Cheapo Discs - Austin, TX Review

10th & Lamar • Austin, TX 78703
512.477.4499 • www.cheapotexas.com

Overall 4.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

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jmdobies
Austin, TX

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New & Used CDs, DVDs, & LPs for Cash or Trade - Sort of Cheap

Radio Host, Garage Rock Enthusiast, Semi-Retired Rock Musician, Blogger

Pros

Vast Selection, In-Store Performances, Cash or Trade, Open 'Til Midnight, 365 Days a Year

Cons

Don't Pay Much for Used Discs, Not Really All That Cheap-O

MAY

2008

Cheapo Discs (a/k/a Cheapo Records, for us old-school types) is the largest CD store in Austin, which is saying something, since they're an independent record store, an endangered species in these days of digital downloads and iPods.

Cheapo buys and sells new and used CDs, DVDs, and LPs, with a huge selection of every genre under the sun. They have a massive section devoted exclusively to Texas music, from Buddy to Willie to Roky to my fave local band, the Ugly Beats. They also support the scene by hosting cool in-store appearances by a variety of local and national acts.

They will buy your used discs for cash or trade, but don't expect top dollar. The only time I ever traded in CDs at Cheapo, I got less than a dollar a disc. If I hadn't found a few must-have items while waiting for the clerk to look through my stack o' rejects, I might not have taken the offer, and instead tried my luck at Planet Replay.

The prices at Cheapo belie the name of the store, as all the new items run pretty close to full list price, and the used stuff ain't excatly priced to move, either. The good stuff, anyway.

And don't be getting no buyer's remorse, cuz here's Cheapo's strict return policy:

"New items are exchangeable for the same item only; Used items, bring CD back eith receipt within 10 days to exchange it for something else in the store. Only one exchange per receipt, and absolutely no cash refunds!"

That said, I don't want to knock 'em too much, because they are part of a vanishing breed, and I love to paw through the stacks at Cheapo's, looking for new (well, considering my taste in music, usually old) sounds.

And it's nice to have a big old local record store to go. Not every town has that nowadays.

Last edited on May 09, 2008