|
CELEBRATED SUMMER RECORDS
Located next door to Atomic Books in Hampden , Celebrated Summer Records is an indie record store specializing in punk , hardcore rock , jazz and soul music , though they carry records of all genres and time periods . Owner Tony Pence , a musician himself , has one of the most comprehensive collections of memorabilia related to Baltimore ’ s past and present punk scene , and the walls of Celebrated Summer Records are adorned with posters , fliers and setlists he ’ s compiled over the years . 3616 Falls Rd .
|
DREAMERS & MAKE-BELIEVERS
Like many of us , Miranda Nordell turned to books during the pandemic , but found it difficult to obtain new stories with libraries closed and a lack of bookstores in her vicinity . Eventually , Miranda decided to fill the gap herself , and Dreamers & Make- Believers was born . The Highlandtown shop offers a robust selection of comics and books that uplift queer ,
|
BIPOC and female voices . The newcomer also plans to host several pop-up events around the city , including a recurring Wednesday evening event at Mobtown Brewing in Brewers Hill . 400 S . Highlandtown Ave .
NORMAL ’ S BOOKS & RECORDS
For more than 20 years , Normal ’ s has served as the watering hole to Waverly ’ s bookish community — a place where creators , readers and alternative thinkers could gather to share ideas and appreciate art . The store is the home to Red Room Collective ’ s High Zero Festival and it frequently hosts poetry readings , film showings , dance performances and more .
ELDON BALDWIN
|
As for the books , expect lots of philosophy , ancient Greek and Roman texts , speculative fiction , classic literature and contemporary authors like Octavia Butler and Cormac McCarthy . 425 E . 31st St .
MOUNT VERNON RECORDS
After spending more than 20 years DJing , producing music and collecting records , William Hicks and Aaron Spence opened Mount Vernon Records last fall to provide the community with an accessible music resource and creative hub . They advance this mission by offering records , art , clothing and music supplies within a wide price range , as well as classes on DJing and music production . 231 W . Read St .
PROTEAN BOOKS & RECORDS
One of the largest independent book and record stores in Baltimore ( as in more than 20,000 titles large ), Protean Books & Records is a cozy escape from the busy bars and restaurants in the Federal Hill neighborhood . In addition to books , Protean sells board and video games , records , clothing and costumes , turntables and novelty items . 836 Leadenhall St .
|
LEROI CONROY |
RED EMMA ’ S
Named for Emma Goldman , a 19th-century anarchist , feminist and activist , Red Emma ’ s is a radical workerowned cooperative project consisting of a vegan café and bookstore . A self-described “ infoshop ,” Red Emma ’ s aims to bring people together to exchange ideas not often covered by the mainstream media . They recently moved to a new space in the Waverly community , where they ’ ve hosted conversations with authors and activists such as Chelsea Manning and Dorothy Roberts . 3128 Greenmount Ave .
THE SOUND GARDEN
Since opening in 1993 , The Sound Garden has earned praise for its unparalleled selection of CDs and DVDs ( they house more than 100,000 ), as well as video games and vinyl . They ’ ve won more than 50 best-of awards , and in 2014 were voted the second-best record store in America by Rolling Stone . Find them in historic Fell ’ s Point , once the home to abolitionist and author Frederick Douglass . 1616 Thames St .
URBAN READS
With a store in Waverly and a new stall inside the historic Lexington Market , Urban Reads is on the rise — and for good reason . This hub for books by Black and imprisoned authors also serves as a community gathering space , thanks to its free internet , notary services , on-site vegan café and frequent events . Urban Reads also frequently amplifies local charity drives and social justice movements on its Instagram and uses its platform to educate its audience on racism , prison reform and other systemic issues . 3008 Greenmount Ave . & 400 W . Lexington St .
|