Plug Seven Records

A really extensive collection of jazz, hip hop, funk and soul. One of the great record stores of Melbourne. AND, they were happy to give me a refund when I accidentally purchased the same record I'd purchased already. Respect - I'll definitely be coming back and spending my $$$ on vinyl from here.

Great little shop with awesome selection of vinyl new and old a little gem and nice service and helpful. Cheers Wazza

Straight up one of my favourite places. Amazing selections at very reasonable prices, this place caters to do many of my musical tendancies, the staff are knowledgeable and importantly in this space, approachable! Wicked sound system too!

Originally a pop-up along one of Melbourne’s hippest streets, Plug Seven has evolved into a permanent fixture on the scene and risen to the upper echelon of record stores in Australia. In fact, I wouldn’t hesitate to put this store on any global list of best record stores. Its staying power can be attributed to its owner Ari’s passion for tracking down records from the farthest reaches of the globe. He’s got an impressive knowledge of obscure African and Japanese rarities in particular. Staff are always keen to strike up a conversation with any music lover and this approachable personality makes their Plug Seven Drop e-newsletter always worth reading. It’s the OGs (originals) that are the biggest draw and your best chances at finding an excellent condition copy of whatever wish list item you have is here. Any reissues tend to be re-pressings of extremely rare records that have just come back into press for the first time. Whitewashed walls, exposed brick and sunlight beaming through the windowed storefront make for a supremely relaxing and enjoyable digging experience reminiscent of Japanese shops, not offered anywhere else in the city. The street-facing listening station allows you to conveniently preview whatever you’ve got in your stack-o-wax. There’s also a backyard space they open up for BBQs and special events like Record Store Day. But even with so much heat in the crates and on the walls, the prices are never unreasonable or overvalued. You’d have a hard time getting a better price on an import without booking a flight to Ethiopia or Tokyo. The diverse staff at Plug Seven are a mix of DJs, collectors and musicians who cover all genres and sounds. In addition to being arguably the best curated store in the country, another thoughtful element is its offering of record paraphernalia and bric-a-brac – from storage and cleaning solutions, to branded totes and t-shirts. Even if you find what you’ve been looking for forever, you never know what else you might leave with after a visit to Plug.

Super friendly staff. Lots of jazz and Japanese city pop collection. Would definitely come back if I ever visit Melbourne again :)