Papa Jazz Record Shoppe

One of the only stores in Columbia that offers a broad range of CDs (behind Scratch 'N Spin), and an ample vinyl collection as well. The owner and workers are great, and usually know who you are if you buy similar music too many times. Nothing to complain about, other than I wish they organized their CDs and vinyl a bit better. Unlike Scratch 'N Spin, they do not have specific sections for lesser known/popular genres. Instead, you have to go by artist name, hoping that they have what you might want. Which is odd, because they have a great New Age section and Jazz sections (down to fusion and vocals), but nothing for techno and the likes. But, ignoring that, do come here every 4-5 weeks to experience a new catalog to explore. Otherwise, it will get stale.

Visiting here from Chicago. Staff is wonderful. Very helpful . I was impressed, have returned many times about 45 purchases. I would highly recommend this establishment. Please support Brick and Mortar stores.

A great establishment with knowledgeable music buffs, good prices, rare finds and a history that make it the best music store within a hundred mile radius.

Visited about 2 weeks ago for the first time in nearly 30 years since I moved away 20 years ago. Brought back memories. It's a great place to find music of all genres.

Nice shop. Good for vinyl and okay for CDs. There are different sections, so don't be afraid to ask for some initial directions. Be ready to do some digging for that next treasure!

Never been there before. Went in and sold a bunch of CDs. Super nice guys. Gave me a very fair price. Definitely will be back.

I don't own a record player, but this stuffy (in a nice way) shop has a wonderful collection! The staff is all laid back and fun, and is glad to help you find what you're looking for.

Great selections, good prices. My dad shopped here back in the day, and now it’s my go to record shop.

It is a great little record shoppe! It features a lot of uses and some new CDs and LPs. I just happened to cop the last brand new copy of Anita Bakers Rapture album!!! I also bought Sade Greatest Hits!! This quaint little place is a vibe and the staff are super helpful and knowledgeable!!! Loved it!!

A hidden gem in the heart of Five Points! Friendly and wonderfully eclectic. A lot more than just Jazz. If you can't find it here, you probably don't really need it anyway. I will be returning soon!

Really nice shop in the heart of Five Point. Stopped in and browsed around. Very cool atmosphere, was able to pick up a couple of vinyl records

They have a wide selection, vinyl record CD and 8 track the price is very reasonable any if you're looking for any artist 9 times out of 10 they will have it The service is excellent. Everybody was able to help me with what I needed to find

Vinyl is not dead! I went with my hubby to this record store. It's not very big, but it is packed with vinyl and CDs. Just about any genre of music you can think of from various eras. They have the music organized alphabetically, and there is a new arrival section. Many of the vinyls are only $5. A customer service associate greeted us when we entered and asked if we needed help. As we continued to browse, he highly recommend we check out the new arrival section.

Nice little record shop in Columbia, SC. A decent selection of rock, metal, jazz records and CDs.

What a great local gem. I found this place by a simple google search and spent a large portion of my weekend here. There are bins of records waiting to be searched through. So I sat on the floor and went through 10, record by record until my meter ran out (2 hours). On a beautiful Saturday morning (unseasonably warm) there was another a dozen of us just going through the isles lookIng for hidden treasure. Looking forward to spending more time here

It's so refreshing to go into a record store and see the clerks engage in a way that is far from pretentious! Woody, Bethany, Alex and Preach always greet with a smile and oftentimes make on-point recommendations. It's fun to chat music trivia with each of them, too! If you're struggling to find a record, they'll help out by checking in the system if a new version or release is available, order it and call ya' up when it's ready.

Awesome shop with super friendly and helpful staff! Great selection of used and new vinyl along with other cool music related merchandise. I will make this a stop every time I am passing through the area. One of my new favorite shops in the southeast!

