Shake It Records

Excellent selection, including deep cuts, rare finds and up and coming artists. The creaky wood floors and hand written signage captures the essence of every great record store in existence. Every time I have been here, it has been relatively busy, so don't wait to find that hidden gem you've been looking for! Go now and snag it before someone else does!

My bf is currently in the outrageously hectic, time consuming process of selling his collection of comic books.. Naturally, we are beginning this journey locally versus on the big ole world wide web and this is where we began! 🧐 🤔 Anyhow, long story short, this is a really cool place and there is so much awesome stuff in there! (If, that is, we went in there to buy..) Anywho.. Maybe, we should have called first, or maybe they could have certain employees' work days/ hours, or even the contact information of said employees that have certain interest in certain areas/ buying particular merchandise.. Either way, that could have saved us a trip, or helped someone add some pretty cool comics to their collection 😉😀

Incredible record store. Everyone who works there is friendly and more importantly to me KNOWLEDGEABLE in all music especially metal and Psych! Unexpectedly they had stock of albums that I was looking for for months that the labels site and bands website were sold out of . So much obscure music and popular stuff at the same time . Ive been going there since 2002. A beautiful record store in cincy!

Tons of records from every genre, new and used, to sift through (including a whole basement full of jazz!). Plus they have used movies and books available too.

Great atmosphere and selection of new and used albums. Even got a good price on records sold to them.

such a nice place! very vast selection of vinyls, cds, cassettes, and more! thank you to the sweet dog for greeting me and definitely a staple to visit for music lovers in the area.

I love it all the cool punk old rock selection this one best record store I been in my brother come from Illinois just check it out keep up the great selection

This is the place to go for vinyl lovers. Selection is great and the prices are reasonable.

Wonderful to see such an abundance of CDs, LPs and other music/culture related stuff in this slender storefront. As a music collector, I appreciate the well-organized stock. I bought several cool, uncommon items including a used 4 CD box set for $35 that I've seen as high as $100 elsewhere. The longer you look around in this store, the more you will find!

Fantastic record store. It's has everything from the 20s to currents. It has a Kings Records display downstairs.

Awesome store have there own label great quality products Jim and his brother are great they are extremely nice and knowledgeable if you love music and cds and records highly recommend

Funky and eclectic record store -vinyl, CD's, tapes. Has a wonderful selection of all types of music from country to rock to rap to jazz to classical and everything in between! Browse new records or a selection of gently used ones. There are even some books and other items. A definite stop for audiophiles and a fun stop for all others!

Been there several times and never disappointed. The selection of CDs and vinyl is quite impressive. Their used CDs are top quality. It's the same with the albums. Purchased well over 40 used CDs and not one issue EVER.

This store is 5 miles North of downtown Cincinnati and easy to get to from downtown via the 20 bus to Northside Terminal. The store is a treasure trove of new and used vinyl and cd, as well as some T shirts and DVD's. The prices are very reasonable. I bought many CD's. The owner was friendly. One of the best stores for music I have been to in some time. I very highly recommend it.

I was visiting Cincinnati for the weekend, and wanted to do some used vinyl shopping in order to purchase something to sample. In terms of used vinyl, I was pleasantly surprised with the great selection including funk and jazz as well as the $2 section as well as the $1 and $0.50 bins. There was a turntable to preview various selections on as one might expect. My favorite was the used Jazz section! Don't leave without checking out the basement! Beyond the used selection I thought the store was set up nicely and the surrounding neighborhood was really charming as well with plenty of parking for a busy Saturday afternoon. I will definitely return to this store whenever I am in Cincinnati next, and I highly recommend it to anyone else looking for that next loop! Happy digging!

Man, as a tourist it's incredible, as a local it's a leech on my wallet. If I lived here I would never have any money, all spent at Shake It! Friendly employees, crazy amount of stock, good music playing. I wish they had coffee or something so I could spend more time here! A great visit!

There's a reason this is a Cincinnati institution. Not just one of the coolest record stores in Cincy, one of the coolest places in Cincy period. The record section is unmatched - if you like new records, they have a ton, if you like em used, they got em, if you like weird picks they've got a whole section for that as well. And I haven't even got to what makes this one of my personal favorite places: the comic section. They have a surprisingly large selection of books and comics for a record store and it's introduced me to some of the most spectacularly artists in modern comics. Alternative comics don't often find themselves on the shelves of bookstores or traditional comic stores, so I am so glad Shake-It was able to introduce me to the genre and keep me supplied with them. Overall a must-visit spot for anyone in Cincinnati.

