Princeton Record Exchange

If you could take just one photo: Princeton Record Exchange

There are two constants whenever I visit Princeton, NJ. First, I inevitably think to myself “Why didn’t I go to school here?” (then immediately realize “Oh, right”). Just as inevitable, though, is a stop in the Princeton Record Exchange that usually lasts a few hours. The Princeton Record Exchange is unlike any record store I’ve visited, apparent from the first moment I walked in. While other record stores struggle to stay in business, PREX is bustling constantly. The store itself is not huge, but it’s impossible not to get lost in the thousands of used LPs, many of them found in the dollar bins that sit tucked away on the floor. Even if I don’t sit in the lotus position to dig through them, I can still have a spiritual experience foraging for new additions to my vinyl collection. With such a vast selection, it’s impossible to leave PREX empty-handed, and because of the prices, I never leave empty-walleted, either.

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Nestled within the stereotypically Ivy League environs of Princeton, NJ, Princeton Record Exchange offers a haven for record collectors of various musical genres. Despite the pandemic shuttering of mom-and-pop record stores across the country, Princeton Record Exchange defies the odds by not only surviving, but also thriving. The claustrophobically narrow shop divides its shelves between a handful of new releases and stacks upon stacks of used CDs and LPs. Everyone from DJs hunting for vintage dance wax, to punk rockers pining for a worn Fifteen 45 will devote hours to their searches. Princeton Record Exchange buys used CDs, DVDs, LPs, and videogames.

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