Denver, CO | The return of physical media: “…I like to have a physical manifestation of the music I love, I want to be able to pass it down to my children one day,” said Kiana Panah, a senior studying Environmental Science at the University of Denver. “Normally I find them [vinyl] at estate sales, it’s more sustainable and it feels rewarding when I find a record I love.” Having a physical manifestation of your favorite music is certainly part of the appeal. But there are plenty of other reasons people choose to buy records. The first being that the music sounds better. I can practically see the eye rolls as I’m writing this, but hear me out.
WA | Invite Only: Why Are There So Few Women-Owned Record Stores in Washington? …For Rachel Gardner, her invitation into the world of music and record collecting was simply her entrance into the world: she was literally born in the back of her parents’ Port Townsend music store. And, with a jazz musician father and grandfather, her childhood continued to be steeped in music. “I remember playing with my Barbies under jazz club tables at 2 a.m.,” she recalls. Although her 20s were spent rejecting the family business and pursuing a life as a pro skier, Gardner always knew that she wanted to have a little shop of her own, selling either records or sporting equipment. “Since I am pretty removed from the action-sports world these days—my knees don’t do that anymore [laughs]—I decided to stick to records.”
Newton, MA | Record Store Opens Off Rt. 9 In Newton: Root For Us Records in Newton, Mass. is not open on Tuesdays, but owner Brian Coleman was there anyway. Coleman had just bought a stack of records from a friend and needed to sort through them before putting them up for sale. His life spins in concert with the turntables throughout his new shop. “Records are a part of my family,” Coleman said. “They’re part of me, so when I pass on, I hope that my records end up living another life.” Coleman opened Root For Us in the end unit of a small shopping center off Route 9 in Newton earlier this year, next to a marijuana dispensary and a CVS.
St. Paul, MN | Urban Lights Music continues legacy as one of the Twin Cities’ last Black-owned record stores: For 32 years, Urban Lights Music has outlasted chain stores, streaming services and neighborhood disruption to remain one of the last Black-owned record stores in the Twin Cities. For more than three decades, music has filled the shelves and speakers inside Urban Lights Music, but owner Timothy Wilson says the store has always been about more than records. Tucked along University Avenue in St. Paul, Urban Lights stands today as one of the last Black-owned record stores in the Twin Cities. Over the decades, the store has survived industry changes, neighborhood shifts, economic shifts and periods of uncertainty that forced many other independent music stores to close their doors.
Seattle, WA | Seattle’s Sub Pop Records amplifies legacy with new Waterfront store: Seattle’s iconic Sub Pop Records, instrumental in launching the city’s grunge sound globally, opens a new location packed with memorabilia on Alaskan Way. Some cities export products; Seattle exported a sound. Sub Pop Records, Seattle’s most iconic record label, just opened a new location on Alaskan Way, directly across the street from the ferry terminal. “The first thing everyone says is Nirvana. Soundgarden. I love Tad, so I talk about Tad a lot,” manager Liam Downey said. Sub Pop Records helped turn Seattle’s GarageBand sound into a global movement, and now they are turning up the volume on the Waterfront.
Grand Prairie, TX | The Largest Music Store In Texas Carries Over 250,000 Vinyl, CDs, Tapes, And More: You think you have seen a record store, then you walk into this one. A quarter million albums, tapes, and CDs spread across a space that feels like a warehouse for music lovers. New arrivals show up every day because they buy used collections from people cleaning out their attics. You could spend hours flipping through bins and still not see everything. Then you find the back room, vintage concert posters, old guitars, and random music memorabilia stacked on shelves. Collectors lose their minds in here, and casual browsers leave with armfuls of stuff they did not plan to buy. It is not just a store, it is a pilgrimage for anyone who loves physical music.
Bend, OR | Bend’s Stereo Planet collaborates with Smith Rock Records for grand reopening: Stereo Planet, a Bend business for 45 years, is reopening its doors with a new collaboration in downtown Bend. The grand reopening celebration is scheduled for Friday, June 5, 2026, at 6 p.m. at 1008 NW Bond Street. Stereo Planet is collaborating with Patrick Smith, a longtime Central Oregon resident and local music fixture who owns Smith Rock Records and his team. This collaboration brings decades of musical knowledge and “crate-digging” culture, creating a destination for seasoned audiophiles, longtime collectors, newcomers and younger listeners. Smith Rock Records confirmed that they have moved full-time to the Stereo Planet location.
Falmouth, UK | Jam Records comes full circle as founder returns for new chapter: Jam record shop in Falmouth looks set for a new chapter—with a familiar face at the helm—after councillors backed plans to expand what the High Street shop can offer. Falmouth Town Council’s planning and licensing committee voted on Monday to recommend approval of a premises licence for Jam Records, 32 High Street, submitted by Green Space (Cornwall) Ltd, a subsidiary of Verdant Brewing Company. The application seeks permission for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 12pm and 11pm daily, with extended hours until 1.30am on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. It also includes provision for recorded and live music, as well as film screenings, between 11am and 11pm. Proposed opening hours are 11am to 11.30pm, again with later hours on key festive dates.
Fort Lauderdale, FL | Vinyl Collectors Get a New Record Store in Fort Lauderdale: Shellshock Records opens on May 23 with a selection heavy on punk, indie, metal, and jazz. Vinyl fever isn’t slowing down in South Florida. With new shops continuing to pop up across Miami and record sales reported in 2025, Fort Lauderdale is getting a new destination for crate diggers. Named after New Order’s 1986 synth-driven single “Shellshock”—famously featured on the Pretty in Pink soundtrack—Shellshock has been nearly two years in the making. Owner Gunther Schenk has spent most of his adult life immersed in record-store culture. He got his start as an intern at Beach Records in Fort Myers before landing a part-time job at the beloved Radio-Active Records, where he worked for seven years.
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