My brother-in-law introduced hubby and I to this place in downtown Five Points entertainment district, behind Starbucks and Saluda's Restaurant. I think the name "Papa Jazz Record Shoppe" is a bit misleading. There are other genres covered, like R&B, Funk, Country, Gospel, World, Pop, Oldies, and etc. I had great fun poking around. The stuff at their $1 sale bins were quite tempting, but they were too fragile to take home on an airplane. They really filled up the tiny space with boxes and boxes of records. Artists and genres were clearly-labeled for shoppers' convenience. I never get tired of going to a local record shop like this. Collecting vinyls has been a newfound hobby that hubby and I both share. I will definitely remember here whenever coming back to Columbia to visit the in-laws and friends.

PERFECT record shop- perfect record store clerks, of the friendly and helpful variety!!! Love the jazz sketches and memorabilia hung throughout. What a soulful spot!!

It's a weird time to visit the record store but Papa Jazz made it work. 3 in and 3 out - masks required - but I patiently waited outside and got on in to dig for some records. They had a nice selection and I was pleased with their organization. Staff was friendly and cool. I made a good haul on their new arrivals and was very happy to take it back home and add to my collection! Really excited about my Jerry Garcia Band and Dr. Dre finds!! Only regret is I didn't buy a yellow Papa Jazz T-shirt! It was only like $12! May try and order one online. Go check em' out!

Yesterday was my first time visiting a music store like this since I was a kid growing up in Flint, Michigan where Nick's was the spot. I came in here on yesterday during my lunch and it was no where near close to being enough time to browse this store. I was greeted as I walked in the door and was given a few deets about the set-up and where to find what. I walked out with only two records (Jimi Hendrix and the Experience and The Temptations). I was super excited for these two finds although these were not what I was looking for when I entered the store. I am slowly making a list....and checking it twice, lol, to see if I can find other gems in this store....knowing I will. Im super excited that I found this place through Twitter and I will definitely be back to make more purchases.....now I have to find a record player!!!

This is a real record store. It's got a neatly arranged new record section, and a rather haphazard selection of used vinyl. I would recommend small stools for below the rack digging. Prices are fair and negotiable. Papa Jazz is a gem and a must visit for crate digging in Columbia!

Almost 10 years later and it's still a great shop. Bought 10 things this most recent visit. Will continue to visit whenever in SC.

I love this store! I can always find something good. I love all the Jazz options. And they are very helpful and can recommend things! I normally get a couple records from here for my dad for Christmas, Father's Day, or his birthday.

Still getting the best albums out there!

Great record selection! Great customer service. Cool dudes! Will definitely be going back for more records!

The finest record store in the Southeastern United States. What? You think I'm exaggerating? Okay, YOU name a better one. This place was my lifeline for five years. Everything you'll ever need to know about Jazz, you can learn from Tim. Seriously, sit down & chew his ear off, get a free lesson. He knows everything. And how can you not have respect for a place that had guys like Chris Bickell & Amos Lee working behind the counter at some point in time? Guy Man Dude Forever!

I visited Papa Jazz during a trip to Columbia with a friend from Florence I was staying with a few summers ago and it was probably the best record store we visited during my stay. Living up to their name, they have a very extensive selection of jazz records. They were however, lacking a bit when it came to other genres. Regardless, they still had a ton of used vinyl in stock. I debated on giving Papa Jazz three stars, but what made me give them four was the service I received while there. During our browsing session, the two guys working had been playing a newer reprint of Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde which made me realize that I sadly did not have this amazing record. So I went searching for it in the bins and found one. After bringing it up to the counter, they guy who rang me out offered to just give me the one they were playing for half off simply because they had opened it. Now, this may not seem like a big deal to some but when it all boils down to it, they didn't have to mark the record down for me. They could have sold me the unopened one and made more money off of me but chose not to. For their friendliness, Papa Jazz gets four stars from me. I will gladly revisit if I am ever in Columbia again.

