Spinster Records — Local services in Dallas

I've bought a few dozen records at Spinster over the years. Friendly people. I collect a lot of music and am generally eager to support the local record stores. There are issues with the shop that keep me from going more frequently.

First, the stock turns over at a glacial pace. I didn't go for the first six months of the pandemic, and their used vinyl bins were full of the same albums I'd picked over on my last visit. Which, given the pandemic, would be forgivable, except that they were selling the same stock six months before that, and a year before that. I'll always buy something, but for a while now, that is often just to be polite.

The new vinyl selections trend pop rock. Few small labels are represented. All good, but not what I would pay a premium for.

Second, their prices are bonkers expensive. New vinyl runs 150% its standard price. Used record markups run even higher. For example, for months they were (probably still are) selling a copy of Donald Byrd's Places and Spaces for $50 (or, the going, top shelf discogs price). Visibly scuffed vinyl. Sleeve in poor condition. $50. I have two copies of the same album, both bought from record shops in the last five years, for $6 and $8, both in VG+ condition.

Third, Spinster doesn't grade vinyl. It is just new and "vintage." Vintage meaning the full spectrum from mint to should-be-in-a dollar-bin. I've brought home a few discs with playback affecting blemishes, even with careful inspection. Replacing the inner sleeve is a nice touch, but the quality of the record and sleeve needs to be factored into pricing. Every serious record seller grades their vinyl.

All told, I'm not sure what the target audience of Spinster is. It is not the deejays and record collectors of the world. Perhaps down to Earth pricing would increase volume, turn the bins over more frequently, and inspire customers like me to come...

Overpriced and unknowledgable and clueless staff.

Do not go here if your looking to sell your records. I went there looking to sell a stack of about 15 records, each of them in the hundred dollar range, some in the mid hundred dollar range. The first gal that helped me out took a good 30 minutes examining the records. Another gal showed up and informed me that they typically buy records for 1 - 2 dollars a pop. The gals then compared my records with what they were going for on Discogs, this took another 20 minutes. After checking discogs they offered me 35 dollars, the reason being is because were “niche records” that would be difficult to sell. I found this very odd as the girls working were listening to Mazzy Star and I had a Japanese pressing of David Robacks (of mazzy star) Rainy Day in the collection. I am still puzzled as to why they would even check prices on Discogs because they offered me what they typically buy records for, 1 - 2 dollars a pop. In my 20 years of collecting/shopping at record stores, I've never been to a shop with such such inexperienced employees. A pretty face doesn't make you an expert on records.

I ended up taking my records to Josey Records and got offered $500 dollars, the price I was expecting to get over...

Cashier was very rude to customers with children visiting the store. There are many options for dining in the area and there is no sign that states “No outside Food or Drinks allowed while shopping!” My nephew drink a cups with watered down soda with ice on the floor. I immediately made eye contact with the cashier and she rolled her eyes and had a attitude once I requested paper towel to clean the mess. While cleaning up, she decided to stare us down and approach me as I clean up. I asked why she gave the look when it happen.She stated” I was scared!” I asked what is there to be scared of when a half filled cup of melting ice fell? I explained to her that “ there is no reason to be scared, I am cleaning up the mess!” I proceed to ask for her name and she refused to give it to me. I will be reporting her actions to the owner and manager. We choose to take our family to the Record store as a educational moment that was ruin due to her actions. I cleaned up the mess before I realize it was a legit issues so I don’t have a photo. No items or merchandise was damage during...