Carpe Diem
212 S. Margin St, Franklin • 615-429-0157
Hours: Tues.–Sat. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. (Hours may vary; call to confirm)
Records. Junk. Family.
That curious verbal trinity will greet you on the website for Carpe Diem, a used record shop with a funky junk-store vibe, located just a few blocks off the Franklin Public Square.
Modest in size but loaded with a patchwork quilt of inventory, Carpe Diem offers old comics, vintage postcards, Grandpa-era knick-knacks, used camera and stereo gear, leather jackets and assorted one-offs among the few thousand vintage LPs in racks lining both sides of the shop’s wooden-floored area. The vinyl is especially well categorized, with country, jazz, bluegrass, soul/funk, comedy/spoken word, soundtracks (separated by decade), kids’ records and miscellaneous male and female vocal albums complementing the meatier selection of pop and rock music spanning the classic-rock period and beyond.
Humorous divider tabs, some with wordplay bearing references aimed at the more music-savvy shopper (the multi-decade mashup “Kings of Leon Russell,” for example) provide some chuckles as you flip through. Hard-to-find collectible and specialty titles might go for $20-and-up, while many titles are priced at $10 and below. Some can be had for $5 or less. Condition varies; if you like some authentic analog crackle and pop with your vinyl, you can find platters that include these at no extra cost. (That’s a joke, son.)
Just next door and under the same ownership is live music venue Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor, offering a full bar, local bands, blues jams and songwriter nights. Time your visit just right and follow it with some food, libations and live music once the record store closes. In operation since June 2005, Carpe Diem is the first record shop to have opened in the Franklin area—and a serious contender for the most unique.
Mention the Murfreesboro Pulse for 10 percent off your purchase at Carpe Diem. DISCOUNT GOOD THROUGH JULY 1, 2021.
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Luna Record Shop
230 Franklin Rd #12d, Franklin • 615-806-9435
Hours: Mon.–Sat. Noon–5 p.m.
Take into account that Franklin’s Luna Record Shop owes its name to a Smashing Pumpkins song title, and you’re at least halfway to understanding why the modest-sized but mighty retailer claims the largest selection of used ’80s and ’90s alt-rock and indie rock in its area. Used vinyl rules the roost, proportionately, but make no mistake, Luna’s co-owners (who happen to be sisters) stay on top of and stock new releases. Pre-orders can be made online at their website (see below) for those who want to be ready to catch a new disc before it drops.
But as with any vinyl vendor worth their salt, there’s a blast to be had in the browsing. Luna is compact and neat, tucked into a space near the rear entrance of The Factory at Franklin, itself a vibey venue updating a piece of local industrial history into an unique, upscale shopping haven. If the inventory of used music isn’t the largest you’ll find, it’s certainly not skimpy, and it’s particularly well curated, featuring rare ’60s pop and psych, ’70s prog-rock, miscellaneous sub-genre hyphenates and other less commonly found titles likely to raise a collector’s eyebrow. Pricing is relative to rarity, though many pieces are available in the roughly $10 range.
Mixed classic rock and pop takes up the most bins-per-genre, joined in smaller measure by funk/soul, jazz, country, punk, metal, hip-hop and soundtracks. All vinyl is pre-graded for condition, so you know at a glance what you’re getting, and all used inventory is cleaned with the high-end VPI 16.5 record cleaner. The remainder of the space contains smaller selections of CDs and tapes, music-related gift items and stylish, branded Luna tees for faithful Luna-tics. While daily hours are a bit limited, on Mondays they’re the only record game in town.
Mention the Murfreesboro Pulse for 10 percent off your purchase at Luna. DISCOUNT GOOD FOR USED MUSIC, NOT NEW, SEALED PRODUCT. DISCOUNT GOOD THROUGH JULY 1, 2021.
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Spinners Record Store
2001 Campbell Station Pkwy., a3, Spring Hill • 615-614-1771
Hours: Wed.–Sun. Noon–7 p.m.
Hard rock and heavy metal rule at Spinners, though the colorful front-window paintings symbolize the wide variety of musical styles found inside. At about two years old, Spinners is the newest of Williamson County’s three independently owned record shops. It’s also the largest, the kind of place a music-head can easily browse in for a couple of hours.
A retro-style lounging area, slathered with classic-rock posters and vintage LP sleeves, greets customers upon entering. While usually cluttered, it’s nonetheless inviting, with newly acquired used records, books, maybe some stickers or promotional items or who-knows-what gathered around the vinyl-covered chairs, awaiting curious fingers and eyes.
The largest share of the several large racks are designated for used “pop” and “rock,” respectively, and are thoughtfully organized despite the unavoidable gray areas (such as Kinks albums in both sections, or perhaps Bob Marley loosely occupying “rock” . . . so look in both sections).
You’ll also find a hefty metal section and modest-sized racks of jazz, country and peripherals like TV and movie soundtracks as well as dollar bins (well, mostly boxes on the floor). These one-buckers are often in buyer-beware condition, but they’re a delight for dedicated diggers, sometimes bearing cheap hidden treasure. Big spenders looking for rare records may find a long-sought gem along walls lined with titles priced in double and triple figures. Median prices are in line with today’s elevated value for vinyl.
True to its name, Spinners specializes in records, including a smattering of new vinyl. But you might spend your first 45 minutes just checking out T-shirts, buttons, CDs, stereo gear and music-related second-hand books and magazines, some of which are ’60s and ’70s collectibles.
It’s totally worth the short additional drive from Franklin.
Mention the Murfreesboro Pulse for 10 percent off your purchase at Spinners.
DISCOUNT GOOD FOR USED MUSIC, NOT NEW, SEALED PRODUCT.
DISCOUNT GOOD THROUGH JULY 1, 2021.
