That familiar old attic smell, isles full of old vinyl records and CDs from who knows when, vintage t-shirts that second-hand websites would resell for $60, cassette tapes that probably belonged to someone older than your grandma, walls plastered with posters, and of course, the sweet sound of what tends to be rock music blasting through the shop. This is Region Records in a nutshell.

Tucked away in downtown Highland, Region Records has slowly but surely been cultivating not only its wide selection of merchandise, but also its clan of loyal customers. The store has quickly become a staple in the alternative community of Northwest Indiana. This unexpected hole-in-the-wall has become a one-stop-shop for all things music.

Walking in on an unassuming Tuesday night, a friend and I were greeted by the attentive yet nonchalant shopkeepers and a room of presumably mostly used sound systems and music equipment. Turning the corner into an entirely separate room is where we found CDs ($3-10), vinyls(starting at $5), posters($5-10), cassettes($1-3), and clothing($5-15) galore. Filled to the brim, the room can be slightly overwhelming at first, especially if you’re a first time customer.

I had been here a few times prior, so I was used to the insane amount of things to look at. You can really get lost in the huge selection of music this shop has to offer. On this particular night though, I didn’t have much time to browse due to the relatively early 5pm closing time. If you really spent some time in there though, you would probably come out with some real hidden gems. On my previous trips here, I’ve been able to find a few myself including the 1994 Cranberries album “No Need to Argue”, the recognizable “Songs from the Big Chair” released by Tears for Fears in 1985, The Smashing Pumpkins 1998 record “Adore”, and a Chicago House of Blues t-shirt from the 90’s.

Although the store mainly specializes in rock, you’ll find records ranging from 80s movie soundtracks to classical music. If you don’t find something on one trip, I wouldn’t fret. The shop receives new arrivals of vinyls weekly and is always sure to post videos of them on their Facebook account. There’s something for everyone.

If you’re looking for a true indie music store, Region Records is the place to go. They have a free-of-tax, quick exchange system. After paying for a $5 shirt with a $10 bill, the shopkeeper pulled my change out from his very own wallet. The no-fuss nature of the store is a notable refreshing change from most modern stores. The only real downside is that your fingers might get tired from flicking through the seemingly endless amount of old records.