Coffee Talk: Vinyl. Starfield Suwon
Last week I went to check out the new Starfield Suwon mall, mostly to see the new Starfield Library, and I decided to explore the Vinyl Starfield Suwon cafe while I was there. It is so fun! I love the effort put in to make sure that each cafe is unique in its own way and this vinyl cafe is definitely at the top of my list.
Vinyl record selection wall.
Like many “themed” cafes in Korea, the entrance price includes one drink and limited amount of minutes you can stay in the cafe. Typically I find that these places brew the worst espressos so I was pleasantly surprised with the cafe latte I ordered. (Vanilla was not available on the day I went.) The entrance price for the Vinyl cafe is 18,500 won which is just under $14. I didn’t see a time limit posted in the cafe or on their instagram.
The drink menu is pretty small and basic with a handful of espresso beverages, hot/iced tea bags, Ade’s and non-espresso lattes. You can also add an additional beverage for 3,500 won.
View from the back of the Vinyl cafe looking into the Starfield Suwon Library
I arrived at the cafe about 30 minutes after they opened and I was able to snag one of the last window seats that overlooked the library. In true form, allllll the good spots get snagged quickly, although I was surprised that it wasn’t as crazy busy as I anticipated since it was opening day.
While it doesn’t look like there’s a large selection of LP’s to choose from, there is actually a great selection in my opinion. There are shelves in between some of the rows of seating and the two large back walls are fully stocked. Actually, each wall shelf had multiple LP’s stacked, even though you could only see the first one.
Genre’s range from Pop, to KPOP, to classical, jazz and movie soundtracks. We’re talking Mozart, Taylor Swift, John Denver, Guardians of the Galaxy, Michael Jackson, Harry Styles, to Kenny Rogers - and all the KPOP ones that I have no knowledge of.
Tip - As soon as you order and get your buzzer - snag your seat. Leave your belongings, this is Korea and they’re totally safe. THEN go find your LP’s. You don’t want to miss out on the seat you want just to look for some music. Also don’t be ashamed to ask for help if you can’t figure out how to work the record player. I noticed the girls next to me having issues and showed them how to start it, so you wouldn’t be the only one!
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They’re open the same hours as the mall, everyday 10:00 - 22:00. It’s super convenient to reach via public transportation - take the Blue line and exit Hwaseo Station 1/2. You’ll be able to see the mall from the exiting platform, honestly you can’t miss it. Also, I’m sure they have a large parking garage but I haven’t personally checked it out so I can’t confirm if it’s a free or paid garage. (My usual Starfield Anseong is a free garage but most malls in Seoul require payment.)
If you’ve heard about the different types of themed cafes in Korea, let me know in the comments which ones you’d like to see me visit and review!
