Discover the melodic escape of Jan’s Place: San Luis Obispo’s neighborhood vinyl bar

Nestled in a neighborhood by the San Luis Obispo railroad is Jan’s Place, a small vinyl bar serving local beer, wine, cider and fresh beats. Its walls are dazzled with strategically placed acoustic soundproofing, a turntable, seating for 20 and an impressive array of records spanning all sorts of genres. 

Jan’s Place is “a space where the acoustics are so good that you can sit and listen to music and have a conversation, both at normal volumes,” its website says. “Cozy, not loud. Intimate and relaxed.”

The bar hosts live DJs who dabble in a variety of genres, sometimes fusing multiple together, like house and jazz. Wednesdays are jazz nights, and on Thursdays, they offer “open decks” where community members can play their own records. 

Jeff Root and his team manifest a space of calm in his bar. With Jan’s Place settled in a quiet neighborhood, Root aspires to promote an environment where people appreciate music. 

“You walk into somebody’s house, and you see that they’ve got a big record collection,” Root said. “You know, your conversation tends to migrate towards [that]. That’s the way the bar is.”

Root’s fascination with music took him through his own DJ-ing journey, which has been more than simply musical. He has spent a considerable amount of time traveling in Japan, where he was first introduced to the concept of what his future bar would become. 

The vinyl bar is inspired by Japanese kissaten, traditional coffee and tea shops known for their cozy, retro feel. Jan’s Place emulates the personal, hospitable environments of the kissaten, or “kissa,” Root visited during his travels.

“It was just a magical experience,” Root said. “You’re basically having drinks in a record shop, but it’s very small, very intimate and [has] a warm sound.”

Jan’s Place is meant to be inclusive to a wide range of ages. 

“We totally want to keep that vibe of like, it’s just a place where any person can walk in by him or herself, by themselves, and either engage or not,” Root said. 

It’s important to Root to keep the energy of the bar fresh and ensure that guests notice changes, so he is constantly adjusting the structure of the bar and rearranging the seating.

The “chill, listening lounge vibe” of Jan’s Place, as Root describes it, creates an ideal atmosphere for enjoying the mixing of analog music. 

“I love the object permanence of records,” Root said. “It’s part of the resurgence of vinyl as people are getting back into that tactile sensation of going to a record store, looking at a lot of records, buying one and taking it home, pulling it out, putting on a turntable [and] reading the liner notes while you’re doing it.” 

A crucial aspect when it comes to showcasing the rich sound of vinyl is the proper setup with proper equipment. Owner of Audiophile Zone, a performance audio equipment retailer in Los Osos, Gary Katayama planned the acoustic design system within Jan’s Place.

“When you put on an LP, you’re looking at the whole artistic experience as the artist wanted it presented,” Katayama said. 

Katayama said clicking through songs on a playlist can be a disjointed experience. The medium in which we listen to music can be just as important as the music itself. 

“People need to experience more high-quality music,” Katayama said. “Earbuds are very isolating. You hear your music and nothing else, and nobody else can share it with you because it’s an isolating experience.”

Jan’s Place is open Tuesday through Saturday from 3-8 p.m. at 1817 Osos Street. More information on Jan’s Place can be found on the bar’s website and Instagram.