Readers’ pick: Tiny Vinyl Shop
On 14th Street by Logan Circle, Som Records occupies a basement that pulses with the energy of music lovers.
The shop is packed wall to wall with records, cassettes and collectors, each visit a chance to uncover something unexpected. Even after five years of collecting and four trips to Som, I still leave with records I didn’t know I needed, like a used copy of The Beatles’ first double A-side single, “We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper,” which still hangs proudly on my wall.
Som stands out because it serves every taste. From timeless classics to recent releases, new or used, across every genre, there’s always something that sparks joy. Whether it was scoring a surprisingly cheap copy of The Rolling Stones’ “December’s Children” for a friend at the start of my first year at GW or returning a year later to grab Adrianne Lenker’s “Bright Future” for myself, my memories of Som run as deep as my memories of the city itself.
The prices at Som are reasonably standard, with new albums usually running between $20 and $40, while used albums sell at a much more affordable $20 and under. And for those on a budget, Som offers a designated dollar crate, where each record costs only a dollar.
Stepping down into Som Records, you’re immediately met with dozens of crates, organized by genre and then alphabetically, while customers carefully weave around each other in the tight space. The demo player is one of my favorite features, letting you test albums for skips, loops or other imperfections — an essential step when hunting for used records.
The shop makes every inch of its small basement count: crates are stacked high, walls are lined with records, and retro memorabilia and streamers hang from the low ceiling, adding to the chaotic charm. Classic rock dominates the collection, but there’s something for every taste, from jazz and gospel to hip-hop, making the store a compact, overflowing treasure trove for anyone who loves music.
On this visit, I made a beeline for the electronic section, a genre I can’t get enough of recently. I was happy as clam to find they had all the classics like Massive Attack, Justic, Aphex Twin and beyond, though I’m still jealous of the woman who picked up Air’s “Moon Safari” and Portishead’s “Dummy” before I could.
As I zigzagged from new releases to folk to 80s and back again, I began to notice the customers. A couple shared a quiet date, swapping favorite albums and nodding along to familiar songs. A teenager browsed with wide-eyed excitement while his mom sampled records nearby, and a regular chatted with the owners about the local music scene. Each person expressed their love for music in their own way, turning the store into a living, breathing celebration of the art form.
I focused back on the music as I found something I was looking for — Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You.” I walked towards the corner of the store, back by the entrance, where a record player and headphones were available for customers to demo albums. I slid the record out of the sleeve and onto the player, put on the headphones and let the music envelope me.
Although my lack of funds meant I had to leave without the record — I am a broke college student after all — I took one last look at the tiny store before I stepped back up into the hot spring day, knowing fully well I’d be back as soon as my situation allowed.
