Subterráneo Suba: 3 Hidden Vinyl Warehouses

Subterráneo Suba: 3 Hidden Vinyl Warehouses

If you think that in Bogotá you can only find vinyl in La Candelaria or San Alejo, you haven't walked through Suba. This neighborhood, known for its wetlands and legendary traffic, hides a musical circuit that few know about: vinyl warehouses run by collectors from the 90s, where records arrive in batches from Europe and are sold below market price. There are no fancy display cases or specialty coffee here. There are stacked cardboard boxes, the smell of old paper, and owners who can talk to you for three hours about the first pressing of a Los Fabulosos Cadillacs album. In July 2026, this circuit is still alive, though increasingly hidden. I'll take you to the three warehouses every collector should know.

Historical or Contextual Introduction

Suba wasn't always the chaos of gated communities and shopping malls you see today. Until the 80s, it was a separate municipality, with farms and dirt roads. There, in the middle of nowhere, music lovers grew up who didn't have money to go to downtown stores. So, they started buying records by the pound: batches of used vinyl arriving from Germany, the United States, and Argentina. They sold them in garages, houses, and borrowed warehouses. Over time, this became an ecosystem: collectors who know each other, trade rarities, and maintain prices you won't see in Usaquén or the Zona Rosa.

Today, musical gentrification has reached other areas. In La Candelaria, a national rock vinyl can cost $80,000 COP. In Suba, you can get the same record for $25,000 COP if you know where to look. The problem is that these warehouses don't appear on Google Maps with fancy names. They are addresses passed by word of mouth, in WhatsApp groups, or at flea markets. That's why I'm writing this: so you don't miss the three that still remain.

What to Do: The 3 Hidden Vinyl Warehouses

1. Warehouse El Sonido de la Calle

Address: Calle 145 # 90-40, interior 2 (behind the TransMilenio feeder bus stop). It has no sign. You have to ring the bell and wait.

Owner: Don Carlos, a 62-year-old man who started collecting salsa in the 80s. His warehouse is a 4x4 meter room full of wooden shelves. Here you'll find:

• Hard salsa from the 70s: Fania All-Stars, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe. Original pressings from Puerto Rico.
• Colombian progressive rock: groups like Génesis (not Phil Collins' one, the Colombian one) and Malanga.
• Latin jazz: records by Eddie Palmieri and Ray Barretto that are not easy to find elsewhere.

Average price: between $15,000 and $50,000 COP. The rarest ones (like first pressings of salsa) can reach $120,000 COP, but Don Carlos haggles if you bring cash.

Fun fact: Don Carlos has a vinyl of "La Sonora Dinamita" from 1969 that, according to him, only five copies exist in Colombia. He sells it for $200,000 COP, but only if you prove you're a real collector. If you tell him you want it for decoration, he'll tell you to #

2. Warehouse Los Elepés del Humedal

Address: Carrera 92 # 145-30, El Rincón neighborhood. It's an old house painted green, with a metal gate. Inside, three rooms full of records organized by genre.

Owner: Mauricio, a 38-year-old graphic designer who inherited his father's collection. He focuses on:

• Rock in Spanish from the 80s and 90s: Soda Stereo, Los Prisioneros, Héroes del Silencio. Argentine and Chilean editions.
• Colombian punk and hardcore: bands like Polikarpa y sus Viciosas, La Pestilencia, and underground groups from Suba that recorded on cassettes and later on vinyl.
• Experimental electronic music: records by Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Colombian artists of musique concrète.

Average price: $20,000 to $70,000 COP. Colombian punk records are usually cheaper ($10,000 COP) because nobody looks for them, but Mauricio knows they are gems.

Fun fact: Mauricio has a section called "The Forgotten Ones": records by artists who only recorded one album and disappeared. There you'll find everything from a 70s psychedelic rock group called "Los Yetis" to an experimental Andean music record from 1983.

3. Warehouse El Rincón del Vinilo (Unofficial Name)

Address: Calle 138 # 89-50, "Los Cerezos" residential complex. Ask for "the record guy" at the security gate. He lives on the first floor and has a warehouse in the basement.

Owner: Francisco, a 55-year-old public accountant who started selling records to pay for his children's college. Today he has over 10,000 vinyl records in his basement. His specialty:

• Colombian tropical music: cumbia, porro, merecumbé. Records by Lucho Bermúdez, Pacho Galán, and local orchestras from Suba that no longer exist.
• Boleros and ballads: Los Panchos, Leo Dan, Sandro. These are the ones he sells the most to neighborhood ladies.
• Movie soundtracks: from "The Godfather" to "Rocky". Francisco collects them because he says film music is the least valued.

