Record Store Day in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Two dates to know: Record Store Day Black Friday is Friday, November 29, 2026, and the next main Record Store Day is Saturday, April 17, 2027.
What is Record Store Day?
Record Store Day is an annual event built around independent record stores. The main event traditionally lands on the third Saturday of April each year; Record Store Day Black Friday is traditionally held the day after US Thanksgiving. Both days bring exclusive, limited-run vinyl and CD releases sold only at participating independent shops — not big-box retailers, and not mail order until the in-store exclusives sell through. Because pressings are limited, popular titles can sell out within the first hour, which is why a line-early culture has grown up around the day even at shops that are otherwise quiet on a weekday morning.
Tips for the day
- Arrive early. At busy shops, lines for popular titles can start well before opening.
- Bring cash. A cash line often moves faster than card on a shop's highest-volume day of the year.
- Check each shop's own site or Instagram in the week before the date — participating shops post their own opening time, line policy, and which exclusive titles they've ordered in.
- Release lists are first-come, first-served and vary store to store. A title in stock at one shop may not show up at another, even across town.
- Expect one-per-customer or per-household limits on the most in-demand titles.
- Not every independent record store participates every year, and allocations vary shop to shop — confirm directly with the shop rather than assuming based on a past year.
Shops to check in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Independent record shops open in Chattanooga, Tennessee right now. We don't yet track which specific shops participate in Record Store Day or what they've ordered in for a given year — check each shop's own site or Instagram close to the date for their exclusive-release list, opening time, and line policy.
- Dallos Vinyl Love
Newest addition to downtown Chattanooga's record scene, opened by longtime music enthusiast Marlo White on Market Street in June 2025. Curated soul, funk, hip-hop, rock, and international vinyl.
3 sources
- Dowda's Records
Long-running, tightly curated Chattanooga record shop (Alton Park area) known for new and used LPs, 78s, 45s, CDs, and cassettes spanning rock, jazz, blues, and soul, run by a knowledgeable owner.
2 sources
- For The Record
Long-running music/collectibles shop inside Northgate Mall (Chattanooga metro), founded by Mike and Gwen Bell in November 2008. Sells used CDs, vinyl, memorabilia, and frames album covers.
3 sources
- Inherent Records
Independent vinyl shop and record label operating inside Collective Clothing on the Northshore, run by Bobby Rayfield and tied to the Monuments in Ruin doom/psych/metal podcast.
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- McKay's Chattanooga
Massive used books/music/movies/games store; a go-to Chattanooga destination for browsing new and used vinyl and CDs alongside its enormous media inventory. Long-standing Lee Highway location.
3 sources
- St. Pete Records
Chattanooga's self-described 'funky, friendly, rockin' record store on Hixson Pike, specializing in vintage vinyl, CDs, and cassettes with alphabetized, genre-sorted bins of classic rock, jazz, soul, blues, punk, and metal.
3 sources
- Yellow Racket Records
Flagship new-vinyl-focused shop founded by Ben VanderHart; opened August 2020 after a COVID delay. Includes a Goodman Coffee bar, listening parties, and in-store performances in a 2,000 sq ft space.
3 sources
See the full record store listing for Chattanooga, Tennessee.