This is a really great shoppe (yeah, that's how they spell it), I did not have a lot of time to dedicate to exploring all of the records, but the new arrivals were very promising and flipping through the bins revealed a quality selection. The new arrivals contained some Love, Blue Cheer and Stranglers LPs - a perfect trifecta. The best part about the store was the ambiance and welcoming people. You could tell there is a good community of music fans in the heart of Colombia and Papa Jazz is where the hang out, which is true of many long time neighborhood stores, but the differences with Papa Jazz was even though I was just passing through, I did not feel like an outsider. I hope to return to this store someday. Long live Papa Jazz.

I will forever come to this place. The music was great. Awesome staff. And they even have $1 & $5 bins!!!

I love Papa Jazz. Discovered it while I was attended USC and decided to walk down to 5 Points. This store has a huge selection of music and DVDs. They have vinyl albums, cds, dvds, 45s, and games. They have a large selection of jazz records. When you enter at first you may be hesistant but the fair prices reel you in. It has a bohemian type atmosphere with the smell of incents and quiet music playing. The staff are always attentive and helpful. They sometimes have deals on the movies. I usually just buy dvds and they price from $4-9. You can also sell back albums and dvds anytime.

I make a point to seek out records stores as I travel to new places....thank you Yelp! Nowadays, our music world is exposed to a lot of "hipster doofus" record stores that think they're a boutique and too cool to offer good service. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE!!! Staff is young, talkative, friendly, and went out of their way to help me find a few albums. Picked up an older mono jazz lp I have been after.."Miles Davis..."Someday my prince will come"...but I digress... This is a classic type of old school record shop, good variety of all genres. Great job guys! Look forward to coming back

Can't beat this shop if you're looking to purchase new or used vinyl in Columbia. Anyone who knows anything about this town will agree. Don't make the mistake of taking your business elsewhere. Hit up the helpful staff at Papa Jazz for all of your vinyl needs.

One of my first regularly visited record stores, starting in high school. I never miss going to Papa Jazz any time I visit Columbia. I love just how much selection they manage to cram into a very small space. The new arrivals bin and staff selections are always great. They are also staffed by people that are both friendly and knowledgeable. They always seemed enthusiastic about music I asked about no matter how lame my high school tastes. I think I appreciated that more than anything! But really they are a fantastic record store and one of my favorites; you will find it difficult to leave without buying at least a few things.

This was my third home away from dorm when I was in college. The place - and people - reminds of what cool really is.

What can I say. Amazing selection, knowlegable and friendly staff, great prices even! Papa Jazz is a Columbia landmark and if you don't stop there on your visit you have missed out.

All I can tell you is that other than Wax and Facts and Fantasyland in Atlanta, I have yet to find a finer shop for vinyl in the SE. Get off your ass, get a basic turntable for a couple hundred bucks, quit listening to music on your IPod, and marvel in the vinyl experience.

Papa smells a little musty lately but that's OK, we still love him. There's more jazz here on vinyl than CD from what I could tell. I picked up a very nice Nina Simone dual disc at a great price and also a hard-to find import Blondie live disc, both at great prices. This store is a cultural oasis in benighted Columbia so patronize it often and keep it open.

Great selection of new & used vinyl, cds, dvds, 45s, etc. Friendly folks, too. This has been the best retail music spot in the area for many years. Here's hoping they stick around for many more!

I love this place... it is barely noticeable, the racks look like crates taken from the back of a shipping yard and barely managing to survive at their propped angle. It's tiny and the inside is coated with posters, t-shirt,band stickers and a slanty floor... and I love it! It all adds to the very character and soul of five points and it has been there as long as I can remember and I hope it is still there long after I am gone. The staff is great, the owner is just supercool, you just cannot find any place the amount of personality this place does. They always have awesome sales, get on their facebook list for new releases and upcoming promotions. They have a killer record selection and they will get you anything you want if they don't have it.

This place takes the cake and bakery too. It has every album you can think of, if you can't find it there, gauanted they'll have it for you the next day. I would gladly spend 100.00 on music at this record shop.

Can't say a whole lot for staff and not a lot of room but used selection of CDs and vinyl is awesome. Go when you can spend a couple of hours browsing. A 5 Points icon.

