Molly's Books & Records

Wonderful book and record store in Philly's Italian Market. Events include book signings, readings and some of Philadelphia's most exciting bands.

Underrated record shop, hidden gem, friendly staff, and good selection of records. From Beethoven, to Beatles, to Jackson Browne, they had some picks for me to grab. Definitely going to stop in frequently from now on.

I honestly did not expect to see such a beautiful treasure chest hidden in the heart of the Italian market. A friend of mine who knows my obsession with used and rare books suggested this place, but since it had the word "records" in the title, I was reluctant to visit at first. I love records but I don't have the device to play them. Anyways one weekend me and my husband decided to go and it was a beautiful experience. First of all even though the place was old and small, it gave a gorgeous vintage vibe. You know, a cute kitty sleeping near the books on display, guys discussing Emile Zola loudly, the smell of fresh coffee. I immediately noticed what a wonderful place it is, because they had beautiful and vintage and most importantly affordable editions of my favorite books. I loved loved loved their selection and the entire experience. I even found a Sylvia Plath from the 60s that despite being old, was clearly an unread copy. Not just that, there was a folded piece of newspaper article about Plath from the 70s in there. Such a treasure for a Plath lover like me! I also got some Zola and May Sarton. We then took our books and walked to a nearby park, where we drank our italian coffee and read our books. A wonderful bookstore and also a great experience.

Fantastic collection of used books at reasonable prices.

Visited once. The staff were very welcoming and friendly. Lots of vintage records and books. Staff is eager to help.

Nice little used books and records store, sandwiched by market shops in south Philly. You’ll need to check the disc condition for sure, but you can find some gems at a reasonable price.

Molly's has a constantly-revolving selection of desirable records and CDs at very reasonable prices! One of my favs

Molly's is a cute bookstore in the Italian market with a pretty good selection of books and records. And of course it has the cutest bookstore cat!

I love this place. It has a cat, and she is an absolute sweetheart. In addition to that, it has a great selection of books, records, movies, sheet music. I got a first edition of In Cold Blood for about $15. I could spend hours in here talking with Molly and her son. Great cookbook selection too!

One of my favorite spots to get records in Philly. A big fan of the sweet store cat and the prices are pretty reasonable. This store contributed a lot of vinyls to our slowly growing collection and we appreciate the wide range of genres they sell! You know it's going to be a good day when you get to dig through the $1 bins out front. I've also picked up a few books here, they have tons to look through. The owners are pretty nice and they post on Instagram often.

Aaaaaaaand I'm obsessed. I've walked passed several times and perused during street festivals, but today I finally REALLY looked while running errands in The Italian Market, and I was so happy with what I found! The record collection has a few gems, but the books were outstanding! I wound up buying something for everyone in the fam...from Anne Frank's diary to Salinger and Shakespeare, to newer reads by Margret Atwood. I found such amazing classics, some even special limited print. You name the literary genius, they have it! I love collecting old books and plan on passing my collection down. This is such a wonderful place to build by library and I imagine yours too. The books are neatly categorized and they even have nice childrens' and young adults section, as well as a local interest with really neat books about Philly's history. My favorite were the ones that showed the streets we we're all familiar with but back 100 or so years ago. The prices were so incredible reasonable and the books were all maintained very well! The staff ware helpful and friendly and they do accept card purchases for anything over $5.

Totally rad record & bookstore complete with a resident cat. You never know what treasures you'll find at this super friendly and reasonably priced shop. Personally I LOVE browsing the collection of vintage and second-hand cookbooks. I've found the most unique presents at this quaint little shop.

Pro: A quaint little record shop nestled in the heart of the Italian Market area of Philadelphia. Molly's is a nice place to run into if you aren't really looking for a specific record; you get pleasantly surprised when you bump into the place, then get even more surprised when you find that rare gem you always forget to research. Con: While finding the rare gem at Molly's feels good, the acquiescence to a limited selection does not... Bottom Line: Don't go looking for it; let the record find you!

