Part Time Lover Hi-Fi
3829 30th St.
Folk Arts PTL shop open 7 days a week 4pm~10pm

Our partnership with Part Time Lover Hi-Fi has already involved a wide variety of amazing experiences. As this community opportunity evolves, one of our goals is to get more organized. We’ve established a philosophy for this wildly unique, beautiful community space. It is rooted in the concept of Listening. Please feel free to reach out. We want to listen.

Part Time Lover is a unique space for the exploration of sound and music in a relaxed environment. We value sharing, joy, self-expression, eclecticism, diversity, discovery, art, patience, spontaneity, relaxation, and we aim to inspire childlike wonder and enthusiasm.

PTL is not a nightclub but rather a truly alternative nightlife experience. We’ve got love for dives, but this is not your average dive.

We ask that you inquire about selecting in person and via e-mail. Send all creative inquiries to folkartsrarerecords@gmail.com

We will be hosting regular bi-monthly selectors but will strive to leave some room for inclusion, as it relates to valuing diversity, eclecticism and non-mainstream music.

We encourage patience in every aspect of this community opportunity. We value in person communication and listening to your creative ideas.

If you’d like to work on your selecting skills, we encourage you to sign up to DJ at Folk Arts Rare Records (3610 University Ave.), anytime between 10am and 6 pm 7 days a week. Call (619) 282-7833 to sign up.

Part Time Lover: Reel-to-Reel, Klipschorns, and Vinyl in San Diego’s North Park

Folk Arts Rare Records
Record Store Day Celebration
Saturday, April 23
8 a.m. to ???

Featuring …
Complimentary Refreshments by Gem Coffee

Info Booths by
Foodshed
Foodshed is a farmer-owned, collectively operated organization that connects farmers directly with communities. They distribute good food to those who need it and support food justice, equity, and regenerative agriculture.

The Front Arte y Cultura Gallery
The Front Gallery is a space for community and artistic engagement in the San Ysidro-Tijuana region. An art gallery, arts education space, and meeting venue for community residents and artists, they provide space for new, diverse, and innovative projects and ideas.

Special Guest Selectors (10am-1pm)
Lucy Liebre and Francisco Eme of The Front Arte y Cultura Gallery

Live Music starting at 1 pm!
Performances by …
Good Gravy
Gypsy Sally
Honky Tonk Central
Noise Buddha
Salmon Avalon and Friends

Plus …
New Folk Arts Merch by Howlin’ Embroidery and Squeegee Prints

Rare Record Raffle:
Ernest Flippin II’s “Supersonic Space Lady”. Local SD electro Funk with a dynamic SD map label. Minimum $10 purchase. One raffle ticket per customer.

Parking:

We recommend parking at the school lot on 38th Street south of University Ave. It’s a public lot during the weekends. We also highly recommend grabbing some Fredcel Lumpia while you’re there!

There is also parking on Wilson Ave north of University and on 39th Street south of University.

Live music is returning to Folk Arts! We are very excited to be hosting our friend Quintinn Holi next Saturday March 5th from 1-4pm. Quintinn is a local Hawaiian / Modern Island Pop musician and will be bringing the poolside vibes. Originals, covers, requests, this is going to be a very chill, informal performance. We’re thinking of it as a little bit of a staycation. Free Show! Come early to catch a Hawaiian DJ set by DJ Ian Young.

Holiday Hours:
Open 7 days a week 10am-6pm
Friday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) Open 10am-4pm
Saturday, December 25th (Christmas): Closed
Sunday, December 26th: Back Open 7 days a week 10am-6pm
Saturday, January 1 (New Year’s Day): Closed
Sunday, January 2: Back open 7 days a week 10am-6pm
Let’s keep each other safe. Wear a Mask.
Wishing every one a safe and happy Holidays!

Folk Arts will be closed on Thanksgiving and Friday, November 26th. We will not be participating in RSD Black Friday this year (we’ll be closed that day) and apologize for the inconvenience. Starting Saturday Nov. 27th we’ll be celebrating and back open 7 days a week. As always we appreciate all of the support. We hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

We’re excited to be screening episode 1 of the new documentary KGB & THE FM RADIO REVOLUTION on Saturday October 16 at 5pm and Sunday October 17 at 12 noon. This is a new mini-series by local filmmaker Raul Sandelin. I’ve heard many great KGB stories in my time, and we’re all familiar with the SD Chicken, Homegrown and Skyshow. “The KGB Skyshow, shit hot!” as my friend Tom would say.

Parking at Folk Arts is limited. The best street parking spots can be found on Wilson Ave north of University. Plenty of street parking spots can be found on other streets as well. Please be patient. And please support other City Heights businesses and restaurants while you’re here. Wearing a mask is recommended but not required.

We’re now open 7 days a week, 10am-6pm, at our new location of 3610 University Ave. And going forward, our #1 priority will be opening up our sound system to all, seven days a week. We want to provide you a fun outlet so you can unwind. Play whatever you want! All ages! We can teach you how to DJ from a distance! You can even use our records! We’ll handle all the cleaning and sanitization. Please bring your own headphones if possible. Call or text 619-282-7833 or just stop by the shop to setup a time!

We are deeply saddened to announce that San Diego music icon Tomcat Courtney has passed away at the age of 91. As a young man growing up in Texas, Tomcat was immersed in the Blues music world of the 1940’s. He befriended and performed with a countless number of music legends, including T-Bone Walker, Lightnin Hopkins, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tampa Red and Muddy Waters. His tales of working the rowdy juke joints of this era were extraordinary. Tomcat overflowed with patience, passion & charm. He was the kind of person who would sit and chat with you for hours. In the 1950’s Courtney performed regularly with the great Smokey Hogg and his brother John. He headed to the west coast in the 1960’s, playing in bands with Little Johnny Taylor, Freddie King & Lowell Fulson. Tomcat first performed at Folk Arts Rare Records just two weeks after his arrival in San Diego in 1971. He and Lou Curtiss became fast friends, and Courtney performed at many of Lou’s festivals & concerts for decades. This began a new chapter in which Tomcat became a San Diego Blues treasure. He had a weekly residency at Ocean Beach’s Texas Teahouse from 1972 to 1992. And he never let his age keep him from performing. He’s be all over town, playing late into the night at spots like the Turquoise Cafe, the Ken Club and Proud Mary’s, which also hosted his very celebratory annual birthday parties, the last one being his 91st Birthday Party on January 23, 2020. Whether the crowds were large or small, Tomcat was always 100% himself and an absolute joy to spend time with. He will be dearly missed by so many, but he lived an extremely rich life. Thank you Tomcat, for being you.