This place is the best record store in Columbia, SC. After perusing the new arrivals section and not finding too much (always hit or miss at any record store) I browsed through the regular jazz section and found a couple of items at decent prices. But the real gems in this old-school shop are in the bargain section at your feet. Clerks were nice and cut me a bit of a deal on my purchase and also unlocked their very funky restroom for me to use before I departed. Minor drawbacks are meter parking (had to run out and feed the meter 3x when there -- underestimated this small space), and it's a bit awkward to have to crouch down and peruse the stuffed under-section at your feet (a couple of footstools to sit on would solve this issue). 4.5 stars and excellent.

Finally got Tom Waits' "Bad As Me" from here this past Saturday. I think my boy got a silly Isaac Hayes album and a Curtis Mayfield one. I love this place, it's like being inside a warm blanket.

Cramped and everything you want from one of the few remaining music stores in Columbia. Very friendly (and knowledgeable) staff is always ready to assist. NIce selection of used DVDs - Criterion Collection included! Great selection of buzzed-off vinyl, too. Sporadic sales that knock their $5 (and under) deals even lower doesn't hurt, either.

One of the best shops I've been to in a while. Friendly knowledgeable staff. Great selection of vinyl CDs and DVDs. Decent prices. Tons of used crates to dig through. If you're anywher near here this is a must visit. Highly recommended.

I've been collecting records for over 20 years now, and it is in part because I was blessed with such a great record store in my home town. It all started with Mom & Dad's old records, and then it grew and grew and grew thanks to Papa Jazz. If you can 't find what you are looking for just ask one of the staff members and they'll let you know where it is or find it for you. If they don't have it they'll offer to get it for you and you don't have to pay the shipping. I've discovered a number of bands while browsing and asking the staff what they are listening to and I end up picking that up as well. This is a true GEM in Columbia!

Five stars might seem like a lot of stars to give an old smaller than your bedroom record store... wait...that is why I am giving it five stars! This place is great...if you love music in the way I love music, which is not how most people love music. Anyways, they have a great selection of new CDs, but it is small... so you aren't getting slammed by all the stuff you are supposed to like this second... instead you get a wonderful atmosphere (if you don't mind a butt-bump or two in the small isles) where people know music and will order you anything they don't have and call you as soon as it is there and never up the price for doing so. Forget BestBuy... support the Papa!

Such a fantastic place. Friendly owner and store staff , great new and used selection at fair prices. Tons of great jazz and rock LPs. I have sold/traded LPs multiple times and value is always fair or above my expectations I always find something or have something recommended by Tim , Alex , or Woody whenever i visit. If you don's see what you are looking for they will get it for you in a couple days with no shipping added. I have purchased so many great used jazz and rock LPs here , my collection would not be the same without these guys!

This place is a dream. Believe in it. Believe in records. Believe in music. Believe in yourself. Flick through a stack of 45's and find one. One that was made for you, man. Something from this store is calling out to you. Take that majestic call.

I love this place. I go here offen. i wish that they have more gospel music to pick, but the price is pretty good on some.

Really helpful and nice staff. Every now and then, I'll pop into Papa Jazz and find some really cheap DVDs. They have tons of music, too, especially if you like vinyl.

Tiny store, massive dollar record section waiting for you to dig in. Vinyl is priced very fairly

Great day! What's not to like? Yeah, the place is a little cramped, but so what? It's like going through your aunt's attic and finding treasure at every turn. On a recent visit, I found prisine copies of LPs by Sarah Vaughan, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Terry Clark, Frank Sinatra, Dave Brubeck, and Dexter Gordon. When I got home and played them, I was in high fidelity heaven. And don't think for a minute that the dollar section is full of dirty, scratchy junk. Some of my most treaured finds have come from the Papa Jazz dollar bins.

i really love this hidden gem of a place.i fill like i am treated like royalty every time i walk in the door.friendly helpful & very knowledgeable staff.if they dont have it they will do every thing in their power to get it for you.keep on rockin to those smooth jazz sounds of papa jazz & miss vicki.