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect as we walked to the shop. We hoofed it all the way down East Passyunk and S 9th to get to Molly's, making our way through the Italian Market. We were passing all these produce stands and Latin/South American eateries and I kept thinking to myself, "There's a book shop here? Really?" (as well as "OMG my feet hurt!") But when we got to the storefront and I saw the sidewalk sale offerings displayed for $2 each, I knew good things lay in store for us at Molly's. It's a smaller shop PACKED with awesome books and vinyl. If you are claustrophobic, be forewarned. Just saying. The store is very well maintained and organized, and everything is placed in a way that makes it easy to shop. It's just a lot in a narrow space. So know that going in. When you go in, the shop owner is manning the register to the left and there are CDs to your right. Vinyl stacks take up the middle of the front part of the store, while shelves of books flank them. The back half of the store is all book shelves and there's a chair in front of the science fiction section (where I sat while my boyfriend looked through the vinyl stacks). He found quite a few records that he ended up purchasing. He also had a good conversation with the owner, who is like the coolest shop owner I've met. He really knows about vinyl and cares about making sure that the customers are happy with the selection and quality of their purchases. There's a turntable listening station in the store, but he said that, if there was a problem with any of the records, my boyfriend could come back to the store with it. He didn't give that curt "All Sales Are Final" line. Very cool and good business practice; it's the good way to build a clientele. Take your time looking through everything. You'll be sure to find something at a good (and competitive) price regarding the vinyl there. I know the bf found hard-to-find records. I found the original motion picture soundtrack for the movie Time Square (a double album for only $6!) as well as 'Roy Orbison Sings Don Gibson' from 1967 for $5 that plays beautifully! Molly's is a great shop!

All we review are poor locations because if you're doing what you're supposed to do then no one needs me to tell them that we know too. I sold Joe some records. Real cheap. I'm a scrapper so I'm used to that. One record he would not buy for $1 was in Russian with a red star and hammer and sickle with a guy singing. On the way out the door a customer asks me where I got that record. It's Paul McCartney on the cover singing. So I thought Joe was cheap and ill informed. Fast forward years later. Same story! If you have time to kill why not wander in and ... whatever. Otherwise, even naive souls have to see past this charade.

I'm really sad that I missed the re-opening reception. It had a special art display by Isaiah Zagar, South Streets Magic Gardens master artist. and it even had a viewing of one of my favorite movies ever Santa Sangre. that's just proof that this bookstore has been trying to be a bookstore of a different color since it's very beginning. Molly Russakoff, the owner, has been a part of Philly's poetry scene for 25 years. She has been working hard to make it a fun shop that offers something special for the community. it has great special events occasionally (see above), has a great cafe inside, and you can even call to make an appointment for visiting the store outside of store hours if need be.

Adorable store in the Italian district. Tons of interesting records. Sweet and funny cat running about, her name is Mrs Stevenson.

Awesome shop to find secondhand vinyl at an unbeatable price! I've found so many albums here from Crosby Stills and Nash to Dolly Parton to Bruce's Born to Run. I once came in and got 10 albums in good condition for $20. If you ever have a question the staff is very helpful. Definitely check them out.

I watched the owner yell at two customers in a row today, in a matter of 5 minutes. I will not shop here again. I'd rather support Amazon than this guy.

Joe took a break from berating one customer to berate me when I asked for a simple price check on an item. I've never seen someone act so put upon to perform basic aspects of his job in my life. I will never shop here again.

Awesome/cool shop that I could spend hours exploring. Definitely worth stopping by if you're in the area. Selection of books is terrific and personally/carefully curated too.

Excellent CD & Vinyl Shop. First Rate. They have box sets, used and new vinyl & CDs, and a live show nearly every week. The help is great. The layout is great--very spacious and visually attractive. This is the best vinyl store in downtown Philly.

Even though I didn't buy anything, I loved the store. Everything was in perfect order. Clean and well detailed. I can't wait to come back.

Wow! What a neat and refreshing little spot. I honestly can't recall ever visiting a bookstore with a better selection. As I browsed through the racks, I stumbled across more and more books that were among my favorites of all time. And of the books I hadn't read, a staggering portion of them were on my reading list. I think I got lost for about an hour just gushing over the impeccably curated book selection at this neat little shop.

I love this book and record store .Looks small from front but is large because it extends . They have a huge selection and owner s son works there and us very helpful.

Very nice collection of used records at reasonable prices!

