Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — sealed items (vinyl, CDs, cassettes, etc.) can be returned within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. The item has to remain sealed and unopened, and you’ll need your order number or receipt as proof. We refund to the original payment method once we’ve received and verified the return. Full details in our refund policy.

Used items are final sale — that’s true both online and in-store. This is why we have a listening station at the shop: if you’re buying used, come in and test it first. If you bought a used record online and it’s genuinely defective, see the defective-items question below.

If a record arrives defective (unplayable out of the sleeve, not just worn), email us at orders@nivessa.com within 7 days of receiving your order with photos of the issue. We’ll replace it if we have another copy, or issue a full refund if we don’t. No drama.

You do, unless the mistake was ours (wrong or defective item — then we cover it). Returns need to come back in original condition and packaging, and we recommend a trackable shipping method so nothing gets lost en route.

Email orders@nivessa.com or call/text (213) 676-2645. We aim to respond within a business day.

Yes, we ship internationally to most countries. See more details in Nivessa’s shipping policy.

Yes. You can search 15,000+ listings on our website or on Discogs, or give us a call at (213) 676-2645. 75% of our inventory isn’t online yet.

Yes — you can purchase a gift card here.

Once your order ships, we email you a tracking link. You can also follow along on our order tracking page using your order number and email. Still stuck? Text us at (213) 676-2645.

Free US shipping on any order over $30. No code needed — the banner at the top of the site and the product page will tell you how much more you need to qualify.

Yes, free in-store pickup at whichever Nivessa location has the record. You’ll get an email or text when it’s ready (usually 24–48 hours). Just bring your order confirmation when you come by.

If it hasn’t shipped yet, yes — call or text us at (213) 676-2645 and we’ll sort it out. Once it’s in transit we handle it as a return.

Text us a photo of the damage at (213) 676-2645 within 7 days of delivery and we’ll make it right.

Yes — upcoming releases (including Record Store Day exclusives) are available for preorder with a clear “Preorder” tag. We ship them on street date or the next business day.

All major cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Shop Pay through our checkout — basically everything.

Both stores are open every day. Hours differ slightly:

Nivessa Hollywood
Sun: 9 AM – 11 PM
Mon–Wed: 9:30 AM – 11 PM
Thu–Sat: 9:30 AM – 1 AM

Nivessa on Pico
Mon–Wed: 12 – 7 PM
Thu–Fri: 12 – 8 PM
Sat–Sun: 10 AM – 8 PM

Live hours + maps on our locations page.

Yes — we have a listening station where you can test out any record before you buy it.

Yes, every day. No appointment necessary — just come in. If you’ve got a big lot, call us and we can come to you.

We buy all genres of music.

Almost every genre of records — lots of Jazz, R&B, Soul, Funk, Rock, Soundtracks, Hip Hop, Reggae, African, Latin, New Wave, Electronic, Metal, plus a huge selection of new sealed records. We carry LPs, 12”s, 45s, and every other media format: CDs, box sets, DVDs, VHS, 8-tracks, cassettes, posters. Our own apparel & merch too. We sell music-related books only — and plenty of random delightful oddities that cycle through when we buy collections.

We usually have a few turntables available for sale, plus receivers.

Card, cash, Venmo, Apple Pay, Zelle — almost anything.

Yes — we’re always hiring for part-time and full-time positions. Check out Nivessa Careers for more info.

The store has been open since May 2022.

Of course, furry friends are welcome.

Absolutely — especially if you’re flexible on what records you receive. Give us a call at (213) 676-2645 to discuss.

Two Los Angeles locations:
• Hollywood — 6434 Hollywood Blvd
• Pico — 5770 W Pico Blvd
Addresses, hours, parking, and maps are on our locations page.

Yes — each store has nearby street or lot parking. Detailed parking info for both locations is on the locations page.

It’s a tie — each store has a slightly different vibe and different deep cuts. Hollywood has a stage and more new arrivals; Pico has more vintage digger stuff. Worth visiting both.