How have I not written a review of Shake It Records?! I actually don't even own a record player, but still love coming to Shake It Records. This is always one of those places I love to bring people when they're visiting from out of town and we're out exploring Northside. In addition to records, there's also lots of memorabilia and knick-knacks. Shake It will also purchase records if you have any you're looking to part with. In addition to in-store shopping, you can also peruse their collection online. Honestly, Shake It Records is just too-cool-for-school. Even if I never own a record player, I'll always enjoy perusing the aisles here and feeling some old school good vibes. Be sure to visit a lot of the little shops in the Northside area! There's lots of great food and drink as well! I always find it fun to make an afternoon of Northside, do some antique/vintage shopping, stop by Shake It, and wrap up with some great food (Tickle Pickle or Bridges, perhaps?). Cheers, Shake it! Thanks, for being awesome.

Was in Northside for other business and saw a large truck setup outside off Shake It Records. Then, there was a long line at the register. Oh, then some free beer..?! It was Record Store Day! Lots of vinyl records, new and used. Now I have a reason to attend a bring your own vinyl event in the area. Plenty of other items such as CDs, T-shirt's and even kid friendly items. A great reason to have a day hanging out in Northside.

Great selection! 1st store I was able to see some albums IRL ever. They also have a value area downstairs full of $1 & $2 LPs. WOW!!

Where is the joy today! It is shaking at Shake It, yes, it! Mr Music Person says hello, Janet trips over floor and cries for help! She is okay. Shake records is more than okay! Janet made salve of pride with choice of many small 45 degree disks! No Modester Rodents in this pile but plenty of yes and yay! Do not regret your journey! Books too are shaking and also a pinball, zing, clatter! Careful on the stairs, narrow! Mr Men are very happy and friendly, please do have a good day sir to you as well!

I grew up in this neighborhood and I've heard amazing things about this place for years! But I'd never taken the time to really check it out. Hubby and I got to leave the little one with my mom and go for a walk down Hamilton. This place was the perfect stop. Along with a ton of music, they also offer a very interesting selection of books and movies! It's very easy to spend a full hour here and find a few things to take home.

Shake It Records is an amazing record store. I feel like calling it just a record store is a little misleading and wrong. Shake It has a whole basement of records, but they also have lots of books, vinyl toys, zines, magazines, CDS, Cassettes, and a handful of other random things throughout the shop. They have a great book selection, and I can always go in there and find a book or two to buy. If you're into vinyl toys and Kid Robot such things, this is the only place in Cincy I know where to get any of it store wise. They always have a lot of vinyl toys, even outside of Kid Robot items. They also have used and new record players and stereos, and speakers. I've looked at some of these items before and I honestly feel like they are always reasonably priced. Large-ish basement full of records. Large variety of new and used selections from all music genres. I don't really need to talk up Shake It, because if you are a music fan, and you're reading this you already know or you can see by all the other reviews that Shake It is where it is at. I wouldn't suggest going to Shake It on Record Store Day, they are the most well known record store in Cincinnati, so they always have a really long line and if you don't get their super early to wait in line, you will miss out on a handful of limited releases. Shake It is the best place to go to on rainy days and get lost. For sure.

I am a sucker for retro music stores. I pretty much drag my husband to everyone I see. This place has a very authentic, even nostalgic feel. It is very well organized and they have just about everything you could ever want and then some. From vinyl to dvd to books to retro collectibles, this place has it! If you are a true entertainment fan, plan to spend some time browsing. What are you looking for? Vintage movie? Check! Classic records? Check! Christmas music?! Check! Magazines, comic books and a Biz Markie doll? Got it! My personal fave was the Golden Girls coloring book! Haha! Definitely worth a stop.

I love Shake it records! Every time I leave, I walk out with tons of vinyls. From Jazz, Rock, Easy Listening, R&B Soul... they've got everything! Their $0.99 bin is fair but sometimes you'll find a good hidden gem. Besides new and used vinyls they do sell used CD, Cassettes, DVD's, Books, uses. Vinyl players/speakers. Employees are always helpful and pleasant. Definately a place you need to check out!

