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American Association of Law Libraries
2004 Annual Meeting, July 10-14
Boston, Massachusetts

Music Stores in and Around Boston: A Selective Listing

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Boston loves music and there are countless stores for all tastes and budgets. These are a few of our favorites. If you have a few minutes during your lunch break, check out the stores right in the neighborhood. If you have a bit more time, take any downtown train for stores just minutes away on the T (subway). If you're willing to travel a bit further to explore some of our more unusual bookstores, hop on the Green line outbound or head out on the Red line.

Click on the train station name to open a new window for T (subway) directions from the convention center.

NOTE: Massachusetts uses 10 digit dialing. All phone numbers are in the 617 area code unless otherwise stated.

Right in the Neighborhood: These shops are all just steps away from the Hynes Convention and can easily be visited during the lunch hour.

Barnes & Noble (General)
Address: Prudential Center – Huntington Arcade
Phone: 247-6959
Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-11pm; Sun 10am-9pm

Comments: Listening stations allow you to prehear any music in the store.

Boston Beat Imports (Dance music – CDs and vinyl)
Address: 279 Newbury St.
Phone: 247-2428
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm

Comments: Specializing in contemporary dance music

CD Spins (Used & new)
Address: 324 Newbury St.
Phone: 267-5955
Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-8pm; Thu-Fri 11am-9pm; Sat 11am-10pm; Sun noon-8pm

Comments: This is “a small independent chain”, so if you like what you hear here, you can also visit the sister shops at 58 Winter St. downtown and at 54 Church Street, Harvard Square, in Cambridge.

Looney Tunes (Used)
Address: 1106 Boylston St.
Phone: 247-2238
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun noon-8pm

Comments: Tapes, CDs, and vinyl – See also the shop in Cambridge, at 1001 Mass. Ave.

Newbury Comics (Contemporary, with a smattering of assorted genres)
Address: 332 Newbury St.
Phone: 236-4930
Hours: Mon-Thu 10am-10:30pm; Fri 10am –11pm; Sun: 11am-8pm

Comments: In addition to music, their inventory includes items such as rock-and-roll bobbleheads and black lights. See also their location in Harvard Square. Shirts and shoes are required; tattoos and piercings are optional.

Virgin Records (General)
Address: 360 Newbury St.
Phone: 247-5900
Hours: Mon–Sat 9am–midnight; Sun noon-midnight

Comments: Three floors of music, DVDs, and related material

Green Line – Outbound

Nuggets (Used)
Address: 486 Commonwealth Ave. (T: Kenmore Square)
Phone: 536-0679
Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-8pm; Sun noon-7pm

Comments: Just one stop away on the Green Line – within walking distance of the convention center, but quite not as close as the shops listed above

Downtown

Borders Books & Music (General)
Address: 24 School St. (T: Park Street)
Phone: 557-7188
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-9pm; Sat 8am-9pm; Sun 10am-8pm

HMV Record Store (General)
Address: 24 Winter St. (T: Park Street)
Phone: 357-8444
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am–7:30pm; Sun noon-6pm

Comments: Sorry – the larger Harvard Square store closed down last year.

CD Spins (Used & new)
Address: 58 Winter St. (T: Park Street)
Phone: 357-0525
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-8pm; Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 11am-7pm

Comments: See also the shops at 324 Newbury Street and 54 Church Street, Harvard Square, in Cambridge.

Sam Goody (General)
Address:443 Washington St. (T: Park Street)
Phone: 695-0690
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-5pm

Strawberries (General – New and some used)
Address: 411 Washington St. (T: Park Street)
Phone: 482-5257
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am–8; Sun noon-6pm

The Red Line

Skippy White’s Records (Blues, Soul, R&B, Doo-Wop, and more)
Address: 538 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge (T: Central Square)
Phone: 491-3345
Hours: Mon-Wed 10am-6pm; Fri-Sat 10am-8pm

Comments: A local legend of sorts

Cheapo Records (Used)
Address: 645 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (T: Central Square)
Phone: 354-4455
Hours: Mon-Wed, Sat 10am-6pm; Thu-Fri 10am-9pm; Sun 11am-5pm

Comments: Secondhand music, in a variety of media

Sandy’s Music (Folk)
Address: 896A Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (T: Central Square or Harvard Square)
Phone: 491-2812
Hours: Mon-Sat noon-6pm

Comments: A small establishment packed to the rafters with instruments as well as recorded music, Sandy’s is “ . . .. a veritable shrine of musical eccentricities.”

Looney Tunes (Used)
Address: 1001 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (T: Harvard Square)
Phone: 247-2238
Hours: Daily noon-9 pm

Comments: Tapes, CDs, and vinyl – See also their shop near the convention center, at 1106 Boylston Street.

In Your Ear (Used & new)
Address: 72 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge (T: Harvard Square)
Phone: 491-5035
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-8pm; Sun noon-6pm

Tower Records (General)
Address: 95 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge (T: Harvard Square)
Phone: 876-3377
Hours: Sun-Thu 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat 10am-midnight

Newbury Comics (General, with an emphasis on rock)
Address: 36 JFK Street, Cambridge (T: Harvard Square)
Phone: 491-0337
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 11am-8pm

Comments: Stock includes a wide array of contemporary kitsch, in addition to music. See also their location on Newbury St., near the convention center.

CD Spins (Used & new)
Address: 54 Church St., Cambridge (T: Harvard Square)
Phone: 497-7070
Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-8pm; Thu-Fri 11am-9pm; Sat 11am-10pm;
Sun: noon-8pm

Comments: See also the shops at 324 Newbury St. near the convention center and 58 Winter St. in downtown Boston.

Stereo Jack’s (Jazz, blues, R&B)
Address: 1686 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge (T: Porter Square)
Phone: 497-9447
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat 10am-6pm; Sun noon-7pm