Category Archives: A morning mix of news for the vinyl inclined

Dollars & Sense: The return of ownership. After years of renting our entertainment, some consumers are rediscovering the value of actually owning it. I am of a certain generation and grew up owning my entertainment. I bought the vinyl (Billy Joel’s Glass Houses was my first ever), bought the CDs (Aja by Steely Dan was the first in that category), and bought the books as well (my shelves are stacked with old James Patterson books, including a signed first edition of Along Came a Spider). I can tell you about my firsts, but making a list of the “lasts” I bought in each category—now that’s a challenge. Why? Well, because like many other people, for the past 15 years or so, I’ve gradually traded ownership for access.

Lansing, MI | Put your records on: Accessibility and convenience are generational buzzwords, ‘kids these days’ are finding joy in the tedious. Like everything else, the internet changed the music business. First, it was Napster and iTunes. Pandora and YouTube came later, followed by Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music. Add smartphones to the mix, and the hassle of physical media seems unnecessary when on-demand streaming is available. However, that attitude appears to be shifting. “In the last, I would say, four years, CD sales are through the roof,” Clint Harkness, a longtime employee at Flat, Black & Circular, said. Located off Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, FBC buys and sells new and used vinyl records, CDs and videos.

Cedar Falls, IA | High fidelity to music, community: Metro Records continues a Cedar Falls legacy. When someone is looking for socialization or community, they often go to a third space. Austin Wise, UNI alum and the owner of Metro Records in Cedar Falls since 2023, describes third spaces as a spot to hang out and socialize outside of work and home. Unfortunately, the internet has taken up the space that used to be reserved for these places, and third spaces are fading away as more people turn to online socialization instead of in-person. “I believe this has huge implications on our mental health,” Austin said. “I’m constantly trying to turn Metro Records into a third space to help our community.”

Calgary, CA | Gen Z fuels CD comeback at Calgary record stores as Canadian sales rise: Compact discs (CDs) are making a comeback and finding a new generation of buyers and connoisseurs across Canada as teenagers and young adults turn to the once-declining format to find an affordable way to own music. According to Luminate’s 2026 mid-year report, Canadians are consuming more music across the board this year, with all formats seeing a rise compared with 2025. Physical album sales were up 4.2% to 1.7 million units. In Calgary, local retailers are saying that demand for CDs has climbed rapidly over the past few years, reflecting the broader demand for physical media among Gen Z and younger generations.

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San Antonio, TX | Event this Sunday seeks to put South Side institution Flip Side Records on solid footing: The store, opened in 1972, was forced into a temporary shutdown this summer. Now, organizers are holding a grassroots block party to bring people back. For generations of Southsiders, Flip Side Record Parlor has served as more than a place to find new music or buy concert tickets. …After a recent closure and quiet reopening earlier this summer, the longtime independently owned record shop at 840 SW Military Drive is working to get back on its feet—and the community is stepping up to help make that happen. On the evening of Sunday, Sept. 6, local organizers Joaquin Abrego and Luna Mendoza along with DJ Chuco Garcia, will present Needles and Chrome: A Sunday Kickback. The grassroots block party is designed to bring people back through Flipside’s doors.

Boulder, CO | The Vinyl Café moves sound around surround: The Vinyl Café moved sound around the surrounding block, the difference measured in bricks rather than miles, the reason measured in space. Owner Martin Banks moved down the block and around the corner to the extra square footage he needed to boost sales and chip away at towering backstock. “I’ve got 12,000 records at home. Well, it’s down to about nine now. That we couldn’t fit in that previous building. We’d filled the entire thing,” Banks said. “My kids are getting pretty sick of it. My garage, my basement and unfortunately, a lot of my living room is just full of records.” Now at 704 Main St., customers can walk from the old location to the new one in the time it takes to open eBay on their phone.

West Allis, WI | Cosmic Sounds in West Allis: The new store offers records, pinball and film for collectors and the general public. “A record asks you to make a decision, put something on and spend time with it,” Zach Reno of Cosmic Sounds says. “The real appeal is that it gives the music some weight again. It gives the sequencing of an album a purpose again, because you can’t skip around as easily.” Milwaukee music lovers recently got another reason to be cheerful when Cosmic Sounds opened in an unassuming neighborhood in West Allis at 7415 W. Becher. St. Along with records the store also sells genre films on DVD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD and VHS, vintage stereo gear and pinball. Owner Zach Reno recently offered the lowdown on his history, thoughts on vinyl and vision for the shop.

