Viva la Vinyl: Newtown and Enmore's Record Shops

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Inside the Newtown and Enmore record shops keeping Sydney’s vinyl culture alive and thriving in the Inner West.

By Belle Hann

Music has never been more accessible. With more than 100 million tracks available across Spotify and Apple Music and hundreds of millions of people subscribing to paid streaming services worldwide, almost any song can now be played instantly. Yet across Sydney’s Inner West, vinyl records are enjoying a remarkable revival.

In Newtown and Enmore, independent record shops remain a fixture of the local music scene. Along King Street, Enmore Road and the surrounding streets, Newtown's beloved records shops allow music lovers to physically browse carefully curated crates; filled with everything from Berlin techno and ‘90s house to Ethiopian jazz, punk, soul and hip-hop. For vinyl collectors, the appeal isn't simply about the music. It’s the hunt.

“Record collecting is like a treasure hunt, basically,” says Dan Griffin, owner of Press Play Records on Wilson Street. “It really satisfies that thing in the back of your head [...] it's like op shoppers when you find that $10 Gucci or R.M. Williams boots.”

Collecting vinyl can be time-consuming, inconvenient and expensive - the one-off edition of Wu-Tang Clan's Once Upon a Time in Shaolin famously sold for $4 million - but for many collectors, that's part of the appeal.

Why vinyl is making a comeback

Local DJ Eric Layers, who owns more than 300 records, believes vinyl offers a tangible connection to music that digital formats simply can't replicate.

“If I'm going to get something on vinyl, I'm going to love that track for some reason,” he says. “You feel a bit more connected to the artistry of it. There's something real about it.”

That connection is also being felt in Sydney’s DJ scene, where vinyl has made a comeback after years of being overshadowed by laptops and USBs.

“Ten years ago, DJs would rock up with a USB stick or a laptop and it was just assumed that vinyl would disappear,” says Dan. “But now, most Inner West clubs have turntables.”

For DJs, playing records also creates a different relationship with the music. Unlike an MP3, vinyl is physical, imperfect and constantly changing.

“A vinyl record can get nicks, it gets scratches, it gets bumps, it warps sometimes, it gets dust on it, which all kind of give it a bit of character,” says Eric, who regularly DJs at Uncanny Bar and the Botany View Hotel.

“You end up knowing some of the glitches or the defects on your vinyl so you can work around them as well. So you feel a little bit more connected to the track in that way.”

Newtown and Enmore’s vinyl revival

The resurgence isn't limited to record stores. Across Newtown and Enmore, vinyl is increasingly part of the broader nightlife and music culture.

Inspired by Japan’s “jazz kissaten”, or listening-bar movement, Deadwax on Enmore Road combines food, drinks and music with a 400-strong vinyl collection spanning funk, hip-hop and Y2K nostalgia.

Over on King Street, Uncanny Bar hosts Vinyl Open Decks, giving DJs the chance to mix their own records and share their collections with other vinyl devotees. Meanwhile, local neighbourhood record shops like Repressed and Egg Records continue to attract both seasoned collectors and younger music lovers.

Record Shop Newtown Vinyl Repressed Records

Dan says he's particularly encouraged by the number of teenagers discovering vinyl.

“We’re finding young people in their late teens coming into the store who want to buy all these ‘90s house records. It’s very reassuring.” That younger generation is helping ensure that crate-digging remains more than a nostalgic hobby.

Vinyl is here to stay

The numbers suggest the revival is far from over. Global vinyl revenue increased by 13.7 per cent in 2025, marking the format's 19th consecutive year of growth, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. In the US alone, vinyl sales surpassed US$1 billion in 2025.

For the record lovers of Newtown and Enmore, though, the appeal isn't really about industry figures. It's about discovering something unexpected in a crate, taking home an album you'll actually listen to, and putting a needle on a record. In a world where almost every song is available at the tap of a screen, perhaps there's something to be said for making music a little harder to find.