I am reviewing Molly's from the other side - as a seller. My parents were serious music-lovers, and amassed an incredible collection of rock, jazz, blues, and classical albums during the 60's, 70's, and early 80's. I joined the fray when I was 12 or so; that is, when I was old enough to start buying records. (This was in the not-so-distant past when children roamed the streets of Philly like little adults.) My father passed away suddenly this year and my mother decided to move. The difficult question arose: WHAT SHOULD WE DO WITH THE RECORDS? We knew they were worth something, but we weren't sure how to go about selling them. Selling also felt sacrilegious somehow. But if they went to someone who appreciated them, that would feel ok. I searched around and came upon Molly's website and knew this was the place. Joe, who's the record-buyer, was absolutely wonderful to work with. He knew what we were going through and he was both KIND and PROFESSIONAL. He gave us a really fair price for what we had that was valuable, and took the ones he might have trouble selling too because he could see we needed help. I have nothing but love for that experience. Thank you, Joe. And thank you to Molly's for creating a place like this in Philly.

I've long loved Molly's. There is nothing like a summer morning spent in the market, drinking something from the Gleaners, chomping a pastry from Golden Donut , and petting the cat at Molly's while browsing the aisles. She's a true independent and a survivor. I've found many a children's book for my classroom readings while just stumbling across them at Molly's. If I could bottle this place, I would.

I hesitate to review Molly's, because this place is friggin' awesome. Definitely a secret of the Italian Market. There's always baskets lining the sidewalk with DVDs and old albums. Albums are a buck (!) and you don't have to dig through countless Christmas classics or Glenn Miller compilations to get to the good stuff. I think DVDs are $4 a pop. Inside the selection looked great, but I haven't poked around too much. Will definitely blow through my disposable income here at some point. Oh! There's a cat as well. He came to the door as soon as we entered. Awesome.

This is a GREAT little record and book shop in the heart of the Italian Market. I came in for the first time this past weekend (out of towner) and the shop keeper was so friendly and helpful. When I inquired about a Patsy Cline album, he recalled they recently got one in stock and then dug it out from the basement for me. We had a nice chat and after buying several records, I mentioned I'd definitely be back. Shops like this are GEMS and I highly recommend Molly's! FIVE STARS

This place was so cool! Lots of used books and records for insanely reasonable prices. I had a lot of fun rooting through the $2 book bins outside and found some real gems in a short period of time. I'll definitely be back when I have more time so I can really dig through and add to my collection.

So I came in here with my boyfriend on tuesday. He has a zillion records and knows how to play them. I bought my first two records here and I probably should have taken a picture lol. I bought the Fleetwood Mac album and tapestry by Carole king! I loved hearing it on vinyl and we'll be back again. I spent 11 bucks and I can see this becoming a new fetishist. Thanks !!!

I was lured into Molly's after sorting through some of the books in bins outside the store. There were many great hardcover books for only a few dollars. I went inside to pay and was delighted to find a larger selection of fairly well selected book at reasonable prices. I ended up purchasing 7 high-quality, hardback picture books for just under $40. The saleswoman was very kind, and mentioned that she'd be getting more boxes of children's books soon, so I might even check back to see what else I can find. I didn't really look through the rest of the store - I was just there to get some children's books for my nieces and nephews - but glancing around briefly, it seems pretty decent considering it's a fairly small shop.

Sometimes I get the need. The NEED...for SPEED. (insert clever flashback to Maverick and Goose high-fiving on the landing strip) ...OK, well maybe speed wasn't the right word. And maybe I just used that 80's movie reference because I wanted to use it in this review and I couldn't figure out how to weave it in to relate. What I REALLY meant was, sometimes I get the idea of needing to see or own a movie I used to have or one that is imperative to my collection, and there are a couple places in the city I know I have a poop's chance if I am consistent in my search. Molly's is just such a gem, Since I can remember, Molly's has undergone a few transformations, but has always been an indie, local, bric-a-brac joint that has used EVERYthing. ,,,with cats. I can't forget the cats. Cats roaming the space has ALWAYS been, and always will be...Molly insists, and I am loathe to disagree, as they give the store a charm that I savor. The organizational level of the space has fluctuated from "oh my god - i'm overwhelmed, please shoot me" to "hey - are these alpahbetically arranged or by genre?" The other day when I poked in, Angelo has done his damnedest to have that place in ship shape order, and when I went in with 2 specific missions, he had me all set in less than 5 minutes. Of course, in addition to, YES, SCORING!!!!! , I was also able to find 3 other gems and bought them all with a butterfly of excitement in my belly, already tasting the way I felt all throughout my high school days when grunge was hing and I woke up super early before I caught the bus (and before Mummi was awake) to sit in front of MTV and hope that Smells Like Teen Spirit would come on, because Mummi thought MTV was "an ugly channel - what with that Beavis and Butthead - so disgusting!" and I was banned from watching it. But, I digerss...(as I usually do in these reviews...) Of course, i did not escape without getting into an involved conversation with Angelo and my shopping companions about limited edition signed copies of Chuck Palahniuk books, the merits of thinly sliced duck proscuitto, and the Passyunk neighborhood's explosion. I think Molly's is always on an upswing, and I am happy to witness firsthand the way the store brews like a fine wine. It's a good vintage now; just wait...we'll see what wonders lie in store in the future. Book signings and readings? Social events? Yes and yes. Scrounge up some good karma and take your chances on a browse through. You may leave with some gems. ...or a copy of a Top Gun DVD. That would be great, too.