Portland, OR | ‘You’re a dead man’: Suspect facing multiple charges after threatening Portland record store. A man was arrested last week after he allegedly tried to burn down a Portland record shop while its owner was inside. Adrian Orange, 40, was arrested Thursday on charges of first-degree attempted arson, first-degree burglary, second-degree burglary, coercion and menacing. Orange visited Vinyl Resting Place in the St. Johns neighborhood in Portland on Aug. 27 and attempted to sell some records, according to charging documents. When the store owner declined, Orange allegedly threatened to kill him and said he was a “dead man.” The record store owner said he feared for his safety so he locked the front door. Orange allegedly returned a short time later and began shoving newspaper under the front door before lighting it on fire.

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Newton, NJ | The Vinyl Chapter to celebrate grand opening with five days of events: Newton record store The Vinyl Chapter will celebrate its grand opening Sept. 3-7 with special events, live music, author appearances and fundraisers benefiting local organizations. The Vinyl Chapter, a new record store at 221 Spring St. in Newton, will celebrate its grand opening Sept. 3-7 with five days of special events, live music, author appearances and fundraisers. The celebration will include a number of promotions and activities, including a new loyalty card program, free goodie bags while supplies last and a fundraiser for Ginnie’s House Children’s Advocacy Center. Ten percent of sales throughout the weekend will be donated to the organization.

Birkenhead, UK | Birkenhead record shop owner shares three top tips for vinyl collectors: “There is still good value and bargains to be had in the world of records.” The owner of one of Merseyside’s most legendary record shops has shared his top tips for people looking to start collecting vinyl. Ben Savage, 30, from Rock Ferry, became the shop manager of Skeleton Records when he was 22 and the owner when its founder John Weaver died in January 2022. Skeleton Records, also known as Skellies, was founded in 1972 and its musical history has cemented its status as a legendary spot to generations of record buyers. From the Sex Pistols to tricking bailiffs to save their extensive stock, Skeleton Records has survived and evolved throughout the 54 years the institution has been in existence.

Shrewsbury, UK | New chapter for Shrewsbury independent book shop and record store: An established Shrewsbury independent book shop and record store is on the move to new town centre premises. Left for Dead is relocating to newly-refurbished retail premises at 58 Wyle Cop, marketed by Towler Shaw Roberts. It represents a short move for the shop, having previously been based at nearby 14 Wyle Cop for more than 10 years. Left for Dead’s new ground floor premises, which provide versatile open plan accommodation, extend in total to 362 sq ft. Josh Hyde, who handled the letting for TSR, said: “The property occupies a sought after and prominent location on the popular Wyle Cop.”

Macon, GA | Echoes of the past: Macon marks Black Business Month with a downtown rebound: Sitting behind the counter at Old School Music Headquarters, Lafayette Haynes is surrounded by his lifelong obsession. Plastic bins are packed with thousands of vinyl LPs, with overflow albums stacked on top. Cassette tapes are piled high in wooden cubbies, while bundles of 45 singles and CDs fill other shelves. The walls are a collage of the past, papered over with vintage concert promos and photos of musical greats. Every tightly wedged corner of this Second Street shop stands as a testament to Haynes’ devotion to music. But it’s a monument to something deeper, too: his stand against injustice. Back in the 1960s, Haynes was tired of the mistreatment Black customers often faced in white-owned establishments, so he decided to start his own business.

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Kalamazoo, MI | How a Kalamazoo record store keeps vinyl culture alive in the streaming era: Michael Evans, owner of Satellite Records, has a deep love of music. A music collector for more than a decade and a former band member in his younger years, music has been a constant presence in his life. Owning a record store simply made sense: it allowed him to stay immersed in the culture he loved while sharing that passion with others. “We have been in Kalamazoo for over 15 years, and every year, we have steadily grown our customer base and business,” Evans said of the store at 808 S. Westnedge Ave. ”It wouldn’t be without Kalamazoo residents and customers that come in daily.” What surprises many first-time visitors is that record stores still exist and can thrive.

Canton, OH | ‘People long to touch things.’ Downtown Canton gets vinyl record store. Charlie and Alyssa Arnold are giving downtown shoppers a dose of nostalgia while also meeting the resurgent demand for vinyl records. Opening the door of Spinners & Sinners, visitors step into a bigger space than expected based on the storefront at 532 Cleveland Ave. NW. And they immediately are immersed in the bygone pleasure of physical media, including bins stocked with used and newer vinyl. Tables display CDs, cassette tapes and books. Clothing racks are filled with thrift and vintage fashion. A few years of planning went into the couple’s first retail venture. And their anticipation and excitement were palpable during a recent interview as demonstrated by their enduring smiles and infectious enthusiasm.

AU | The young collectors leading a revival of CDs, vinyl and physical media: The generation that never owned a CD player has become vinyl’s most passionate new customer—and they’re buying cassettes they can’t even play. Young Aussies raised on streaming and downloads are going back to the future, rediscovering physical DC, DVDs, and vinyl records their parents once took for granted. As tech companies increasingly move away from “physical media”, a wave of younger consumers is increasingly seeking it out before it is lost forever. Online content creator Robert Hess is helping with that rediscovery by using his social media platform to document his own collection of 476 Blu-rays and 122 DVDs. “I feel like having the vessel of something physical just feels like a more healthy way to consume media,” the-27-year-old from Melbourne told NewsWire.