Average price: $10,000 to $40,000 COP. Boleros are the cheapest: for $5,000 COP you can take three. Tropical records from local orchestras can cost up to $80,000 COP if they are limited editions.

Fun fact: Francisco has a vinyl of "La Sonora Suba", an orchestra that only played at neighborhood parties between 1965 and 1970. He himself played the trombone in that orchestra. The record has no cover, only a red wax seal. He sells it for $150,000 COP and only to people who show genuine interest in local history.

Where to Eat or Drink

After hours of searching for vinyl, hunger strikes. Suba has affordable and authentic options, far from fast-food chains. Here are three recommendations near the warehouses:

Restaurant El Sabor de la 145

Address: Calle 145 # 89-50. It's a five-minute walk from Warehouse El Sonido de la Calle. It's a set lunch restaurant with a daily menu. For $12,000 COP they serve bandeja paisa, ajiaco, or flank steak with rice and patacón. Open Monday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm.

Bakery El Buen Gusto

Address: Carrera 92 # 143-20. Near Warehouse Los Elepés del Humedal. They sell cassava bread, almojábanas, and coffee in styrofoam cups. A full breakfast (tamal, hot chocolate, and bread) costs $8,000 COP. Open every day from 6am to 8pm.

Fritanga La Subana

Address: Calle 138 # 88-40. Half a block from El Rincón del Vinilo. Specialty in chunchurria, morcilla, and papa rellena. A dish for two costs $25,000 COP. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm to 10pm.

How to Get There and Transportation

Getting to these warehouses by TransMilenio is easier than it seems, although it requires patience. Here's the route:

1. From downtown or the north: Take the Caracas trunk line to the Terminal station. There, transfer to the feeder bus heading to Suba (route 1-2 or 1-3). Get off at the "Suba Centro" stop.
2. From 80th or 100th Street: Take the Suba trunk line (route 7) to the Suba Centro station. From there, walk 10 minutes north along Carrera 90.
3. By inter-municipal bus: If coming from other municipalities, take a bus that goes along the Autopista Norte and get off at Calle 145. From there, take a taxi or walk 15 minutes west.
4. By car: Suba has street parking, but watch out for the "daily parking attendants". Bring $1,000 COP coins for the parking meters in the Calle 145 area.

Recommendation: The three warehouses are less than 2 kilometers apart. You can visit them in a single day if you start early (9am) and walk or take a mototaxi ($5,000 COP per trip).

Local Tips

• Bring cash: None of the warehouses accept credit cards or Nequi. Don Carlos only takes bills of 10, 20, and 50. Francisco sometimes accepts transfers, but don't count on it.
• Haggle respectfully: These men know how much each record is worth. Don't offer half the price because they'll kick you out. A fair discount is 10% to 20% if you buy several records.
• Check the vinyl's condition: Bring a magnifying glass or a cell phone flashlight. Records have scratches, skips, or moisture stains. Ask if you can listen to them before buying (at El Sonido de la Calle they have a portable record player).
• Don't go during lunchtime: Between 12pm and 2pm, the owners close for lunch. Arrive before 11am or after 3pm.
• Ask for the "secret batch": In all three warehouses, there are boxes that are not on display. Ask if they have new records they haven't sorted yet. That's where you find the real rarities.
• Recommended local playlist: Before going, listen to "Salsa Suba 70s" on Spotify (made by Don Carlos) or "Punk Subterráneo Bogotá" (by Mauricio). It will give you context for what you're about to find.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the warehouses open on weekends?

Yes, but with variable hours. El Sonido de la Calle is open Saturdays from 9am to 5pm. Los Elepés del Humedal is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. El Rincón del Vinilo is open only on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. On Sundays, Francisco goes to the Suba flea market (in the main park). Always check before going, as they sometimes close for inventory.

Do they sell records by international artists like The Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Yes, but it's not their strong suit. At Los Elepés del Humedal you can find Anglo rock from the 70s and 80s, but prices are higher (from $40,000 COP) because they know they are sought after. In the other two, international records are scarce. If you're looking for The Beatles, better go to Usaquén.

Do they accept records on consignment?

All three owners accept them, but with conditions. Don Carlos only takes batches of more than 50 records and pays you 50% of the sale price. Mauricio checks each record and gives you 60% if they are rock or punk. Francisco accepts any genre, but pays you up to three months later, when he sells them. If you want to sell, bring a list of titles and condition.