide mix of stuff beyond just records?

Well, really there's vinyl, CDs, cassettes, music gear such as turntables, speakers, CD and cassette players, record care products, t-shirts, posters, buttons, some music-related video, incense, and so on. It's not a ton of stuff. It's just really good stuff.

What's a record or local band that always gets a reaction when it comes up?

Too many to list or remember. We've sold the record right off the turntable more times than I remember.

Is there a kind of customer that's grown since you opened?

Literally, yes. There are so many early-20s kids that I've known since they were eight years old. I've known Chloe since she was eight. She works at the shop now.

To answer your question, not really one group more than another. It's still a big mix, 8 to 80.

What's the biggest misconception people have about selling to a shop like yours?

For the most part, people are pretty knowledgeable and realistic. It's almost always a very easy, fair, and pleasant exchange.

On occasion, we do encounter people that have subscribed to bad pricing or value info, leading to unrealistic expectations. They might be sourcing the value of a record from a less than reliable place. Also, once you're selling an entire collection, the individual value of one record kind of goes out the window. We just try to come up with an overall fair price that factors in both the more desirable records and the less than stellar records in the whole collection.

What would you tell someone visiting Fayetteville for the first time who wants to check out the shop?

Please stop by. It's an incredibly fun place to walk into even if you're not looking for records. So much to see and take in. Plus, the music, the people, and the good energy. It's kind of hard to walk out there not feeling better than when you walked in.

FAQ

Does Block Street Records buy used records?

Yes. Block Street Records is generally buying used records and is likely interested in most strong collections, though they are less interested in classical and 50s-era listening records.

When should sellers bring records in?

The shop typically meets sellers in-store Monday through Friday. On weekends, they can take drop-offs and reply within 24 hours.

Does Block Street Records make house calls?

Yes. For larger collections, the shop can come to the seller's home.

What should sellers know about pricing?

Block Street Records aims for fair overall offers. For full collections, the offer has to account for both desirable records and less valuable titles together, rather than treating every record as a separate top-dollar sale.

What formats and items does the shop carry?

The shop focuses on vinyl but also carries CDs, cassettes, turntables, speakers, CD and cassette players, record care products, limited Block Street Records shirts, posters, buttons, some music-related video, and incense.

What makes the Fayetteville shop different?

Fayetteville's college-town energy brings in younger listeners and adventurous buyers, including people looking for modern, underground, and less obvious artists alongside classic record-store staples.

Last updated: 2026-06-30