Sonic Boom Records
Seattle's premier independent record store has been a cornerstone of the city's music scene since 1997. With locations in Ballard and Capitol Hill (the latter recently relocated), Sonic Boom offers extensive selections of new and used vinyl, CDs, and music books. The stores frequently host in-store performances and are known for their handmade mixtapes curated by staff and local musicians, including K Records founder Calvin Johnson. The Ballard location in particular feels like the perfect expression of Seattle's music culture: unpretentious, deeply knowledgeable, and community-focused.