Sterling Records

Sterling Records prioritizes breathing room: records are shelved with space to actually flip through them, a relief in Brooklyn's cramped record stores. The inventory leans new across all genres, backed by staff who know the music and a listening station for exploration. Books, merch, and collectibles round out the selection at varying price points.

Expect mostly new stock rather than used bins, and note that CDs are an afterthought—poorly organized and inconsistently shelved. Dogs welcome.

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Interview with Sterling Records

Sterling Records made a real choice — bins with room to actually flip through, in a city where most shops are packed tight. Where did that philosophy come from?

If I'm being totally honest it comes from us starting on a very small budget. But I also wanted it to be a place where people didn't feel rushed, but felt comfortable just being there.

You're on 5th Ave in Park Slope. What role does the shop play in that Brooklyn stretch, and who's coming through?

Well the good part is the foot traffic is a plus, but the rent sometimes makes you wonder if that's the right idea. What role does the shop play for 5th ave? I think that's for the customers to answer.

You lean new across all genres, with a listening station to explore. How do you decide what earns a place on the shelves?

Curating the inventory is quite easy (financing it isn't!) As I've grown older I feel I'm not as biased towards or against most types of music. Obviously I try to keep up with what's going on. I always tell people I'm trying to buy 1000 records but can only afford 400. So deciding what makes the cut is the hard part. Although when we started it was 1000 records and only being able to pick 100 so we're slowly getting there.

The listening station is a real invitation. Does it change how people discover records here?

I think a listening station is important, obviously for checking the condition of the records and for giving something new a listen.

Books, merch, collectibles — and dogs are welcome. How much of Sterling is about the space and the feel, not just the records?

Creating the space was very important. Not everyone can afford vinyl, but still wants to be part of the record shop experience, so posters, magnets, and merch are just a way of making those people welcome. I don't want anyone, especially young people, to feel excluded. If I ever get the money I would love to knock the wall down in the back and make the shop bigger, put a coffee shop in and fix up the garden so it becomes a place that makes people want to come back

You're mostly new stock rather than used bins. Do you take used at all, and how does that side work?

Our used selection is growing all the time. I would say it's 50/50 new/used. We buy and trade all the time. I like the mixture of both. If I was my business advisor I would probably tell myself to not bother with new as I'll never beat online prices, but Park Slope is a neighborhood that constantly fights against big companies, so I will continue to do both.

What's flying off the shelves right now that might surprise people?

We don't have anything that sells that really surprises me. I guess just how many people are still buying Rumours and Thriller after all these years.

For someone building a collection new rather than digging used, what's your best advice on where to start?

I don't think I'm the right person to tell someone how to start a collection. Just buy what you like.

What's the record you can never seem to keep in stock?

There are so many albums that I can never order enough of - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours, Any D'Angelo, Nas - Illmatic, Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue, any Bob Marley, Geese, Fontaines DC, Jeff Buckley - Grace, Michael Jackson, Sade, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Big Thief, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, John Coltrane - Love Supreme, Beyoncé. You can pick any of these, I don't mind.

What's something you're excited about for the shop in the coming year?

I'm excited about so many things. Making the shop bigger, a lot more racks of records, stock more turntables etc. I have a lot more plans, including DJ lessons, but let's be honest it's mostly about staying afloat and making the shop better. Much better. As the saying goes "Fail we may, sail we must"

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Last updated: 2026-10-25

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