Great selection of books, hand selected by Molly herself. The place is a little cramped so, it's quality over quantity here. Killer selection of records too, Joe has a real good eye for that as well. If you are looking to sell LPs, I wouldn't go anywhere else in the city. Top dollar paid. Check their website first tho to see what they are looking for as it can be selective at times.

It's nearly impossible to go to the Italian market and not stop in at Molly's. I almost always find a record I must have, usually one that transports me straight back to childhood. I have never had a problem with the condition of the used record, even the ones which are a dollar. In a world of digital music and downloaded books, there is still a certain sublime peace while browsing through the real thing. Marveling at the cover art. The smell of loved albums and books, reminds you that someones "velveteen rabbit" is just waiting for you to take them home. WHO By Numbers, You have a home with me.

I live a block and a half from this little gem! My husband and I shop here for all of our LP needs!!! The owners are very helpful and completely have a passion for what they do. Every record we have ever purchased was in very decent condition and was priced really well.

Favorite store in Philly. Great selection of old pulp sci-fi books, always some quality reggae and jazz in the record bins, and interesting & knowledgeable people selling it all behind the counter. Love this place and the whole Italian market zone surrounding it.

The selection is not large but it sells some excellent vinyl for very good prices. I got an original pressing of the Stones' "Let It Bleed" with its original poster for $25 and--what can only be described as an extraordinary and lucky find-an original pressing of Zappa's (I know it's the Mothers of Invention) "We're Only In It for the Money" for $12(!). The latter is on eBay for about $70-$80. I give Molly's four stars just for that record alone! Best score during my long weekend spent in Philly.

Wow! This place is great! My friend was able to find a bunch of older books for her son. The children's books were a blast from the past! I found a really great Anthony Burgess box set for a friend. The proprietor was very friendly and helpful. This will be a regular visit for me when I am in the Italian Market!

This place was so great I went twice in one day. I was back home in Philly for a visit, and my boyfriend and I passed Molly's on the way to brunch at Sabrina's (holy food, more please). We spent about thirty seconds flipping through the dollar albums outside before we found not one, but two copies of "Weird Al in 3-D". In we went. Molly's is my favorite kind of used book/CD/record store: the kind that's curated. Not just any shit goes on the shelves. There aren't any romance novels or multiple copies of the same Stephen King book. This place makes the most of its small space by featuring things that people will want to browse through and eventually buy. It's organized well, used DVDs are cheap (five dollars), and records and books are reasonable. I paid ten dollars to finally add Watchmen to my graphic novel collection, and another seven for V for Vendetta, and I did so happily. I'll spend that money on used books so a place like Molly's can stay open. Not to mention the fact that the cashier and my boyfriend had a conversation about Philip K. Dick, and we all shared the Weird Al love. He vowed to buy the second copy of the album we snagged. I can get behind that.

My Wife is in to Vintage Records we Found Molly on yelp so we decided to check her out... Small Store but so much stuff you can be there for days Checking Stuff out. All there Merchandise comes with a Guarantee Def check them out.

As of April 2010, Molly's is back open as a bookstore. She's also a delivery point for Lancaster co-op. I love having her in the neighborhood, but I find the prices for her books high compared to other used bookstores in Philly. I look forward to the author's readings and poetry nights..