UK | The younger record fans turning to older vinyl: Younger people are helping the revival of traditional vinyl records, according to record dealers. Roger Joffe, co-owner of Wanted Records and organiser of the biggest record fair in the south-west of England, held at the Bristol Beacon, said: “The youngsters are coming in and buying trance and dance music, but also trad jazz and Duke Ellington.” Joffe believes newer fans find the format appealing and want to hold something physically rather than streaming music. Around 2,000 record-buyers are expected to attend his next show on 3 October. “CDs came and went in a big way, and lots of people abandoned their records when they were the big thing, but now they’re trying to buy their discarded records back.”

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The comeback of physical media: “It was real money instead of just scraping by” Are you old enough to remember buying a CD to put into your car’s stereo system? Maybe you’re old enough to remember cassettes and the multitude of times where the tape would get stuck so you would have to manually rewind the tape – hoping it isn’t completely ruined. You may even be old enough to remember the prime of vinyl, walking into your local record store and flipping through hundreds of different LPs until something catches your eye. At this point these may seem like distant memories; however, with the rise of streaming, criticism towards how platforms handle paying their artists has risen.

5 useful tips for collecting CDs in 2026: …What seemed like an inevitable victory is now not quite so certain, though. Physical media is making a serious comeback, with Gen Z embracing the notion of physical ownership and offline media libraries, a concept that many millennials had so hastily abandoned just a decade before — no doubt to create minimalist homes with nary a misplaced book, CD, or vinyl record in sight. While being a collector and record store employee during the years when my peers were ditching physical media allowed me to score some great deals, I firmly believe that the more people interested in, and celebrating, physical media, the better—and there are few places to start more ideal than with CDs.

Memphis, TN | Brandon Seavers is proof Memphis music history is still being made: Nearly thirty years in the music business, much of it as a Memphis studio engineer, taught Brandon Seavers what a record is supposed to feel like before he ever had to manufacture one. Memphis Record Pressing didn’t even start as a vinyl company. Brandon co-founded it with Mark Yoshida in the 1990s as a CD and DVD manufacturer, and the turn came in 2013, when Fat Possum Records asked if they could press records. Neither had ever pressed vinyl before. They said yes anyway. That bet turned MRP into one of the largest vinyl manufacturers in North America. “We didn’t even know how to press a record when we started,” Brandon has said. “We just figured it out. That’s very Memphis.”

Madrid, SP | For two days only: a fair featuring thousands of vinyl records and cassettes from around the world is coming to Madrid, and admission is just €5: The International Record Fair will hold its 29th edition in Madrid from Saturday, September 26, to Sunday, September 27. …The fair will bring together between 130 and 140 specialized exhibitors offering vinyl records, CDs, cassettes, music merchandise, and books from around the world. Must-have classics and the latest releases will be available, but the biggest draw for collectors will be finding rarities and out-of-print editions that aren’t available on streaming platforms. In addition, the fairgrounds will feature a food court, and there will be live performances, DJ sets, album and book presentations, and panel discussions with artists and professionals from the music industry.

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Las Vegas, NV | Zia Records sees Dolly Parton merchandise sell out after her death: Marketing rep says fans want physical items to remember artists after they die. Zia Records, located off Charleston and Rainbow, sold out of all Dolly Parton merchandise after news broke of the country singer’s death. The store carries an eclectic collection of vinyl records, tapes, CDs and pop culture memorabilia. Zia Records Marketing Rep Christina Wilson said she was floored when she heard of Parton’s passing. “She’s someone that we just kind of thought was like eternal,” Wilson said. “It was, it’s a lot of shock and a lot of sadness.”

Montreal, CA | The Best Record Stores In And Around Montreal: Montreal has held onto a density of independent record shops that most North American cities lost years ago. Two sit barely a hundred metres apart on Avenue du Mont-Royal, three more share the same short stretch of Bernard in Mile End, and La Petite-Patrie has picked up a pair of cafe-and-vinyl hybrids. Some are big rooms with a warehouse out back. Some are one-person counters run by someone who has been collecting their whole life. Here are the ones worth your afternoon, spread across the Plateau, the Quartier Latin, Mile End, La Petite-Patrie, Little Italy, downtown and NDG, plus one that is worth leaving the island for.

