Nottingham, UK | Nottingham shop owner could be forced to move after business rates go up by staggering amount: An independent trader says his business rates have almost tripled in the past two years, forcing him to consider relocating. The increase in business rates has coincided with the revaluation of rateable values and the phasing out of a Covid relief scheme, putting Gary Prail, owner of Fac1981, a record shop in St James’s Street, in a tough situation. The rates at his shop have risen from £4,000 to over £11,000 since April 2024. A firm’s rateable value is based on the market value of what it would cost to rent the firm’s property for a year, plus a government-set multiplier. The record shop owner said: “I moved in two and a half years ago, my rent was £25,000 and my business rates were £4,000, then last April it went up to £9,700, then to £11,100, and it’ll go up even more next year. It’s a lot of money, you feel like you’ve been punched in the stomach.”
Baltimore, MD | ‘My mind was blown’: Community raises over $11,000 to keep the lights on at Baltimore business. A record store and music venue can now plan for more sold-out shows after community members stepped up in their time of need. Wax Atlas, located on Harford Road, operates as a used record store by day. By night, the space transforms into a concert venue for new groups and young bands. “Baltimore is just really filled with talent right now, it’s just not as filled with places for people to perform as it could be,” owner Andrew Phillips said. Phillips said that is why Wax Atlas is here. All the money made from selling records goes into music and arts programming. In under three years, the venue has hosted more than 300 events. The shows require a lot of electricity, and Phillips said his latest BGE bill included an extra $1,450 fee. “You know it doubles or more the store usage, which is fine, amps take electricity, we’re happy to pay it, but all these extra fees,” Phillips said.
Philadelphia, PA | Let WXPN Be Your 2026 Record Store Day Guide: We’ve got a new tool to help you find the record stores closest to you. Plus, our limited ‘Homegrown Originals Volume 4’ vinyl will be available at 13 of the featured shops. April 18 is Record Store Day, and here at WXPN it’s basically a major holiday. After all, our slogan is “vinyl at heart.” In anticipation of the crate-digging day, we’ve got a guide that will help you find hidden gems, classic albums, and new artists at record stores near you. We’re featuring dozens of shops in Philadelphia, its suburbs, New Jersey, Central Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland that are perfect for collectors, analog enthusiasts, and casual perusers alike to visit. To find stores nearby, simply enter your address in the tool below and record stores in your area will pop up.
Toledo, OH | Listen Hear: Record Store Day Turns 18. Record Store Day, April 18, marks the 18th year of the beloved celebration of local music shops, and the event is going strong. Record Store Day (RSD) is “a day to celebrate the role [record stores] play in their communities and the people who make them spin: the staff who run them, customers who shop them, and the artists who make the music they sell.” The centerpiece of this event is the bounty of special album releases, re-issues, and more that artists and record labels drop just for RSD. As in years past, Toledo’s record stores are well represented, with five separate shops joining the April 18th festivities—Culture Clash, No Noise Records, Your Media Exchange, and the two locations of Allied Record Exchange.
Edinburgh, UK | Edinburgh store announces Record Store Day 2026 line-up: An Edinburgh city-centre record store has announced a day of exclusive releases and live performances. Underground Solution on Cockburn Street in Edinburgh will take part in Record Store Day on Saturday, April 18, offering rare vinyl titles, DJ sets, and in-store gigs from 8am to 7pm. George Macdonald, owner of Underground Solution, said: “We’re back with another massive RSD vinyl selection, over 500 titles available here on the day. “The queue does start the night before so get down early if you can, then from 1pm we have live DJs and performances from a whole host of great folk.” The line-up includes DJ 3000 from Detroit, Edinburgh’s own Eclair Fifi, deep electronica artist Lord of the Isles, funk and soul selector Euan Fryer, and Glasgow’s GK Machine.
Seattle, WA | Rearview Mirror: Cool Jewels, a Record Store Relocation, and the Book the Internet Can’t Stop Talk About. A Waterfront Welcome for Sub Pop: No fooling, on April 1, Sub Pop opened the doors on its new Alaskan Way retail shop. Called Sub Pop Waterfront, the space it packed with all the merch, records in plywood crates, and memorabilia you can imagine, and let’s be honest, it’s perfectly placed for tourists, who are likely wandering around the area anyway. As a downtown dweller, I’m always thrilled to see new businesses move into the neighborhood, and as someone with a turntable setup in my living room, this is a welcome—if slightly-dangerous-to-my-wallet—addition.
Tulsa, OK | Thousands of records and collectibles up for bid in Tulsa online auction: Chupps Auction Company is hosting an online auction of items from Starship Music and Gifts. This comes after the store’s closing earlier this year in January. The store closed its doors after 50 years. Over 3,000 CDs, vinyl records, signs, shirts, showcases, posters, posters and more are available for auction. Bids can only be placed online. Chupps asks that if you place a bid, make sure its your maximum one. The system Chupps uses will bid on behalf of the customer, using only what it needs to keep your bid in the lead. Bidding will end April 7 at 10:01 a.m. This auction is a complete liquidation sale of Starship’s remaining collection, shelving, and showcases.
Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids bar to host inaugural vinyl record sale: On April 12, visitors to The Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids can attend the inaugural Grand Rapids Vinyl Swap and explore over 30 different collections from local vendors. “We’re going to be spinning records,” said Nate Dorough, director of programming at the bar and event space. “Pinball machines will be on, bars will be open.” Taking inspiration from The Pyramid Scheme’s annual Last Chance Holiday Market, the Grand Rapids Vinyl Swap invites the community into the venue for a day of shopping and connection. “There’s nothing better than opening a record,” Dorough said. The Grand Rapids Vinyl Swap will take place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and it will be free to attend. All ages can attend the sale, and a live DJ will perform throughout the day. “It’s just going to be a fun day…”
Philadelphia, PA | Pierre Robert’s Entire Record Collection Will Be for Sale for One Day Only: Best of Philly-winning record store Vinyl Chickie has acquired the “pristine” set of 400 albums. Lisa Schaffer, longtime Philly concert photographer (among her work, she shot Taylor Swift for Philly Mag back in 2023) and, more recently, owner of the Best of Philly-winning record shop Vinyl Chickie in Glenside, has come into possession of the entire record collection of Pierre Robert, who died in October. And this morning, on Preston and Steve, she made an announcement: for one day only, she will offer the collection for sale to the general public. Here, she explains how all of this happened and what to expect.
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