Driving through Cincinnati and decided to do some music shopping. Checked out this record store and was immediately impressed with the store layout. If you have all day to shop, I suggest going here and ONLY here for your music needs. Prices are very affordable, the quantity of genres is impressive and the condition of the records is superb. I noticed they had a downstairs section, which I did not go to, due to lack of time, but I am sure there is a lot more items there. Overall, you will be extremely satisfied with the store itself. The staff is friendly and helpful. A+++++ rating for sure!!

Shake it Records is one of the best music stores in all of Cincinnati. Their selection of vinyl, cds, and music related merch is unparalleled by any other store in the area. We went in for Record Store Day this year and the place was seriously packed. Like nothing I've seen before there. The line for the register stretched to the back of the store. You could hardly walk through their vinyl area downstairs. The energy was pretty great and they had a DJ there to keep things going. It was awesome seeing this place this busy. I always find something to buy when I come here. They usually carry things I can't find anywhere else (sure I could always order them online but what's the fun it that?). I've never been to a live event here but I'm sure they're great. It's really great to see a place like this stay afloat since so many similar stores have closed in the last ten years or so. The staff here is always really cool and knowledgeable and helpful. For as busy as it was when we went, everything was organized and even the long lonnng line went by pretty quickly. If you're into music and you've never been here, you really do need to check this place out.

Got some "new" old vinyl from @shakeitrecords! #Boston #AlvinAndTheChipmunks! #DontJudge

Awesome record store. It was definitely a breath of fresh air after leaving Mole's records (which I'll never go back to). No matter what your taste, you will find something at Shake It. I will be stopping in here every time I hit Cincy!

There's always a whole lotta shakin' goin' on a Shake It Records! A must-visit for music fans of EVERY genre when taking a trip to Northside Cincy. Walls and walls of new and used titles in all physical formats and so much more await you like treasures for the unveiling. CD's, cassettes, vinyls of all kinds, 8-tracks, books and graphic novels, and music t-shirts galore. Not only do they sell great music, but they also buy and trade, giving VERY fair deals on trade-ins especially. My lady and I took in a stack of titles we don't really listen to anymore, and got a great deal on a trade-in, which we turned around and used to grab some new goodies. (Tip: They LOVE belly-dancing vinyls! But keep it on the DL. I never told ya this. ) Great selection, great prices, great deals on trade-ins, and a great, inviting staff make this place one of the best music shops in the tri-state easily in my eyes. So shake it on down to Shake It Records!

Needed some vinyl for my sixteen year old niece. They have everything & are super helpful! They even gave me a traveling box to transport the dozen or so I purchased. (Going by plane to NYC.) I will be visiting these guys & purchasing again soon!

The best record store in Cincinnati! If you can't find it at Shake It Records, you're better off without it! Plus they have DVD's, basement filled with tons of vinyl, books, t-shirts, toys and their own label releasing great selection of music. They also have in-store appearances for musicians traveling through town and sell tickets to local venues. A must if you're a local or visiting Cincinnati for any music fan!

Fun! Great prices and selection of records. They been have books! Would recommend 100%.

Oh music lovers, everywhere, this is the place for you to be. New and (mostly) used records, cds, dvds, cards - all for low, low, reasonable prices. It's very difficult for me to step foot in this store and leave empty handed. They also have a pretty decently sized (and weird) array of gifts - ranging from "make your own superhero" to a dia de los muertos plastic skull homer head (from the simpsons). I have also spent hours (no exaggeration) browsing through their greeting cards, they are fantastic. This is my favorite music store in this city, and I come here every time i'm in Northside (or nearby)!!

Great store!!! Really made me miss working in a record store. Excellent selection and prices, and lots of cool memorabilia. This place is everything an indie record store should be. Make sure you check out the basement!

Congratulations Shake It Records for being named on Rolling Stone Magazine's "Top 25 Record Stores in America"!!!

