Phoenix, AZ | Zia Records: A look back at Arizona’s quintessential record store. Nostalgic photos of the Phoenix-based record store chain from over four decades. It’s a sad fact that many record stores — no matter how beloved they might be—tend to come and go. Zia Records, the long-running Phoenix-based chain has stuck around for 45 years and counting, becoming a staple of the local retail landscape for music lovers. Founded by the late Brad Singer in 1980, the chain began life as Zia Used Records and Incidentals near Indian School and 19th Avenue. Singer, a die-hard music fan and record collector, launched it using vinyl hewn from his own collection and a loan from his family. The 1,300-square-foot store had an underground vibe and a stock of quality used music. Former Zia employee Toni Koch told Phoenix New Times in 2020 that a crew of oddballs could be found both patronizing the store or working behind the counter. “Zia was where misfits could go and feel like we were doing something of value,” Koch says.
Frankfort, KY | Musket’s Music Shop a place for all ages: Mark Rothman bought his first record when he was 8 years old. Now, he’s the proud owner of downtown Frankfort’s very own record store. Musket’s Music Shop, named for Rothman’s five year old blue tick beagle who greets customers when they enter the shop, which opened April 8 of last year. Rothman said the shop is able to exist due to the support of his wife, kids and the Frankfort community. “They say the first year is the hardest, and we’re still here,” Rothman said. “And we’ve been expanding faster than I thought we would.” In the year the shop has been open, renovations have been made, and the store has added many small, welcoming touches that set it apart from your typical music store.
Hutchinson, KS | By buying albums at Permanent Records, customers help employ those with disabilities. One Hutchinson man’s hobby of buying and collecting records has turned into a business, and a way for his son to have a job. Lucas Soltow opened Permanent Records in 2023 and now has established it as the only independent record store in Hutchinson. The store buys and sells used and new records, and is the brick-and-mortar place in town to find and buy rare and unique records. Soltow said the genesis of the store came from a desire to give his son Camren something to do after graduating high school. “Our oldest son is autistic,” Soltow said. He said when Camren was a toddler, he read a story about a family in Texas who had a son with autism and opened a business to allow him to maintain a job. “Autistic people, and disabled people in general, sometimes have a hard time holding down a job,” he said. “So, I thought, we’ll just open up a business and the kid can come work for us.”
Laguna Beach, CA | Turn it up: Sound Spectrum rocks back to life in Laguna Beach. A Laguna Beach landmark is humming again. Neon lights glow inside the bustling 58-year-old record store, Laguna Beach’s only record store, Sound Spectrum–attracting visitors like moths to a musical flame. Bob Marley tunes dance along the now brightly painted walls that showcase music relics and legends that served as gods for many aspiring artists–Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Bob Dylan, among the obvious. Incense smoke trips on the ocean breeze, creeps through the open doors and transports visitors of all ages to Sound Spectrum’s original roots when founders Jim and Edith Otto opened the store in 1967. Never mind the generation gaps, everyone’s united under one roof, rocking out to the same tunes and digging through freshly stocked records and paying nods and smiles to those legends that hang from posters on the wall and those working behind the counters.
Fairfax, VA | Best of NoVA 2025: Where to Find the Region’s Top Boutiques, Specialty Stores, and Shops. Northern Virginia is lucky to have an abundance of shopping destinations. Check everything off your list at these winning retailers. For even more reader favorites, check out our full list of 2025 Best of NoVA winners. …Mobius Records: For more than a decade, this Fairfax City record shop has specialized in new releases and reissues. If you want to keep up with its latest additions, the store posts new inventory updates on its social media sites every Friday. Mobius also sells posters, hoodies, and hats, plus band T-shirts.
Absarokee, MT | Hidden treasure: New vinyl record store opens amidst BBQ Cook-Out in Absarokee: A hidden treasure in Absarokee opened on Saturday amidst the annual Montana BBQ Cook-Off, that’s giving music lovers a blast from the past. Treasure House Records 406 is a locally owned shop that sells vinyl record albums along with other vintage music mediums, such as cassettes and A-tracks, for those looking for oldies, but goodies. A record store might be an unexpected find in a town with a population around a thousand. However, store owner and operator, Debbie Skiles, is looking forward to bringing in tourists, as well as customers looking for a taste of nostalgia, such as Generation X or Baby Boomers. “It’s a lot of fun to be able to see it make a comeback, and to actually see that some of these are thing that I listened to when I was a kid, and my parents listened to, and my grandparents listened to (are coming back),” Skiles said to MTN on Friday.
Little Rock, AR | Memory-filled vinyl record collection returned to 89-year-old Arkansas woman 15 years after it was lost: After recently retiring from Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, one woman got a gift back she thought was lost forever, but it’s once again filling her with notes of joy. Nancy Rorex, 89, has worked for over forty years in backstage catering for different arenas around Arkansas. Along the way, she was able to hear various artists and collect vinyl records. “I didn’t even like to cook. I didn’t know what I was doing. I just enjoyed the music and the energy of it.” Rorex said. “There’s some good music now, but my heart is still in the ’80s.” After several decades at Simmons Bank Arena, Rorex said that days after she retired, she got an unexpected call from a former co-worker about her lost collection that they found at a flea market. Rorex said she lost the collection when they were in a box while she was moving homes 15 years ago.
The DOOM: The Dark Ages soundtrack is coming to vinyl and CD: Following the release of the digital soundtrack, vinyl and CD versions of the colossal DOOM: The Dark Ages have been unveiled. The huuuuuge soundtrack for DOOM: The Dark Ages is getting the vinyl and CD treatment this year. Following the massively popular digital release, Bethesda Softworks and Laced Records have revealed some snazzy exclusive physical editions and variants, which are available for pre-order now and are estimated to be shipped from October. “There was a real weight of expectation stepping into such an iconic franchise,” explains a statement from Finishing Move. “But rather than get overwhelmed by it, we focused on what felt right. What we, along with the incredibly creative team at id, believed this game needed. We approached it with the same spirit of innovation that defines DOOM, aiming to honour its legacy while forging a new identity.
Official update on Genesis Lamb Lies Down on Broadway reissue: Genesis have today offered an official update on the delays with the Lamb Lies Down On Broadway super deluxe edition box set. 5LP+blu-ray audio and 4CD+blu-ray audio formats were announced last November, originally for March 2025 release. That later was pushed back to 13 June, and now, a day before that revised date, we are told the boxes will come in “Autumn 2025.” The actual statement is as follows: We deeply apologise to fans who have been kept in The Waiting Room to receive their orders for Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 50th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set. Due to unforeseen production issues, the release planned for 13 June has unfortunately been delayed until late Autumn 2025. We understand you’ve been patiently Counting Out Time, and will update with the final delivery date as soon as It is available.
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