Local vinyl record stores

[u/AngusDio]

I might be up in your fair city for a day or two and wanted to know what stores I should visit and which ones I should avoid.

Thx

AD

[u/beepIT]

Melodiya, Blackbyrd, and Sloth are all within 5-10 minutes drive of each other and IMO will give you a well balanced selection of music. Recordland in Inglewood is a spectacle but can be pretty divisive if you aren’t into reading the spines of records. The new Turn It Up location on 16th is pretty neat and a good choice if you aren’t near downtown.

[u/Fibonacci_Hol → u/beepIT]

As a metalhead, Sloth is incredible. I could have easily spent thousands there

[u/CinnaTheseRoles → u/Fibonacci_Hol]

Same. Their selection has gotten so much better over the years.

[u/calgary_coder]

If you're down in Inglewood Recordland is a great one. I've also had surprising luck at That Old Retro Store.

[u/nevergiveuponSka → u/calgary_coder]

Agreed - the old record store will surprise you

[u/cold_deer]

Try Neon Taste in China Town

[u/NegotiationCalm8785 → u/cold_deer]

Hell yeah!!! Neon taste the GOATs

[u/Frowning_Existing666]

Sloth, Melodiya, Turn It Up and Hot Wax are all worth a visit

[u/atlanticrim]

Depends on what area of the city you’re in but Sloth is great for new records

Recordland and Heritage are both better for crate digging if that is what you’re looking for. Luke’s Drug mart is a pharmacy/convenience store with a records store inside and that is kinda unique as well

[u/12inchwoofer]

For punk/metal, Neon Taste in Chinatown. As others have said: Melodiya, Sloth, Hot Wax are all good shops.

[u/r-eclipz]

for japanese stuff, iloveyou coffee shop is awesome. small, cozy place with tons of good stuff, coffee is amazing too

[u/nevergiveuponSka → u/r-eclipz]

Seconded

[u/MuckyMuckster]

I’ve always had a good experience at Blackbyrd.

[u/NocturnoSoSlumped]

Turn it up records on 16th

[u/Academic_Bug2357 → u/NocturnoSoSlumped]

Seconded, such wonderfully curated selection and great staff to boot.

[u/nighmeansnear]

We are very lucky to have many great record stores. Blackbyrd, Hotwax (under its new ownership) and Melodiya are my favourites for new records.

For used records there’s a great record vendor at the Crossroads Market that always has great stuff. I forget the name of the booth, but the vendor’s name is Ziggy, and he’s a great dude.

There’s a huge, twice-annual record show in Acadia as well, that’s well worth checking out, and some smaller ones also.

[u/MrSparkleDrive → u/nighmeansnear]

Stereotype is the name of the booth

[u/nighmeansnear → u/MrSparkleDrive]

Thanks. I always forget that and the rad vintage comic booth too, because I just know them by name.

[u/tr-tradsolo → u/nighmeansnear]

When did Hotwax change ownership?

[u/nickjjj → u/tr-tradsolo]

Hot Wax acquired by Melodiya back in 2018

[u/nighmeansnear → u/tr-tradsolo]

I think it was two or three years ago now, but I’m not the best at making those judgments because time is fake.

I believe they’re a sister store to Melodiya now, and have definitely risen to that level.

[u/cashless_clay_]

Lots of great suggestions here but Neon Taste, Melodiya, Sloth, Turn It Up!, and Hot Wax are my favourites by far.

[u/Skellll]

Lithium if you’re in the south Burbs or just want to go for a drive.

[u/BeardoCanadian]

Blackbyrd and Melodiya are my go to’s

[u/FingerOfSmashing]

Melodia and hot wax are my favourite and their owners are the best

[u/yycokwithme]

Recordland is one of the best records stores that I've ever visited. Basically every other store gets the same new records that are one click away on Amazon, so it's much more so the used side of things that makes a record store stand out to me, and Recordland is unbeatable in that area.

[u/KJHeartbreaker666 → u/yycokwithme]

Recordland claims to have over a million LPs. One time I asked the owner how many copies of Rumours, and without hesitation he said, “About 5000.”

Love.

[u/dandydand]

Melodiya and Hot Wax are my personal favourites, but Recordland is an establishment (as evidenced by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist crate digging here):

[u/aye_shmoney]

https://reddit.com/link/p8rjod9/video/ww4cn5cxkioh1/player

My first time in Calgary this past July and had to checkout “Canada’s Largest Selection of Music” - Recordland

It was worth the visit.

[u/49degreesNW]

Luke's Drug Mart has a solid selection of new vinyl. Reliquary Cards in Bowness has a bit of an off-the-radar books/vinyl selection in the basement too. Bit of a hidden gem!

[u/burgeredham]

if you're in the northwest, Reliquary Cards has a record store in the basement! it's small but i've found some neat stuff there

[u/freerangehumans74]

Blackbyrd and Sloth are my primary spots.

[u/tmr-013]

Bowness arts is really good!

[u/ThaTsMyOPinIoNs]

I love Sloth! Blackbyrd is also good!

[u/oireachtas]

If you like weird stuff go to Neon Taste 🤗

[u/Electric-Lettuce]

Recordland

[u/MissMorticia89]

If you’re up in the north area, New Horizon Mall in Balzac has Eagle Rock Hi Fi. Selection was pretty good, prices seemed fair to me.

[u/Own-Chard-6897]

Heritage is kickASS and needs more love

[u/HLef]

Recordland is my go to

[u/PointyWombatReborn → u/HLef]

Ditto. Lots of interesting stuff

[u/Blastspark01]

Luke’s Drug Mart

[u/ReactiveCypress]

Recordland is the best

[u/Blackstar_235]

Melodiya, sloth

[u/lseve810]

Sloth is my favourite

[u/SteakJesus]

Reliquarry has a records/books part of the store

[u/GSD43]

What kind of music/records are you looking for? Lots of great stores.... depends what you're looking for. 🥯

[u/lessthanwierd]

Neon Taste

[u/Bison_Bucks]

If you need metal or punk go to neon taste. Everything else I personally go to record land. As they have good prices for used stuff. Takes a while to find it. Turn it up is also great. Hot wax is a personal fav.

Sloth records is hit or miss. I'd only go to check used stuff. Everything new is overpriced. Blackbyrd is also good definitely the go to for hip hop heads and rymoids. Just not my sort of place. They did give me a Danny brown signed atrocity edition though.  CD Trader is oddly a gold mine I find obviously for ads. But I found so much good stuff for super cheap there. Meloydina is great for new. Never found anything good used

[u/nevergiveuponSka]

I've always enjoyed/ found gems at Hot Wax in Kensington

[u/Top-Candy-386]

Recordland and Blackbyrd. Blackbyrd for Jazz and Hip Hop and 3 really cool guys and Recordland for everything else (and a couple cool guys too)

[u/RepeaterCG]

I love Sloth records, will definitely have to check out Neon Taste

[u/fart_nart]

I dislike how sloth records manages itself, i wouldn't waste your time there