Stereo Jacks

There’s nothing better than New England on a cool fall day. To pass the time on a relaxing weekend, one can admire the changing foliage and its bright colors or stroll the streets of Boston, looking for a warm cup of coffee and a good deal. If you happen to venture a few short blocks from Harvard University in Cambridge, one can find some great deals when it comes to music. Whether it’s the joy of a vinyl record, or its little sister, the CD, you may find exactly what you are looking for at Stereo Jack’s. 

Founded in 1982 by store owner Jack Worker, Stereo Jacks has been a haven for music collectors and audiophiles for forty years. It has seen its share of changes and hardships, almost closing its doors in 2011. Ten years later, it’s still alive and kicking.  As “Stereo Jack” himself puts it, “we have managed to survive through thick and thin, through changes in format from vinyl to CD and back to vinyl, from drops in business to upswings.”

He also knows he is doing something right with employees that have been with him for decades. Loyalty aside, it’s all about the music and its ever-shifting format focus. One thing which has surprised Woker is the “vinyl resurgence”, which he thought to be a fad only a few short years ago. While many of his older customers still buy CDs, it’s the younger crowd who have embraced the old. “They seem to romanticize about it in a way that I can’t identify with,” Woker admits, having spent his life around vinyl. 

The store itself offers a varied collection of genres (and wooden storage boxes), but it’s the vintage jazz originals he finds it hard to come by. They’re rare. As he explains it, “It isn’t always about the music. There’s a “collector” mentality that supersedes the music.”

Whether you’re a collector, audiophile, or love the bust of Elvis in the window, you’ll find plenty to capture your attention at Stereo Jack’s.