Rochester, MN | Despite community objections, controversial Rochester development moves forward: Standing inside his record and vintage shop, Treedome Vinyl and Vintage owner Nathaniel Nelson said he chose to open his record shop and music venue in a historic building wedged between a bar, a coffee shop and an art gallery for a reason. “Seeing a district that already had that arts community starting to blossom was really intriguing for us,” he said. “And part of the reason why we decided to move to Rochester instead of like Minneapolis, we wanted to be a part of something that felt like it was moving in a good direction.” But a city council vote last week that clears the way for a potential $23 million new residential project has thrown Treedome’s future into question.

Albany, NY | Former Albany record shop building demolished: The Blue Note Record Shop was a staple on Central Avenue in Albany for over 70 years. But that piece of music history is no more as the building was demolished on Tuesday. According to the Historic Albany Foundation, Avram “Abraham” Pock opened the Blue Note Record Shop in November 1948. The shop had over 100,000 titles in its inventory, including LPs, 45s, and cassette tapes. “Its specialty was traditional recorded music and the great popular artists of earlier generations,” wrote the Historic Albany Foundation. “Customers could search through recordings by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles and countless others…”

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UK | New Independent Music Chart Launches to Challenge the Official Chart’s Grip on the Industry: Fanfare’s twin charts will track physical sales only—no streaming, no legacy acts—when they launch on 1 September. Independent musicians, labels and managers are being urged to sign up to a new national music chart set to challenge the dominance of the Official Chart. The Fanfare Independent Music Chart and Fanfare Independent Merch Chart launch on 1 September, tracking physical sales made online and at gigs—the first charts of their kind built entirely without streaming data, with legacy acts also excluded. Organisers say the charts will give a genuine indication of the popularity of musicians shut out of the Official Chart, which is dominated by streaming and carries barriers to entry that independent acts and labels often cannot overcome.

Salt Lake City, UT | Dolly Parton shrine memorializes legend outside Salt Lake City record store: As fans throughout Utah mourn the death of country legend Dolly Parton, a Salt Lake City record store has set up a memorial to bring everyone together. Randy’s Record Shop is a legend in its own right as a haven for music and vinyl lovers along 900 South. After Parton’s death was announced, the shrine mysteriously appeared in front of the store, with no one knowing who had placed it there. The memorial features flowers and a place for fans to leave messages for the icon. Those visiting the shrine share memories of Parton and what she meant to their own lives, including Emerald Jade, who honored Dolly with a bouffant hairstyle.

Asheville, NC | Dolly Parton’s music lives on in western NC as records fly off shelves: Dolly Parton’s music reached generations of fans around the world, but her songs have a particularly strong connection to the mountains. Following Parton’s death at age 80, that connection is being felt across western North Carolina—including inside Asheville record stores and through local musicians inspired by her work. At Records in the RAD in west Asheville, owner Susan Haynes says customers are already looking for Parton’s music. “Everyone loved Dolly,” Haynes said. Haynes said she sold three Dolly Parton records the day of Parton’s death, and the first record she sold the following morning was another Dolly album.

Bloomsburg, PA | Bloomsburg record shop reflects on Dolly Parton’s legacy in music: Country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton passed away Tuesday at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer. Inside Endless Records in Bloomsburg, owner Nick McGaw is looking through some of his Dolly Parton CDs that are for sale. The country music icon and philanthropist passed away on Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer. Dolly Parton was known for doing so many things during her life. However, McGaw says her music will always be top of mind. “She comes from this really authentic place of traditional country music. You could hear that through her entire career; she never betrayed that, but at the same time, Dolly Parton had five hit singles on the disco charts,” said McGaw, Endless Records Owner.

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US | Vinyl Records Just Crossed $1 Billion in Sales for the First Time Since 1983: American vinyl sales topped $1.04 billion in 2025, according to the RIAA’s year-end revenue report—the format’s best year since 1983. Records have grown for 19 straight years running, and last year alone Americans bought 46.8 million of them, up nearly 8% from 2024. …But among the physical formats, vinyl is doing almost all the heavy lifting: it accounted for $1.04 billion of a $1.38 billion physical total, easily outpacing CDs’ $312.4 million and the smaller “other physical” category’s $25.8 million.

Berlin, DE | Rough Trade Berlin is Moving! Rough Trade Berlin will open the doors to a reimagined store at Kalle Neukölln on 1st September 2026, bringing its record store and warehouse together under one roof. After more than two years on Karl-Marx-Straße, Rough Trade Berlin is moving to a new home on Ganghoferstraße, just around the block from its existing location. The Karl-Marx-Straße store will close its doors on Thursday 27th August, with the new Rough Trade Berlin opening on Tuesday 1st September. Since arriving in Berlin in 2024, Rough Trade has established itself as a destination for the city’s music community, welcoming fans, artists and labels through its doors for a packed programme of live performances, signings, DJ sets and listening parties, alongside its extensive selection of new and independent music.

