Key Takeaways
- CD Cellar is an independent music, movie, and video game store at 105 Park Ave in Falls Church, Virginia, open since 1992 and one of the Mid-Atlantic's largest record shops
- It holds a 4.8-star rating on Google with 500-plus reviews, with a loyal following that spans casual listeners, serious collectors, and audiophiles
- The store stocks more than 40,000 new and used titles, buys and trades collections, and carries turntables and high-end audio gear
- Independent retail like CD Cellar anchors Falls Church's walkable Little City downtown and gives the neighborhood much of its character
Welcome back to Community Spotlight, the series where I feature the independent businesses that make the DC Metro's neighborhoods worth calling home. This week, the spotlight is on Falls Church, Virginia, and CD Cellar, the independent music and movie store at 105 Park Avenue that has been a DC-area retail destination since 1992.
CD Cellar opened in the summer of 1992 in a basement on West Broad Street, founded by Dave Giese and a fellow record store veteran. David Schlank joined the team in 1994 while studying at George Mason University and eventually became co-owner. The store outgrew the basement and moved to its larger, above-ground location on Park Avenue, and when the Clarendon branch closed in early 2016 its inventory was consolidated here in Falls Church.
Today CD Cellar carries more than 40,000 new and used titles across vinyl LPs, CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray, and video games, plus turntables, gear, and high-end audio equipment for serious listeners. The bins run deep in rock, hip-hop, jazz, classical, funk and soul, and stage and screen, with a trade counter that buys your collection for cash or store credit. It is the kind of place where a quick browse turns into a two-hour detour.
Why CD Cellar stands out in Falls Church
What makes CD Cellar different from a streaming subscription or a marketplace algorithm? Independence, depth, and the people on the floor. Walk in with an obscure album in mind and a staff member can pull it from the bins in under a minute. Over three decades the store has grown into one of the Mid-Atlantic's largest and longest-running record shops, and it holds a 4.8-star rating on Google with 500-plus reviews, an outstanding record for any retail business. Music lovers drive across state lines for it.
CD Cellar sits one block from the State Theatre, the 1936 movie palace that now hosts concerts, in Falls Church's walkable Little City downtown, near the farmers market and a main street lined with independent shops and restaurants. For more on living here, the Falls Church neighborhood guide covers homes, schools, and the questions buyers ask most. The Fairfax County real estate market overview adds useful context for the prices you will see nearby. And if you run a local business that deserves a future feature, get in touch.
Business Details
Business: CD Cellar
Category: Retail · Music, Movies & Games
Address: 105 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA 22046
Rating: 4.8 stars (500+ Google reviews)
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 AM-6 PM; Sun 11 AM-6 PM
Phone: (703) 534-6318
Website: cdcellarva.com
Directions: Open in Google Maps
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Claude's Community Spotlight series celebrates the independent businesses that make our neighborhoods great. If you would like your business considered for a future feature, we would love to hear from you.
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Claude Labbe
Local Curator · REALTOR · Douglas Elliman · DC, MD, VA