Vignettes of Poughkeepsie: Darkside Records, Monday, January 30, 11:45 a.m.
Just off 44–55, a hidden gem of Poughkeepsie is nestled between an auto repair shop and a Burger King. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it’s actually the largest independent record store in the Hudson Valley, with a vast range of vinyl and more to choose from.
Darkside is a time capsule of the 90's to early 2000's when people actually hung out with their friends in public places, like record stores, rather than online. It’s a remembrance of a time before iTunes, before iPods even, when music truly brought people together rather than catered to individual taste. It’s a nostalgic homage to the MTV era, when your music taste defined your friends, your hobbies, and your outlook on life.
Looking through the aisles and aisles of records, you’ll find everything from Zeppelin to Bob Marley, the Beatles to Nirvana, and more. No record player? No problem. They sell them in the back room. You’d miss it if you weren’t looking for it. It’s evident that the focus here is on the records themselves.
It’s also one of the few places left that still sees value in CDs and old tapes. CDs are lined up against the far windowed wall, categorized by genre, and tapes are stacked next to the record player room. These collections are similar to the records, including selections from rock, punk, metal, jazz, blues, and some pop (especially in the CD section).
But Darkside offers more than just music. It’s one of those places where you could spend an entire day looking through their merchandise and still find new things when you go back the next day. It has notebooks and other stationery, as well as incense and stands, presumably for artistic inspiration if you’re looking into writing. It also has ironic and satirical merch like crude coloring books, themed underwear and socks, action figures, and more.
Like any classic record store, there’s also an abundance of patches, stickers, buttons, posters, band tees, and flyers promoting local bands scattered about the shop. There’s even a stage at the back of the main room where local groups come in for open mic nights.
Darkside is a hub for the nostalgic 90’s teen who wants a cool place to hang out, discover new (and old) music, and find genuine entertainment.
