San Francisco may be known for tech and innovation, but its love for old-school vinyl records never went away. In a city where music history runs deep, record shops are meeting points, classrooms, and archives of culture.
For vinyl lovers, the format matters because it changes how we listen to music. Instead of skipping between songs, as many of us do with streaming, it encourages listening to a full album and paying attention to details like track order, credits, and artwork.
But knowing where to start your vinyl collection can feel overwhelming. For this edition of Pro Tips, we turned to local DJs who have spent decades collecting thousands of records. These are the ones playing sets across the city, digging through bins, and shaping the sound of the Bay Area’s vinyl scene, the ones who know the best spots for beginner diggers, amateur spinners, or serial collectors. We asked them which shops they frequent and where you might find your next favorite record.
Aaron Francisco (aka DJ Aaron F.) (opens in new tab) picks Cone Shape Top
DJs are always looking for new tracks to spin, so a shop with a frequently refreshed selection is clutch. Francisco, founder of the collective Mighty Fine DJs, has been amassing records for nearly two decades and shops a few times a week across the Bay. His go-to is Oakland’s Cone Shape Top, “a really small, well-curated shop” where the staff “really take time to give you some good recommendations and learn about your tastes.” The selection leans toward electronic and ambient. There are used records too. What keeps Francisco coming back is the turnover: “They’re constantly buying collections and constantly rotating their records, which I love.”…