The Searchers Records & Books

With floor-to-ceiling records and books, The Searchers is a literal music library.

Despite sitting on the corner of Collingwood’s busy Smith and Gertrude streets, it’s quaint and cosy inside. The custom shelves pack in plenty of stock. If you can’t reach something high, there’s a rolling ladder to jump on.

Sam Perry (bassist of Melbourne indie band Architecture in Helsinki) and Jakob Schmitt bought The Searchers in 2012. They’ve introduced more than 5000 records since, to add a whole new dimension to what was formerly more of a book shop.

The records, both new and used, are imported or found on trips around Australia, Europe, the US and Japan. They’re priced between $1 and $400 and feature everything from jazz to rock, through krautrock and calypso.

The $5 crates at the back of the shop are full of bargains, and if you’re in the market to sell, you might be able to offload your collection for a good price. A selection of vintage turntables, cartridges and styli are also available. Books are mostly second hand, sourced selectively through travel and donation. There’s a discerning selection of contemporary and classic titles, but the emphasis is mostly on music, film and art.