Underground Records is a locally owned rock shop and concert venue located at 617 Euclid Avenue in Des Moines. Cassette tapes, CDs and vinyl records can all be found there, as well as band shirts, new and old. Some of the shirts have been signed by the band members themselves. Some of the more exotic shirts are priced above $300. 

Another cool feature the shop has is a back area where local bands can perform live shows. Shop owner Steve Ratcliffe has had over 2,200 bands perform in the current location. He said that they were all kid and family friendly. He gets the word out for the shows by submitting Facebook posts, handing out flyers and word of mouth.

There is also a hallway filled with murals from different street artists in Des Moines. There are a total of 48 murals in the building. The most notable ones are located in what Ratcliffe calls the “Hall of Horror,” which is in the back of the building. 

“When I moved in here, it was (an) eggshell color, and it was kind of freaky … but then with the help of all these awesome artists in Des Moines, we made this hallway look really cool,” Ratcliffe said. 

Some other murals are located in the venue room. There are also flyers on the ceiling from the bands that performed there.

Ratcliffe first got the idea for Ratt’s Underground Records when he was 18 years old. Unfortunately, he had to work elsewhere before he could start up his store. Before he started Ratt’s Underground Records, he owned another business called Dad’s Toy Box, which was a racing and sports collectibles shop. Dad’s Toy Box was founded in 1998 and was in business until 2005. Almost immediately afterwards, he bought a large record collection. He then opened Ratt’s with around 10,000 records.

Ratcliffe has owned his shop for around 10 years but had two different locations. His first shop was owned for three years in Newton, and he has been in his Des Moines shop for seven years. He is planning to move his store in April because of some issues he has been having with his current building over the years. He also doesn’t get enough foot traffic walking by his store, so he decided to grow and expand.

Ratcliffe has had over 2,200 bands perform in the current location. He said that they were all kid and family friendly. He gets the word out for the shows by submitting Facebook posts, handing out flyers and word of mouth.

 What Ratcliffe likes the most about his shop is the people. He gets band shirts from all over the world; from the United Kingdom, to Russia and even Japan.

The new shop will be located in Merle Hay Mall, next to Flix Brewhouse and Expo. Ratcliffe’s plan is to eventually franchise his shop. Currently, he is the only person running the shop with some occasional help from his mother and daughter. Once the new shop opens, he will hire employees and potentially have some volunteer positions as well.

If you are a metalhead, a punk rock fan, someone wanting to see some cool street art or even just someone with an appreciation of music history, then Ratt’s Underground Records is for you.