I was reeled into Molly's from its $1 $2 $3 vinyl in the front. Although it's small, it packs a lot of books & vinyl. A lot of regulars & familiar faces. It has a wide variety of vinyl from $1 Hendrix 45s to higher-priced collector gems. Although I was looking mostly at the music, I found a whole display of art history books that I found really useful. You should definitely try this one out! Staff is very friendly and happy to help.

Molly's is a quaint little record/used book shop in the Italian market (what little is left of it). They have an okay selection of used vinyl with some 2-3 dollar picking pins outside. Unfortunately, they bins are outside. You can occasionally come across a great find in the bins but beware. They sit outside for so long in the humid air and are stacked together, so it isn't uncommon that these LPs become warped and sometimes unplayable. The staff is relatively friendly but are not too attentive. They are usually unaware of their own stock. I stop by when I'm in the neighborhood to take a quick look but it is not a spot I would go out of my way to visit.

First time in this store. I was in the Italian Market and remembered it had been recommended by another record store in the area. It's not a huge store by any means, so i wasn't expecting much. I was amazed at what I was able to find. I was able to find many albums I had been looking for for reasonable prices ($8-10- in great playing condition). Then I found the multiple bins with records for $1! Surprisingly good titles in these bins. I got to talking to the lady checking me out ( I assume Molly) and she was very helpful on other related questions. Very warm feel inside from both employees I spoke with, great selection and good prices, especially if you dig a little. I will definitely be back again

Great shop with large selection, of both eclectic and out of print books and records at reasonable prices, located in the heart of the Italian Market, best day Saturday or Sunday

A little pricey but they have a really nice selection of unique, harder to find books. My favorite sections in this tiny store are the vintage children's books (usually in pretty great condition) and the pulp fiction. They usually have a bunch of bins in front with $2 books, worth looking through.

Love this place. They have a decent selection of LP's in mint condition for one or two dollars. The staff is always very nice!

Molly's is hands down one of the top record stores in Philly. There are so many great finds, the pricing is incredibly fair, the atmosphere is charming and the employees are so friendly! A true gem!!!!

My go to spot for a good book. Nice staff and great selection.

five stars for cool shop and ownership, if you wander in here and take a few minutes to chat with molly or her lovely children you'll see why the world needs bookstores. it has a nice selection of fiction, a nice selection of art books and a huge selection of books on cooking, spirits, wine, beer and about anything else interesting. prices are great! if anyone wants to help start "NATIONAL BUY A BOOK DAY" with me, let me know, we'll meet here.

Molly's is definitely a place to visit if you are near the Italian Market and love books and records. I called on a Sunday afternoon looking for A Feast for Crows by George R. R. Martin. The gentleman on the phone told me they had it and even held it at the front desk for me. They have a great selection of books and I can't wait to go back and check out the records. Plus the customer service was amazing.Thanks to Molly's because you guys made my day!

i have heard recently that they are going to be closing down. this makes me ridiculously sad.

I saw three books in the library for .25 in the summer... I Didn't buy them because I decided I was never reading those books ... I begin my Spring semester and those same books were 21 and up in the school bookstore. I race back to the library to discover... One book is there. I ask the librarian for a used book store in Philly.. She looks surprised and says, " Of course there's Molly's." I race over to Molly's... Take an hour trying to figure out how to be at the right part of 9th street... Frantically burst in the door... The first thing I notice is that there is NO OLD BOOK smell. There is a gentleman behind the counter who says, 'hello' and gives me a very welcoming warm smile. I say, "I need some books for school... I need nice copies cause I gotta take this in bed with me at night, and carry the book around." He nods and I thrust this poor man into a game of charades... I'm saying, "woman, marriage , songs, babies, hell, tattoos and I remembered "Jane Eyre" (for some reason. I only knew one title. ) The gentle man said, " Yes, William Blake, I have one copy but it's not that expensive just a few dollars." He then walked to the opposite side of the room and said, "Pride and Prejudice is here, and below it ...Jane Eyre is here." I was surprised he got William Blake from what I was saying to him he's good! There were even options for annotated copies of the book which pleasantly surprised me. Every book I looked at was in very good condition. I was very pleased with the books I found...I'll be back... With or without the proper titles...I know they are up for charades if I forget my list.