Darkside Records Finds A New Home In Poughkeepsie This Fall
The popular area record store is currently building its new store at 32 Cannon Street.
Founded in January 2011 by Justin Johnson and Roberto Hull, Darkside Records quickly became the Hudson Valley’s largest brick‑and‑mortar independent music store. Originally located on Main Street, the store relocated in January 2016 to a spacious 6,000 sq ft facility at 611 Dutchess Turnpike.
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What You'll Find
Music formats: New and used vinyl records, CDs, cassettes
Hi-Fi gear: Turntables, receivers, speakers, and more
Film formats: DVDs, Blu-ray, laserdiscs, VHS
Merchandise: Apparel, band tees, gifts
Community, Events & Engagement
They host in-store performances, local open-mic nights, artist meet-and-greets, and live events—often featuring touring acts and local talent like Baroness, Mike Doughty, Andrew McMahon, and The Felice Brothers.
The store also runs a monthly podcast, where staff and guests discuss music, vinyl, and the industry.
Customer Perspective
Feedback from the community (via Reddit) underscores Darkside Records’ reputation:
“This store is absolutely legit. They’re a record store in Poughkeepsie, NY… sales and deals are absolutely on the level.”
“They are an incredibly popular, very large independent record store with a brick‑and‑mortar location in Poughkeepsie, New York.”
Darkside Records celebrated 13 years in January 2024 and around the same time announced plans to move the business again, to another location at 32 Cannon Street which was home to entertainment spot Revel 32, where WPDH held its Kings and Queens of the Hudson Valley Cover Bands contest in 2023.
City of Poughkeepsie posted on Facebook an update on Darkside Records. They featured the restoration of 32 Cannon Street becoming Darkside Records in their Buzz newsletter, and included some photos of the construction. Darkside Records plans on opening the new spot this fall.
Bringing business visions to life, undertaking restorative construction projects, and strengthening our community bonds... it's all happening right here in the City of Poughkeepsie. Major revitalization initiatives are underway to build a more resilient and secure home for you. Read about the restoration of 32 Cannon Street becoming Darkside Records, a safe space to come together through music and culture, in our Buzz Newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/.../the-buzz-the-city-of-poughkeepsies... @Darkside Records
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