Absolutely. No appointment needed for normal-sized collections — just walk in. If you’ve got a truckload or an entire estate, call us first at (213) 676-2645 so we can plan the space and timing.

Yes — call, text, or tell us in person. If we don’t have it we’ll add you to our want list and message you when a copy comes in.

Yep — the best way to hear about fresh arrivals, events, and special drops. Sign up at the footer of any page.

Walk in during open hours with your records and we’ll look through them with you, quote you a price on the spot, and pay you right there in cash or store credit. No appointment needed for most collections. For big hauls or estates, call us at (213) 676-2645 and we can come to you.

Fair market based on condition, demand, and our current stock. We’re a “maximalist” buyer — we buy full collections without cherry-picking, so you don’t get stuck with whatever we reject. More in our Philosophy section below.

Both are fine — we offer more money in store credit than cash, usually a 15–25% bump. So if you’re planning to shop anyway, store credit goes further.

Nope — walk-ins welcome during open hours. Only call ahead if you’ve got 200+ records or something unusually valuable.

Yes — we do pickups across the LA area. We also offer free junk removal for estates, hoarding cleanups, and post-move declutter situations.

Water-damaged or moldy records, severely warped or scratched vinyl that won’t play, and most classical / opera in poor condition. Beat-up mainstream LPs (Herb Alpert, Mantovani, etc.) are a hard sell. When in doubt, just bring it — we’ll tell you honestly.

Yes, and these are our favorite to receive. Deep jazz pressings, audiophile classical, early hip-hop, Blue Note / Impulse / ECM — bring it. For seven-figure type lots, call us first at (213) 676-2645 so we can prepare.

Yes. We do this a lot, with patience and care. See our free junk removal page for the full rundown — we’ll come out, assess everything, pay you for what has value, and haul away the rest at no cost to you.

We buy CDs, cassettes, DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS, 8-tracks, music books, posters, musical instruments, turntables, audio gear, vintage concert t-shirts, and collectibles. See the full list.

Yes! We host in-store performances, meet-and-greets, record release parties, plus DJ’ing, record collecting, and music production classes. See what’s coming up here.

Would love to have you — contact us. If you’re a musician or DJ, we may be able to do a show. We verify that you have some kind of social-media presence first so we know there’s an audience.

Yes — we go all in for both RSD drops: the main Record Store Day in April, and RSD Black Friday in November. Exclusive releases, live music at the Hollywood stage, deals across both stores.

Head to the events page and click the event you’re interested in — there’s an RSVP button on each listing. Most of our events are free.

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok (@nivessarecords), or sign up for our newsletter at the footer of any page. Hollywood store events also get promoted inside the store itself.

Most Nivessa events are free. Some ticketed shows charge a small cover that goes directly to the performers — the event listing always says so up front.

Yes — we book the Hollywood stage for shows, DJ sets, listening parties, and private events. See available spaces on our venues page or pitch us directly through the contact form. For performers, we’ll want to see some audience presence (Instagram, past shows) so we know people will show up.

We’re a “maximalist” buyer: we buy full collections and don’t cherry-pick. We believe we can find a home for 85–90% of what we buy eventually — if not through our store, then through another channel. The remainder we try to offload at about 35 cents apiece in bulk. We can also give you more money in store credit if that’s what you’re after.

We try to be competitive with online prices (before shipping costs). If a record is $5 online with $5 shipping, we’ll likely charge you $4–$5 rather than $10 — we need a reason for you to come into our store! Got records to sell? Call or text us at (213) 676-2645. We’re down to earth, not record snobs.

We greet customers when they walk in and we won’t hover over you as you browse. If we see you heading out empty-handed, we may ask if there was something specific you were looking for.

Nivessa is more than a place to buy music. It’s a place for audio lovers to connect and share their passion — a variety of ways to get involved, including volunteering, hosting events, and joining our mailing list. Looking forward to meeting you!