I’m surprised this hasn’t been asked or covered yet on DCist: What are some good record stores in DC? (of the independent, non-Tower types) ARE there any?

We hear a lot of woe regarding D.C. record stores, and yes, compared to other major metropolitan areas, we don’t have too many stores offering selections a little left (or right) of mainstream. Many of us cope online, but sometimes tangibility is a must and sites like Insound lack the personal and interactive knowledge that many times comes with a brick and mortar store. Ah, where is John Cusack when you need him.

However, Ask DCist tried mightily to come up with a list of places you can check out in the D.C. area (and beyond if you are a road tripper). As always, we encourage readers to leave further suggestions in the comments. We know we’ve missed a few good gems.