Grand Rapids, MI | Record store moves to new Grand Rapids neighborhood: A record store has found a new home in Grand Rapids. The Full Circle Record Shop opened this weekend at 2417 Eastern Ave. SE near Alger Street SE. It’s the former site of Reinspired Treasures, a home decor store that closed earlier this year. “The neighborhood around here and the people are just wonderful,” owner Steve Williamson told News 8 Monday in a phone interview. “It’s probably as good a shop as I’ve had.” Inside The Full Circle, you’ll find thousands of records, both new and used. You’ll also find CDs and DVDs. “We put out good records,” the owner said. “I try not to put out anything that has a scratch or a defect. And we don’t have as many records as some of the other stores, but what’s in here is real good…”

Liverpool, UK | A historic Liverpool record shop is reopening its venue space: One of Liverpool’s most historic record shops is about to reopen its venue space so it can host events again. 81 Renshaw first earned its place as part of the city’s music heritage when it was home to the legendary Mersey Beat magazine in the ‘60s. Most recently it’s been a hugely popular independent record shop and, until lockdown, its back room was an after-hours live music venue too. Since then the room has been used for storing vinyl, but after a clearout the space is ready to relaunch at the start of September with a line-up of music, comedy, and film screenings. Krystian Hudson says it’s a plan that’s come together over the past year and the response has been really positive.

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Solihull, UK | Solihull vinyl spot nominated for Best Indie Record Store just nine months after opening: A Knowle-based record store which opened less than a year ago has been nominated for Best Independent Record Shop at this year’s Independent Music Awards. Slow Century Records, named after a seminal documentary on influential US rock band Pavement, was founded in November 2025 by Pavement fan, rock DJ and mental health nurse John Ellis. In addition to recognition from the music industry via the Association of Independent Music’s (AIM) Independent Music Awards, Slow Century is also in the running for the Best Breakout Business prize at the annual Solihull Chamber of Commerce Awards, with winners announced at a ceremony next month.

Vancouver, CA | Groove Cat Records & Books relocates to West End: New Westminster’s loss is the West End’s gain. Citing mediocre foot traffic at its previous location on 6th Street in the Royal City, Groove Cat Books and Records has packed up and relocated to 1823 Robson Street, not too far from Stanley Park. Proprietors Cat and John Hughes have also brought their newest feline companion, Chester, to the store with them. Gotta love a book-and-record store with a cat in it! “We want to say how excited we are to meet our new West End neighbors,” John Hughes told the Straight. “Cat and I actually started dating years ago when we were both living in the West End, so in many ways this move feels like coming home.”

Nantwich, UK | Nantwich record shop shortlisted for national independent music award: Applestump Records in Nantwich has been named among the finalists for Best Independent Record Store at the AIM Independent Music Awards. The national recognition marks another milestone for Applestump, which began in 2021 with around 100 records and a click-and-collect service before growing into a thriving independent record shop. Today, its Oatmarket store stocks new releases, re-issues and pre-loved vinyl, from indie and alternative to soul, electronic, jazz, pop and classic albums. Applestump, owned by Steve and Danielle Cook, also supports new music through its work with record labels, distributors and artists on album releases.

Nederland, CO | Boogie Records’ new groove: New owners take over record store. When taking an assessment of your life and coming to the realization that the career you’re in no longer serves you, what steps would you take to correct this existential threat? Do you continue serving the status quo, dig in your heels and double down on your buttoned-up lifestyle? Or do you choose to do something a little more “punk rock”? To wave a certain finger in the face of The Norm and choose a life of substance over stature? Jeff and Kristianna Sanders chose substance, after sudden sea changes in their lives altered their perspectives, forced some introspection, and led them towards their happiness—which happens to be here in the mountains, in Nederland, where providence made itself known in the form of a record store for sale.

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Melbourne, AU | Rare Records Marks 35 Years With Halloween Reunion At 170 Russell: Rare Records will mark 35 years as one of Melbourne’s enduring independent music institutions with a Halloween concert at 170 Russell on October 31, bringing together bands closely associated with the store and its Rare Records label. Mammal, Sydonia, .hinge, Bushido and Tyson & Forbes from Rook / The Khyber Belt will perform at an event that also recognises 25 years of Rare Records releases. Rare Records began in 1991 when Doug Bear established the business as a mail-order operation from his Melbourne home. It moved to a weekend market stall in Cheltenham before opening its first permanent shop in Hughesdale on February 2, 1996.

Alexandria, VA | NRG’s Del Ray record store will be a second location of Mobius Records: The Fairfax City shop is targeting mid-September; Crooked Beat is also returning to Mount Vernon Avenue this fall. The record store that Neighborhood Restaurant Group announced for Del Ray this summer now has a name: Mobius Records, an independent shop that owner Dempsey Hamilton has operated out of Fairfax City’s Main Street since 2014. Hamilton announced Aug. 9 on Instagram that Mobius will open a second location at 2016 Mt. Vernon Ave. in mid-September, partnering with NRG founder Michael Babin, Evening Star Café chef Nathan Anda and NRG beverage director Greg Engert. “…After months of planning and preparation, we’re beyond excited to finally announce that Mobius Records is expanding to a second location in Del Ray,” Hamilton wrote.

