Toledo, OH | Viral for Vinyl: Local record stores share 2025 numbers, 2026 predictions. These days, the question isn’t if a hot new release will hit vinyl. It’s when. “This is the format that is speaking and has been speaking loudly for a couple decades,” said Tim Friedman, owner and manager of downtown’s Culture Clash Records. “Everything is released on vinyl.” …Friedman connects Culture Clash’s listening party events with their best-selling albums of 2025—including all three of their top sellers. “Most people came to listen to an album together. Some came to buy something. Some did anyway when they were here, and we thank them for that, but what we like most is helping gather people together to share in the experience of music,” Friedman said.
Beverly, IL | Beverly Phono Mart Opens Pop-Up Record Shop While It Recovers From New Year’s Crash: After a month of operating virtually, the Beverly record store has opened a pop-up shop just a few doors down from the business’s storefront that was damaged in a New Year’s Day car crash. A record store in Beverly has reopened via a temporary pop-up shop while the business continues to recover from a New Year’s Day car crash that damaged its storefront. Chantala Kommanivanh and Mallory McClaire, owners of Beverly Phono Mart, opened a pop-up shop Friday at 1802 W. 103rd St., only two doors down from their store’s original location. The pop-up, BPM Express, will allow shoppers a place to sift through a variety of vinyl. “We wanted to have a physical space for people to pick things up and to let people shop in store,” McClaire said. “Shopping for records is a hands-on experience…”
Watertown, SD | The Groove Shop Is Finding Its Rhythm In Downtown Watertown: The Groove Shop in downtown Watertown is striking a chord with music lovers, since opening its doors just a few months ago in November. Owner Shawn Lenning, a lifelong musician and music lover, said the idea for the store came from conversations with others in the community who shared his passion for music. Lenning saw a need in the community and decided to take the leap and open a shop of his own. The Groove Shop focuses mostly on classic rock and pop albums, offering a wide variety for collectors and casual listeners alike. Shawn has gathered an assortment of vinyl records, CDs, cassette tapes, and even 8-tracks.
AU | There’s a massive reason to skip streaming and visit record stores in April: Record Store Day Australia returns on 18 April with a stacked first batch of local vinyl releases. Empire of the Sun, Spacey Jane, Kee’ahn, Holy Holy, Crooked Colours, Ruel, Bluey and Kutcha Edwards with the Melbourne Youth Orchestra all feature in the 2026 lineup, celebrating independent record stores across the country. Record Store Day underscores the tangible benefits of physical music retail over digital alternatives—human-driven discovery, intentional listening experiences and community support for artist development. These physical spaces facilitate intergenerational connections, from first-time vinyl buyers to seasoned collectors sharing knowledge.
Helston, UK | Rotten Records, Helston to take part in Record Store Day: The New Year is already proving to be a successful one for Rotten Records in Helston, as the shop has been invited to take part in Record Store Day 2026. Owners Ana and Nick have only been open in the town centre since November 2025, but in that short time, they have quickly gained a dedicated following. They are now celebrating their invitation to the special event, which will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2026. “Rotten Records are participating in Record Store Day in April this year, which is the most notable date in the diary for record stores and collectors,” the couple told the Packet. “We’re surprised we got accepted, as we have only been open a couple of months, but it should draw a big crowd for sure.”
Montreal, CA | We’re going to listen to 24 hours of music at the SAT for Montreal’s Nuit Blanche. For Nuit Blanche on February 28, 2026, you can spend 24 hours listening to vinyl records non-stop at the Society for Arts and Technology. The 23rd edition of Montreal’s Nuit Blanche doesn’t have a distinct theme, but if we had to define one based on our Nuit Blanche 2026 agenda, we’d say it’s nostalgia for the absurdity of the 90s. Between TV shows like Jackass (and its 90s original, Camp Kill Yourself), artistic short films that pit an Indigenous chef in Louboutins against colonialism, doctored photos from the 50s, and proto-technological performances, we return to a world where the internet is new and we’re still doing whatever we want with it. In addition to an artistic revival that embraces the freedom of weirdness, Nuit Blanche will also highlight the creativity that exists when artists follow their instincts to create cool and exciting things in opposition to all the ugliness in the world.
Waynesville, NC | Yonder Mountain Record Show: Presented by Astro Record Store, the “Yonder Mountain Record Show” will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. This “laidback” vinyl record showcase will offer local/regional shops and independent dealers offering bins of albums to dig through and purchase, all alongside craft ales and live music. Food will also be available onsite. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit yondermountainrecordshow.com.
North Olmsted, OH | The Cleveland West Record Riot! Over 15,000 LPs in one room! Sat February 14th at Great Northern Mall: The Cleveland West Record Riot! It’s a MASSIVE vinyl record POP-UP sale at Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted. Over 15,000 vinyl records in ONE ROOM! Across from Victoria’s Secret in the mall! FUN! VALENTINES AND VINYL! A giant record store lands at Great Northern Mall in North Olmsted! Dealers from far and wide converge for a giant music sale! Saturday, February 14th, LPs, tapes, CDs and live recordings too. All types of music from punk to funk to country to classic rock, hip hop, soul/jazz, and more. Dust off that turntable and come on down. Regular admission starts at 11 AM ($5) with early admission at 10 AM ($15).
Kuala Lumpur, ML | A pause from the digital world: How vinyl cafés are tapping into a new way to slow down and listen: The vinyl revival has hit Klang Valley and it is alive and well—and has been for quite some time now. From the flourishing of physical and online record stores to the growing number of Japanese-inspired listening bars in KL alone and now vinyl cafes—where music lovers get to select and enjoy their own playlist in a personal cozy space over a cup of coffee or light bites. Listening bars might be relatively new in Malaysia but they have been around since the 1920s, with their origin famously attributed to the Japanese, who started with the jazz kissa (jazz café) concept that offers music lovers a quiet space for communal listening.
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