Take these vinyl record stores in Toronto for a spin
Some say iTunes killed analog music but vinyl is far from dead. Audiophiles insist that records deliver the best and warmest sound and if you don’t believe them, just listen. Check out these Toronto stores for new and used vinyl and decide for yourself. Hunting for your favourite retro album is half the fun.
Pandemonium Books & Discs
2920 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P 1Y8This store is spacious, well-lit, cozy and divided into half vinyl, half books, with a great selection both ways. You can pick up the full Beatles catalogue, wander over a bit for some Celine Dion and then search a little more and probably find a book that talks about both. If you get a chance, pick the brain of Neill, the owner. You won’t be disappointed: he seems to know a bit about everything
She Said Boom Books & Records
378 College St, Toronto, ON M5T 1S6You can go in knowing exactly what you want or you can browse through Offerings, a music magazine that’ll put you in the know about local bands and artists. If you feel like getting personal opinions, the staff members are amazing in their breadth of knowledge. There are two locations in the city, one on Roncesvalles and another at College and Bathurst, and both are fantastic for music lovers.
Kop's Vortex Collectables
229 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1Z4This family-owned store has been around since 1976, steadily building a reputation as one of the best places in town to scratch your vinyl itch. If you’re looking for a scarce 45, chances are more than excellent you’ll find it here. They also specialize in original and foreign pressings and rare editions and do some of their own reissues as well. Wondering where to sell your used LPs? They’ll make you an offer.
Rotate This
186 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z7It’s easy to spend hours in this record store because of the amazing variety in the bins. The primary emphasis is on independent music but it spans all genres from pop to punk and almost everything in the middle (you won't find any classical or new country here ). Along with new vinyl records, Rotate This also dabbles in used LPs and will buy yours if they make the grade. You can pick up concert tickets here, too.
Sonic Boom Music
215 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C7Seems like this record store has been around forever, always popular and loved by the community. They have a huge selection of LPs covering every genre of music, so theoretically at least, you could pick up the soundtrack to Cabaret in the same trip as something by Slipknot and Raffi. If you’re just browsing, the staff always has awesome picks and favourites in mind which you can also check out in advance online.
June Records
662 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B8Hands down, this is one of the best places to go in Toronto when you’re looking to bolster your vinyl collection. Open since 2012, the store is bright, well-organized and staffed with people who know their records inside out. You can check out the newest releases either on the wall or website; both are updated frequently. And if you have a hankering for live music, just ask about the in-store schedule or if they can recommend a club act.