Charleston, SC | In the age of streaming, in-person listening experiences are a hit with Charleston music fans: On Aug. 15, dozens of fans whispered about the identity of Weezer’s original bassist (Matt Sharp), what the band’s singer studied in college (classical composition and English literature) and how many internet memes are referenced in the music video for “Pork and Beans” (55). People gathered in a loose semicircle were playing Weezer trivia at Monster Music & Movies as part of a listening party for the band’s unreleased self-titled album, commonly known as the “Gold Album.” The winner received a Weezer sweatshirt. When they weren’t answering trivia questions, attendees wandered the store’s aisles, flipping through records and chatting as the new album poured through the store’s overhead speakers.

Nashville, TN | Franklin vinyl shop to offer Nashville Yards locale: Luna Records opened in 2021 at Factory at Franklin, will operate near live music venue The Pinnacle. The owners of Franklin-based vinyl retailer Luna Record Shop are planning a store at downtown’s Nashville Yards, with a year’s-end opening slated. The future business will operate from the structure that offers live music venue The Pinnacle and an address of 930 Exchange Lane. Nashville-based Harvest Construction is handling the build-out of the space, which will offer about 2,300 square feet (twice the size of the original location). Luna Record Shop is co-owned by sisters Brenna Gentry and Calvert Gentry McMahan.

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Nottingham, UK | How music lover overcame tragedy to open dream record shop and coffee lounge: Nick McCaffery hopes the shop will become a destination for vinyl fans. When he was a teenager Nick McCaffery spent his Saturdays trawling record shops in Nottingham—Arcade Records, the Music Inn Records, Rob’s Records, Selectadisc, Our Price, Virgin Megastore and HMV. Nearly all have gone but he remembers it as one of the best times of his life. A love for vinyl has stayed with him over the decades and now he gets to enjoy his hobby every day after opening Hi-Press Records with a coffee lounge in Carlton.

London, UK | 10 of the best vinyl shops in London: The renaissance of vinyl records provides a whole new realm for shoppers looking to buy locally, and offers another strand for renewable purchasing. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing perusal on the riverside, or a deep dive into perhaps unseen areas of London, record shopping is perhaps the most fulfilling experience for visitors young and old. From cool jazz to emphatic punk, here are ten of the best record stores the London area has to offer.

Maldon, UK | Record dealer opens Vinyl Destination in Maldon High Street: A record dealer who sold a Led Zeppelin album to Jimmy Page has opened a new shop on Maldon High Street. Nick Horne travels the world in search of rare and interesting vinyl records, which he has sold to celebrities including snooker player Steve Davis. After running a pop-up shop at the Emporium shortly before it closed last Christmas, Nick has now opened a permanent store named Vinyl Destination. Nick told the Standard: “People can come in, chat about music and pick up some records. It’s been great.” Alongside vinyl, the shop also stocks cassette tapes, music t-shirts and CDs. “We try to cater for everyone, with different eras and genres,” he said.

Lorong Telok, SG | Dig deep at Lifted Trax, Singapore’s new specialist record store: For record collectors, half the fun is never knowing what you are going to find. That spirit of discovery sits at the heart of Lifted Trax, a new specialist record store at 25 Lorong Telok, in the middle of Singapore’s music and nightlife district. From secondhand dance records and rare groove to new releases from artists and labels across Asia, the shop is designed as somewhere listeners can dig deep, discover something unfamiliar, and stay awhile. Tucked away on the third floor of a shophouse, Lifted Trax is the project of Singapore-based DJ, producer, and label head Jordan Glick…

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New Bedford, MA | Inside the Hard Rock Heart of New Bedford, MA’s Purchase Street Records: New Bedford may not yet carry the musical pedigree of cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, or Seattle—hell, maybe not even Grand Rapids, Michigan—but this hardworking coastal city, with its rich maritime and whaling history, could very well become the Long Beach/San Pedro of the Northeast. …At the heart of the city’s hard rock and metal community is Purchase Street Records, owned and operated by Roger Chouinard. His connection to rock runs deep: his uncle played guitar in Billy Squier’s band, giving Chouinard a genuine connection to the world of rock that goes far beyond being a vinyl collector who decided to open a shop as a side hustle.

