Wuxtry Records in Athens, GA, celebrated its 40th birthday in 2016—a mile marker almost as impressive as the list of musicians (R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, idiosyncratic producer Danger Mouse, etc.) who’ve worked here. It’s hard to believe considering Wuxtry’s elite underground status, but owner Dan Wall started out small—selling vinyl and cassettes in a tiny corner store that now houses Wuxtry’s sister shop, bargain bin/stereo outlet Sidecar. Athens’ strong college rock scene demanded a larger space, however, so Wall and co-founder Mark Methe expanded the main floor in 1988.

The hometown heroes also added a separate comic book store upstairs, Bizarro Wuxtry, because nerds. (Present company included, of course.) Serious collectors can now flip through daily vinyl drops downtown and at a second location in Decatur about 90 minutes away. And while Wuxtry’s reputation is reinforced by a nice selection of psych, punk, and shoegaze, don’t expect any snobbery here. One mainstream-leaning section includes LPs filed under “Dude Bro Jam” (My Morning Jacket, Trampled By Turtles, etc.) and “I Listen To All Kinds of Music,” which might as well read “Don’t Judge Me, Okay?”

197 E. Clayton St., Athens, GA; 706-369-9428 (records) and 706-353-7938 (comics).
2096 N. Decatur Rd., Decatur, GA; 404-329-0020.