As winter settles over Boston and deadlines begin to pile up, stress levels across Boston University’s campus are on the rise. During this time of year, a little retail therapy can go a long way. For some students, that relief comes not from online carts, but from digging through crates at a local record store just off Commonwealth Avenue.
Nuggets, an independent record store established in 1978, has become a fixture in Boston’s music scene for more than four decades. Located in Kenmore Square, just steps from BU’s East Campus, the shop has long drawn a mix of dedicated collectors and curious students. Its quirks, such as being closed on Mondays except for Boston Red Sox games, add a distinctly local touch to its enduring reputation.
Stuart Freedman, owner, started working at the store a month after it opened. In those early days, the shop was still finding its footing, and much of its identity was shaped by the passion and hustle of its founders. What started as a love of music evolved into something more established.
“The three owners used to sell used records out of cardboard boxes on the sidewalk in Harvard Square, ” Freedman recalled. He met them in high school and later took over the business.
Nuggets stands out for its roots in music, and most of its supply dates from 15 to 20 years ago. Because much of the inventory has been carefully held onto rather than rapidly cycled out, the store developed a reputation for rare and hard-to-find items. Regular customers know to dig through the shelves, but the store’s reach extends well beyond the local community, attracting serious collectors from overseas.
“Sometimes we’ll get a European collector that will buy stuff that has been sitting here for years because they want it in Switzerland,” said Freedman.
The store takes its name from the 1972 compilation album “Nuggets: Original Artifacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965-1968”, assembled by guitarist and writer Lenny Kaye with support from Jac Holzman of Elektra Records. Kaye, who is famously Patti Smith’s longtime guitarist, curated the album as a celebration of lost garage rock and psychedelic singles.
That spirit of rediscovery lives on. True to its slogan coined by Kaye himself, “It’s a Nugget if you dug it,” the store thrives on the joy of music discovery. With a little digging, anyone can strike gold among its shelves.
Beyond the cozy vibe, Nuggets stands out for its massive collection of rare vinyl records, CDs, videos, and cassette tapes. They have tens of thousands of rare and out-of- print items.
The store’s cozy, welcoming atmosphere draws all types of music lovers. Longtime collectors come searching for nostalgia, while BU students explore the shelves in hopes of something new.
Check out Nuggets Record Store here, or their Facebook page here.
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