A proper record shop — worn floors, deep crates, and forty-odd years of other people’s taste to flip through — sitting right on US-19.
Kingfish Records — 26024 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater
Kingfish Records occupies a stretch of US Highway 19 North in Clearwater that most people drive past without slowing down. That’s their loss. The shop has been here long enough to accumulate the kind of inventory you don’t find on a phone screen — stacks of rock, soul, jazz, country, and R&B that arrived as somebody’s collection and stayed to become part of somebody else’s.
The stock turns constantly. Walk in on a Tuesday and you’ll find something different than you would on a Thursday. That’s not a slogan — it’s the nature of a shop that buys collections, accepts trades, and keeps its prices honest enough that people actually shop here rather than just browse and leave.
A 4.7‑star rating on Google, with zero paid promotion and no active website, means the shop’s reputation is built entirely on what happens inside the door. People find it, tell other people, and come back. That is the oldest and most reliable form of marketing there is.
What you won’t find: algorithmically curated playlists, “staff pick” cards written by nobody in particular, or a “listening station” nobody uses. What you will find: someone who knows the inventory, a price that reflects what the record is actually worth, and the particular pleasure of holding a gatefold sleeve in both hands again.
“The best record stores aren’t curated — they’re accumulated. Kingfish is the latter, and that’s a compliment.”
— On the character of Clearwater’s vinyl sceneThe backbone of the shop. Thousands of used records spanning decades and genres — rock, soul, country, blues, jazz, classical, and everything in between. Graded honestly.
From approx. $3New vinyl from current artists and contemporary reissues. The section smaller shops skip. Kingfish carries it.
Prices vary by titleOriginals, pressings worth owning, and the occasional find that makes the whole trip worth it. Inventory changes — call ahead or come in.
By condition & pressingKingfish buys collections outright and accepts trades. Bring in what you’ve outgrown. Walk out with something you won’t.
Quotes in-storeNot just vinyl. A solid secondary selection of used CDs and cassettes for the format agnostics and the genuinely nostalgic alike.
From approx. $2Sleeves, inner bags, cleaning supplies, and the small essentials. Nothing glamorous, but always useful if you’re building a real collection.
Varies* Prices listed are approximate ranges based on typical independent record shop inventory. Final pricing subject to condition, pressing, and stock on hand. Call or visit for specifics.
What a 4.7‑star rating on no budget and a dead website actually means.
There is a particular kind of record store that doesn’t need to market itself. Kingfish Records is that kind of store. Its Google rating sits at 4.7 stars — accumulated without a functioning website, without a social media presence, and without a single paid ad, as far as anyone can tell.
That number comes from people who found the shop because someone else told them about it. Who drove to Clearwater specifically. Who stood at the bins for ninety minutes and then came home and left a review because they felt like it.
The shop’s digital absence isn’t a flaw in the business — it’s a gap in the record. The people who know about Kingfish already know. The rest of them are finding a blank page where a good shop should be.
Hours and specific inventory aren’t published online right now — the best way to know what’s in stock, whether the shop’s open, or whether it’s worth bringing in a collection to sell is to call directly. Someone who knows the inventory will answer.
The shop is on the eastbound side of US‑19 in Clearwater, near the 26000 block. It’s easy to miss if you’re going fast. Slow down.
If you have records to sell — a partial estate, a collection that’s outgrown its space, or a single pressing you want off your hands — call or email first. Kingfish buys outright and trades fair.