Alley Tunes

Good coffee, friendly staff that never roll their eyes because I need a recipe. My only gripe is the lack of food sold.

What are the five stars for you may ask. Well that is easy, it is simply for the atmosphere of this tiny slice of nostalgia.
I love it when I can find a little place like this in the hustle and bustle of what is #Melbournenow. Did I get that right? You know, that crappy advertising campaign by the city. Ah well, something like that. Places like this are what makes Melbourne so great. If last week someone asked me to point them towards a record store I would have no idea. I’d probably tell them that such stores do not exist anymore. I might even tell them to just drop into a JB Hi-​Fi. That was, however, before I stumbled across Alley Tunes.
The shoebox of a store has everything you need for the nostalgic musician inside you. They’ve got jazz, they’ve got classic American rock, they’ve got deep house. This place is overflowing with good music. Just come in and see for yourself. They’ve even got a little café so that you can take a break from being overwhelmed by the awesomeness for a little while.
If this sounds like it tickled your fancy, it most certainly will in real life.

We love you Alley Tunes. Never change. Never.

This review is only for the café section of this business as I lost my interest in vinyl around the same time I stopped dying my hair green and cutting holes in my shirts in high school.
When I stopped by Alley Tunes, absolutely zero food was on offer, which I guess is understandable for a small place like this at 4pm on a weekday. The coffee, while not awful, certainly did not live up to the levels of superiority and cool projected by the baristas.
At Alley Tunes, you get to sit on rickety seats and bathe in the second-​hand smoke of others in this poorly ventilated lane off Glenferrie Rd. I’m a smoker and even I found it pretty gross. Went there with my mother who is not so steady on her feet, and the seating was definitely an issue. Think wooden milk crate style boxes on uneven asphalt. Even for the able-​bodied it feels pretty precarious and uncomfortable. Come here if you attend Swinburne Uni and are too cool to care.

Alley Tunes is one of those stores that have always had their location perfect for what they sell. Situated right next to Glenferrie station, where Uni students pass by on their way to classes at Swinburne. You can stop here for a coffee and some sweet tunes.
You’ll have to go for a bit of a rummage and see what you can pick up. The prices are pretty standard and there’s a deck up the back so you can try before you buy.
It’s not necessarily the best coffee around but it’s good, solid and charming. Plus the friendly, chatty barista also keeps things interesting.
It’s a bit of an institution for the Uni crowd and also the ‘I don’t fit in with my friends’ private school crowd. It’s a comfortable place to relax and slow your day down.

Coffee and music: what more could you want? Alley Tunes is part café, part record store and combined they make a rally great space and vibe that is inherent to the experience at Alley Tunes.
It is situated in a little walkway that leads to Glenferrie Station, and as long as you aren’t there during peak times the setting is quite tranquil.
The little café is tucked into the corner of the store and opens out onto the walkway so even if you’re rushing past, you can still grab a coffee and keep going. There are lots of little tables out the front perfect for just relaxing with a drink and listening to the music.
Inside you’ll find a broad range of vinyl and CDs. I particularly love checking out the vinyl sections that are divided into decades or countries. The last time I was there I found some great collections in brilliant condition including Born in the USA — Bruce Springsteen. Love.