For almost as long as there have been hipsters in Oak Park, Val's Halla Records has been providing them with tunes. Val, who has become a sort of local celebrity, has owned the place since 1972 and can still be found among the vinyl on most days. CDs sit in display cases on either side of the narrow store, with boxes of records below and even a few eight-tracks near the back. A room off to the side houses the bulk of Val's rock albums from the past 40 years: everything from ABBA to Zappa. Whether you want to replace your well-worn, scratched Stones album or locate a hard to find REM import, this is the place to be. If you're looking for something specific, you'll love the clearly labeled, alphabetical organization, but if you're just hunting for treasures, you could easily spend hours flipping through Val's inventory.

Centerstage Reviewer: Aimee Hall