Jack’s Record Cellar
The Verdict
"Open Saturdays only, 2pm to 7pm. The owner knows every record in the place. On Haight Street. If you collect vinyl, plan your visit around this narrow window. More neighborhood ritual than retail."
What you need to know
Open Five Hours a Week
Jack’s Record Cellar opens on Saturdays from 2pm to 7pm. The rest of the week, it looks abandoned. The storefront on Haight Street gives no indication that one of San Francisco’s most idiosyncratic record shops is behind the door. The store has been operating in various Haight-Ashbury locations since the 1950s, originally specializing in 78rpm records.
What Makes It Worth It
The appeal is the experience, not the inventory. The shop is small and crammed, with stacks of records in varying states of organization. The owner knows every disc in the place and will talk at length about jazz, blues, early rock, and whatever else catches his interest. Serious collectors and casual browsers are treated the same.
Jack’s does most of its actual business through eBay during the week. The Saturday opening is more neighborhood ritual than retail operation, a way to keep the physical space alive and interact with people who walk in off the street.
If Jack’s is closed when you pass by (which is likely, given the hours), the Haight has no shortage of alternatives. Amoeba Records is a few blocks east in a converted bowling alley, with one of the largest selections in the country. The Haight Street Art Center nearby has a museum devoted to rock concert posters.
Skip this if you need a guaranteed visit. The Saturday-only hours mean you have to plan around it.
Visiting
Address: 254 Scott St, San Francisco (near Haight St)
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
Cost: Free to browse. Records priced individually.
Hours: Saturday only, 2pm-7pm. Closed all other days.
Best time to go: Early Saturday afternoon for the best selection. Combine with a walk through the Upper Haight.
What to know: The store looks closed even when it’s open. Check the door. If it’s Saturday afternoon, walk in.
Getting There
Transit: Muni N-Judah to Cole & Carl, then walk 5 minutes south to Haight. Bus 6-Haight/Parnassus or 7-Haight/Noriega runs directly along Haight Street.
Parking: Street parking on the residential blocks off Haight. Metered spots on Haight Street itself, competitive on Saturdays.
Walking: One block south of the Upper Haight commercial strip. Easy to combine with Amoeba Records, Buena Vista Park, or a walk through the Panhandle.
📍 Location: This activity is in Haight Ashbury. Explore the neighborhood →