Shake It Records is a Northside institution. It began as a record label for local punk rock bands and a store in 1979. It was revived by Darren Blase in in 1990's. The store reopened in 1999 is still going strong today. It has new parties during the year for local bands. I have not gotten to attend one of these but want to do so in 2020. Walking into the store is like entering a candy store but for music! Here you can buy and sell used CD's and LP's and find the newest releases. If they don't have it they can order it for you. The selection of musical styles I saw as I looked around the store on National Record Store day was amazing. The store's decor is retro and fun and the staff was friendly and helpful! My focus when I came in was to see and hold new digitally remastered Abby Road LP by the Beatles! I was thrilled to find it. The only problem is I do not actually have a record player. I might fix that in the near future. In the meantime I know that there is a fun and well stocked record store just minutes from my house. Until next time be kind to each other. @shakeitrecords @northside #recordstores #nationalrecordstoreday @yelpcincy

This place was the shite. Had a slew of records, great setup, cool vibe, and cool employees. Pricing was fair, not cheap, but fair. Awesome place

This is the first place I would go to search for music in town, and is easily my favorite record store. There is a healthy amount of vinyl which is often hard to come by. You can find almost anything in their CD collection. If not the friendly folks that run the place will do a good job of finding it for you, whether it's currently in stock or not. The packaging for your purchases is often yummy; one of those little touches that just makes Shake It a fun stop to enjoy in Northside.

I have been to every record store in town, as well as the great record stores in NY, LA, DC and Chicago, and Shake It may just be the best there is. It's located in the quirky and artistic Northside neighborhood. The store is two floors and filled with new and used music, with books, posters, t-shirts, toys and stereo equipment stuffed in as well. Over time, the vinyl selection has expanded to take up the entire bottom floor and it is starting to encroach on the CD section on the main floor as well. The selection of vinyl is fantastic, with a very wide assortment of both new and used vinyl in all categories. Prices are very reasonable, and the selection changes up weekly, which is probably why I come back every couple of weeks to spend more money. There's a reason why Rolling Stone ranked it among the nation's top 20 record stores. Come and see for yourself!

Shake it is my absolute FAVORITE place to go to for records. I live about an hour away but every time I make a trip I spend hours flipping through records, cds, and even looking at stickers. It's an amazing little spot!

Best vinyl shop around! I found a ton of rare new and old album releases. Had to pinch myself at one point! Definitely going back when I'm in town again!

I love this place!! I love going in and checking out what's new and finding music that I now love! What really makes this place stand out is the customer service. Every time I visit, I'm greeted and I am helped. Everyone there is very knowledgeable and if they don't have what you need they will certainly order it for you. I recommend this place!

There is an excellent selection of new and used records here. I came to browse and found some treasures in the used racks to bring home. Prices are fair, especially on the used options. New selections are priced pretty average, maybe a couple of more dollars than amazon but well worth it to support local business. I definitely recommend stopping by if you've got some time to peruse a big selection of music!

This place is a gem. Cincinnati needs more places like it and I've always been glad it is here (in fact I was shocked that I hadn't reviewed it already). Great selection of new and used LPs and the treasure-hunter in me loves going through the dollar section to find an occasional diamond in the rough. If you're into new music they'll be helpful, if you like buying and selling old albums then this is definitely your place!

I've been going here since high school and absolutely love it. Was there the other day and after running in and out a couple of times to check on my dog the owner offered her to come in! Very kind staff and a huge selection of good a*s music!

This record shop is such a gem. They have so much more than just records. I love shopping for random gifts here, they have some of the weirdest books and random amazing crap. Plus, it gives me that flash back feeling...even smells vintage.

Great store, good selection and if they don't have what you want they will order it. Support this store!

This is a must stop for any record collector. I have spent a lot of time in Cinci, and I always make a point to stop at SHAKE IT. One thing I love about this record store, is they sell their promo copies to new record in the used bin. Now this might now be cool to do, but I don't care, I can get a brand new album for 7 bucks instead of 15. The soul lp collection here is so amazing it make me want to be a hip hop artist so I could just sit down here listen for killer beats, and samples to use. Always a dream of mine to see my own record in a store in a town where I don't live and Shake it has copies of my bands record, so to me that tells me, They pretty much carry it all. This store also has a huge supply of t-shirts, books, movies, and fun toys from Japan. It's in a rad area of Cinci to, the north loop full of good bars and music venues! If your in Cinci this is a must stop street