Harrisonburg, VA | Switz-Mix Records relocates to Harrisonburg: The music at Switz-Mix Records didn’t die, but it did change locations, moving from Luray, where it has been based for more than a decade, to Harrisonburg. Up until the beginning of August, the record store was located in Luray, where the Switzer family lived until recently. But after Dave Switzer got a job in Harrisonburg, where his wife also works, and their daughter goes to school, it made sense for the store to follow the family, who moved southward to Dayton. …The record store began as a passion project for the Switzers, who both love music, although not the same kind, and it still is.

Why that small clothing (or record, or book) store you love also sells coffee: In a challenging climate, independent retailers are turning to an item New Yorkers buy every day. …“We know that coffee, chocolate, and alcohol are apocalypse items—they say people will buy them when they have no money, buy them no matter what,” Ogiba says. “Records, we just don’t know. We can’t control the economy. We can’t control the market. We watch it sway, we watch it blow up.” It helps that the pair consider themselves to be coffee guys. Ogiba and Polnasek were drinking coffee at diners in New Jersey well before they could imagine walking into a bar. (Don’t call them coffee “snobs,” though). But just as they’re obsessed with digging through record collections, they know how they want the coffee they sell to taste and smell.

Berkeley, CA | The Largest Independent Record Store In Northern California Has Thousands Of Records To Choose From: Amoeba Music, an iconic independent record store chain, has kept the vinyl record industry alive since its inception in 1990. For vinyl collectors and music enthusiasts across the world, Amoeba Music is practically a household name. With three iconic locations across California, this independent record store chain started a musical revolution when it first began opened its doors in 1990. Since then, Amoeba has continued to survive as owning physical media has seen fluctuations in popularity (FYI, owning vinyl is on the rise!) To this day, its original Berkeley location is still selling wax to the music-loving masses. Check it out.

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Atlanta, GA | Little Five Points celebrates 35 years of Criminal Records: Inside Criminal Records, bins of vinyl line the floor and the walls are crowded with old flyers curling at the edges. Light pours through overhead windows, catching on plastic sleeves, cracked album covers and a hand-painted sign that has long outlived the show it once advertised. For 35 years, the Little Five Points storefront has operated outside the rise of streaming and digital media downloads. Instead, it has carved its own rhythm of its own by maintaining a physical inventory of vinyl, CDs and comic books—and by staying rooted in the community that surrounds it.

Bryan, TX | Curious Collections spins into new Bryan location: Owner says move brings more space, upgraded sound system and community events. Curious Collections has opened a new location after moving from its previous space on North Rosemary Drive. The store will now be known as Curious Collections at the Record Garage, owner Mary Jean said. Jean said the store outgrew its old location within the last year, when listening parties drew 50 to 100 people. The new location includes an upgraded sound system installed by InTech. Jean said the system can be heard both inside and outside the building. Jean said the store plans to host listening parties, host food trucks and work with nonprofits in the community.

Sarasota, FL | Vinyl Listening Parties Spin a New Sense of Community: In a world dominated by streaming algorithms and constant screen time, a small record store in Sarasota is proving that music is still best experienced together. At Salty Dog Records on August 13th, a line stretched down the block. Dozens of eager music fans waited in anticipation for the brand-new Phoebe Bridgers album. At this event, the headphones were off. The digital noise was silenced for a shared experience. Josh Clippel is the Co-Owner of Salty Dog Records. He says, “I think there’s a form of community. I think a lot of people in today’s digital age feel isolated, and it’s a place where everyone of a similar thing can meet up and talk to other people like it.”

Charlotte, NC | Charlotte is becoming retro-active: …Jimmy Parker, founder of Commonwealth Park record store Repo Record, had previously closed his store in 2005 when downloading, burning CDs and Napster, a platform for sharing music, became popular. But he decided to reopen the store in 2012 because vinyl was starting to make a comeback. Scott Wishart, the founder of Lunchbox Records, a record store in Plaza Midwood, said his store has grown every year since it opened in 2005. “At this point, it’s a lot easier because records are cooler now than they were 20 years ago,” he said. When Wishart first opened Lunchbox, he had more CDs than records because not every musician released their music on vinyl, but now, everyone does.

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Edinburgh, UK | Footfall is king when it comes to music and merch: When it became clear to me that much of the customer base Avalanche had built up over the years was gradually going to be lost to online sales I realised that while we were losing the really keen fans who were now buying directly from the bands, labels and record companies, there was still a much larger market out there with more casual fans of an artist who were still the majority of most sales. The problem was that was very much HMV’s market and also to reach these people normally involved having a high profile location with strong footfall. …The footfall in the Waverley Market is not just all I had hoped for in the Grassmarket and more, but also the kind of footfall that likes music but is happy to buy in a shop rather can go to the trouble of pre-ordering online.

