Record Store Spotlight: Astro-Zombies in Albuquerque (Nob Hill Route 66)

Nob Hill's Route 66 Destination

Astro-Zombies at 3100 Central Avenue SE is Albuquerque's most beloved pop-culture destination, housed on historic Route 66 in the Nob Hill neighborhood. The shop combines new and vintage comics, toys, records, and collectibles in a single storefront that has become a Nob Hill landmark over the last two decades. Voted Albuquerque's #1 Comic Shop for 23 years running. For the record-focused visitor, Astro-Zombies is also Albuquerque's largest stock of new vinyl with deep genre coverage across jazz, punk, rock, metal, hip-hop, and beyond.

The shop's cross-category personality matters: walking into Astro-Zombies is not just a record dig but a full-on pop-culture immersion. Vintage toys, Funko Pops, graphic novels, Magic cards, horror memorabilia, and racks of vinyl all share the floor. For collectors who appreciate the curator-slash-shop-keeper vibe of 1990s specialty retail, Astro-Zombies is the closest living example in the Southwest.

The Vinyl Side

For serious record shoppers, Astro-Zombies' vinyl section stocks Albuquerque's largest selection of new vinyl plus a deep used-LP rotation. Genre coverage includes jazz, punk, rock, metal, hip-hop, soul, alternative, and new releases across every week's drops. The buying team knows the Albuquerque market and curates accordingly; expect depth in genres that match the shop's broader pop-culture energy (punk, metal, alternative, hip-hop) alongside the classic-rock backbone that any Southwest shop needs.

The new-vinyl inventory is the standout. Where many cross-category shops treat records as an afterthought, Astro-Zombies commits to the format and orders accordingly. Record Store Day drops at Astro-Zombies are the biggest RSD event in Albuquerque.

Nob Hill and Route 66

The Astro-Zombies address on Central Avenue SE puts the shop in the heart of Albuquerque's Nob Hill neighborhood, one of the city's most walkable independent-business districts. Central Avenue itself is historic Route 66, the original east-west U.S. highway that passed through Albuquerque. The neighborhood's mix of neon signs, vintage architecture, mid-century motels, and independent shops makes a Nob Hill afternoon one of Albuquerque's essential visitor experiences.

Pair a visit to Astro-Zombies with Flying Star Cafe for coffee, Il Vicino for pizza, or any of the Nob Hill restaurants within a short walk. Parking is on-street in the neighborhood commercial strip.

Plan Your Visit

Astro-Zombies

Albuquerque's beloved pop-culture destination since opening. Records, comics, toys, collectibles on historic Route 66 in Nob Hill. Largest new vinyl stock in ABQ.

Address: 3100 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106
Phone: (505) 232-7800
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 12pm-5pm
Web: astrozombies.com
Facebook: Astro-Zombies on Facebook

Astro-Zombies is at 3100 Central Avenue SE in Albuquerque's Nob Hill neighborhood, 10 minutes east of downtown via Central Avenue (historic Route 66). On-street parking in the Nob Hill commercial strip.

Comics, toys, vinyl, Route 66 neon. Astro-Zombies is the 1990s specialty shop still alive in 2026.