A soul record shop, an intimate concert venue, a top notch bookstore and more: just a few days away from their secret show with Sofar Sounds on May 19, Saint Mela, a band proudly meandering between pop, soul, hip-hop and spoken word, shared a few of their favorite New York spots with us.
Record City
Selling mostly used vinyl, this is one record shop we love to browse. They have an insane (but inexpensive!) collection of old reggae, dancehall, soul, and international records in particular–and it’s up the block from Steve’s place, so we’ll go digging for stuff to sample there pretty often. The staff is super nice and super knowledgeable, and you get the sense they really love what they do. Worth the visit!
65 Fenimore Street
Brooklyn, NY 11225
C’mon Everybody
This is by far our favorite bar/venue in the city. Not only are the owner and staff amazing and warm and friendly, but the establishment is beautiful and the crowd is always full of poppin’ free people. For any indie artists looking for a spot, it’s an amazing room to play in with great soundfolk who can cater to any genre. There’s also a lounge, a small gallery with local art to browse, and all kinds of events/dance nights.There really is something for everyone!
325 Franklin Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11238
http://www.cmoneverybody.com/
Masidi’s Urban African Store
This Bronx shop has an extensive collection of miscellaneous African art, figurines, fabric, clothing, and supplies. It’s my go-to choice for unique and cheap jewelry, and soaps/scents. The back of the shop is also full- service salon where I often go to get my hair braided, so I’ll spend several hours there at a time. The owners are welcoming and helpful, and have so much to offer!
5616 Broadway
Bronx, NY 10463
Strand Bookstore
This is actually a very well-known establishment in the city, but I’d be remiss not to include it. Every visit here is really a treat to myself. It has a huge insane collection of books, comics, art supplies, vinyl and more- including rare books and visual art. The best part is that a lot of the collection is independent, so things are often discounted off of the original price, which is amazing for a broke reader like myself. It’s where I go if I ever need to kill time.
828 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
http://www.strandbooks.com/
Gimme! Coffee
Originally introduced to this coffee roaster in Ithaca, New York, this little spot is a familiar and welcome place to grab something warm. We may be a bit biased, but the staff is rad (some of our friends work and show art there), the place is cozy, and they make great coffee. Stop in!
228 Mott Street
New York, NY 10012
https://gimmecoffee.com/
Priority access tickets for their show on May 19!
Would you like to be at the Saint Mela show organized by Sofar Sounds NYC at a secret location in New York on May 19? When you sign up here, enter code INDIEGUIDES-82993 to get priority access!
About Saint Mela
Saint Mela’s website: http://www.saintmela.com
Saint Mela’s Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/saintmela
Discover more alternative and cultural spots in New York with our city guide Indie Guides NYC.