Judging from the reams of used LPs and cassettes, you would think that the Academy Annex has been around for some time. Wrong. Opened in 2004 as part of the Manhattan-based Academy Records family, the Academy Annex specializes in all things up-and-coming that have been crystallized in Williamsburg’s revitalization.

Besides carrying every must-have new release from rock to jazz to electronic, the Academy Annex carries an extensive and expertly curated selection of used records and vinyl. Their staff, many being band members themselves, are refreshingly helpful when it comes to finding what you’re searching for, though you might be on your own when checking their expansive used collection. Luckily it’s all deftly sorted, making Academy one of the essential go-to points for Brooklyn’s music cum laude.