San Francisco, CA | The best record shops in the Bay Area, according to local DJs: Sometimes only the sweet sound of vinyl will do. Try these seven options when you feel the call of the needle dropping. San Francisco may be known for tech and innovation, but its love for old-school vinyl records never went away. In a city where music history runs deep, record shops are meeting points, classrooms, and archives of culture. …But knowing where to start your vinyl collection can feel overwhelming. For this edition of Pro Tips, we turned to local DJs who have spent decades collecting thousands of records. These are the ones playing sets across the city, digging through bins, and shaping the sound of the Bay Area’s vinyl scene, the ones who know the best spots for beginner diggers, amateur spinners, or serial collectors. We asked them which shops they frequent and where you might find your next favorite record.

Bryan, TX | Bryan’s Aggie-owned record shop reopens in new location: Curious Collections, Bryan-College Station’s Aggie-owned record shop, is set to open its new “record garage” location Aug. 17. It had been operating for nearly a decade on Rosemary Drive. Curious Collections has been in the process of moving to its new location in Bryan for months. As previously reported by Community Impact, the owners said they were grateful for almost 10 years on Rosemary, but were “keen on staying independent, while moving just one mile up the road and transforming a vintage service station into an outdoor garage setting.” Owner Mary Jean said it has been a fast two months for the move, but she expects her customers to love the new location, along with better street visibility and more parking.

Cleveland, OH | Cleveland Logs Off in a Growing Analog Movement: VHS tapes, instant cameras, vinyl records and CRT TVs are having a comeback. Meet the Northeast Ohio businesses, educators and curators who are centering analog tech and physical media. The endless scroll dominates modern digital culture. Algorithms often determine what we consume. Artificial intelligence infiltrates cellphones, computers and TVs, even creeping into other smart electronics like refrigerators, toothbrushes and children’s toys. It’s seemingly everywhere, integrated into modern life in countless helpful and convenient ways. But along with all the positives, the convenience can sometimes feel all-consuming. …Some Northeast Ohioans have found ways to step away from modern tech. In recent years, a growing movement to “go analog” has encouraged people to put down their screens in favor of options that aren’t connected to the internet.

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Detroit, MI | Inside Weirdsville Records, the Mt. Clemens shop that keeps music spinning: Some arrive on a mission, searching for a specific pressing, while others flip through crate after crate just to see what they’ll find. Behind the counter, owners Davey and Lisa Taylor are quick to strike up a conversation, making Weirdsville Records feel more like a local hangout than a record store. In a world where nearly every song is instantly available through Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services, Weirdsville Records has kept physical media alive for people who still enjoy the ritual of listening to a record. The store in downtown Mount Clemens sells LPs, 45s, books and other pop-culture memorabilia, but records remain its heartbeat.

Dade City, FL | From Collectors to Shop Owners: Grandaddy Records & Vintage Expands to Dade City. For Sydney Brown and Tyler Mauriello, opening a record store of their own once seemed like a far-off dream. Now, just a few years later, the couple has turned that dream into reality with two storefronts, Grandaddy Records & Vintage in Brooksville and a new location in Dade City. Mauriello, a lifelong record collector who previously sold records online, introduced Brown to the hobby. With Mauriello’s background in collecting records and Brown’s passion for vintage clothing, the two combined their interests to create Grandaddy Records & Vintage. Brown and Mauriello opened their first shop in downtown Brooksville in February 2025 after a storefront became available. But their inventory grew so quickly that they soon filled an entire storage unit and began looking for more space.

Lubbock, TX | Just shy of 50 years, Ralph’s Records is still spinning: When you walk into the record store on 82nd Street and Indiana Avenue, various forms of media from different decades make the building a blast from the past for its customers. Ralph DeWitt has been in the Lubbock area selling records since 1979, with his first being a rented space at a flea market on 25th Street and Avenue K. “So that was the first time I had a Ralph’s Records sign out… But my first real store was at 10th and University in 1980. So yeah, we’re starting our 47th year and now I’ve been here so long that not only is the store legendary, it’s like I am too,” he said. Stores popped up in different places like Oklahoma City and Amarillo alongside another four different locations in Lubbock.

Baltimore, MD | On the Record: How Baltimore Brought Its Unique Vibes to Cities Across the East Coast. The city’s mobile record store pop-up traveled to events and festivals throughout the summer. Visit Baltimore made its way across the Mid-Atlantic this summer, bringing the city’s stories directly to audiences at festivals and events. Through late July, Smalltimore 2.0: B-Side Records, a 24-foot mobile visitor center pop-up designed as a walk-in record shop, made stops in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York. It debuted at The Stoop Storytelling x Visit Baltimore Event at the Baltimore Museum of Industry in May. …At each stop, visitors were able to step inside and dig through crates of 30 custom-designed vinyl album covers spotlighting Baltimore and its culture, all of which were sorted across four genres: Staff Picks, Deep Cuts, Breakout Hits, and Iconic.

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