After moving to Chicago and frequenting a few great record stores here, I can still say with confidence that Shake It! is my favorite store - period - anywhere. The vinyl selection itself isn't as extensive as a place like Everybody's but it's solid, with lots of great indie, metal, jazz and a room dedicated to Americana, if that's your thing. The downstairs area, where most of the vinyl resides, is cool and calm, providing for hours of digging to your heart's content if you want to spend the afternoon in the bargain bins. After a few visits I have picked up that the clerks here tend to prefer sludge and heavy music in the vein of Boris, Earth and bands like Swans, which suits Northside imo and is a-ok by me. But calling Shake It! a "record store" doesn't really do it justice and the vinyl is only a part of why it's my favorite store. They have a handful of zines and comics, the sort of stuff I wouldn't know where to find anywhere else in the city, interesting new books as well as indie/punk/alt mags, cool-kid toys and collectibles, black metal coffee table books, etc. Concert DVDs, t-shirts, postcards... this place is packed to the wall with pure cool. The creaky hardwood floors, the marquee, the surrounding hood of Northside, all of it really make Shake It! the optimal music spot in Cincy. Shake It, l luv u

I could almost drop everything and move to Cincinnati just for this store. Records that are easy to browse (and a great selection, not just beat up stuff from your unhip relative's basement) Books. T-shirts--including a huge selection of book-themed shirts from Out of Print, which I looooove. They had a Joy Division shirt I almost bought, but I was low on cash. Going to have to go to Cincy a lot more often.

Maybe you like music. Maybe you like music that you can hold in your hand. Maybe you like music you actually pay for. If any of these maybes describe you and you find yourself in the Greater Cincinnati area, you probably already know about Shake It Records. It's been called the best record store in town, and maybe even in the midwest but as a customer for years I can honestly say that it's the best record store in the country. I know, I haven't been to them all, but the ones I have been to pale in comparison. Upstairs you get a pop culture overload with their selection of used CD's & DVD's. In addition, what is often overlooked is the massive amount of other products they peddle. From books to strange but funny toys and magazines, Shake It has alot to choose from. But wait, is it vinyl you crave? Wanna spend an hour "crate digging?" No problem, just take the stairwell down to the vinyl vault where you can dig for wax as long as you want. Used and new records are always jumping off the shelves and into my hands. I gotta say though, it's the dudes that work at Shake It that set it apart. These are not your typical High Fidelity music snobs but instead are regular guys who run a regular business and care alot about their customers and the community. So whether you are local and a regular, or are in from out of town and want to know what record store to check out, Shake It wins.

Your favorite record store says a lot about you... Until recently, Shake It and Everybody's were the two big players in Cincinnati, but the new kid on the block is Plaid Room Records, of Loveland. Go check them out if you haven't already Shake It has gone away from the 99 cent bins, and more towards the Alt/Rock genres in recent years, which is cool with me. (Although I do miss picking up a cheesy cheap album from time to time) They have the largest local selection of new Country and Jazz/Blues, but lack in the Hip-Hop. Pricing is on par with the other shops in town, and cheaper than what I have seen in other big cities. Shake It also carries vintage equipment, which is great for those looking to score some quality gear and jump start their new obsession. They are known to buy used albums, CDs, and Stereo equipment so bring it in as see if you can barter a better deal with your purchase. I would avoid doing this on Record Store day as they will be slammed! Speaking of Record Store Day, they do have the most selection, and the most traffic in the area. If there is something you are looking for on RSD, this would be the place to start!

Great record store, we just happened to stumble upon it and were pleasantly surprised! Lots of metal mixed into the rock section but there was a metal section for vinyl among other genres if that's what you're looking for. Definitely worth a visit!

They keep all their vinyl in the basement. That's where it's cool. Vinyl likes it cool. For that reason alone, this is why I rate it as my favorite record store. They respect their craft.

Best record store I've been to. In the last year I've really got into collecting records. And, there is no better place than this. The staff is amazing. The owners couldn't be nicer. The record basement is truly one of the happiest places on earth. Go support local music stores and buy from here and Everybody's Records. Cincinnati has amazing record stores.

Shake It is the go to place for music in Cincinnati. Whether you are looking for a new release or something from a back catalog, the chances of finding it are good. What is most exciting for me is a constantly shuffling selection of used records to search through. Digging for hours and coming up with something you didn't even know you were looking for is a true joy in life. With listening stations located throughout the building taking a risk has never been easier. Besides vinyl, Shake It is the place to find any CD's (i know, what is that) movies, books, posters or wonderfully weird trinkets you may need, or in my case buy anyway. Basically I love Music = I love Shake It. Without a doubt Cincinnati's best stop for all of your listening needs.