Record Store Day in New Hampshire (statewide)
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 New Hampshire (statewide)
Independent record shops open in New Hampshire (statewide) 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.
- Bull Moose (Keene)
Keene branch of Bull Moose, the Maine record-and-media chain founded in 1989, and a Record Store Day participant.
2 sources
- Bull Moose (Plaistow)
Bull Moose's third New Hampshire branch, relocated from Salem to Plaistow in June 2024 -- new and used vinyl, CDs, movies and games from the Maine-founded chain trading since 1989.
4 sources
- Bull Moose (Portsmouth)
Portsmouth branch of Bull Moose, the Maine-founded record-and-media chain trading since 1989 — new and used vinyl, CDs, movies and games.
1 source
- Chris's Nostalgia Shop
Independently owned vinyl shop in the White Mountains, open since 2018 -- vintage and new 33 1/3, 45 and 78 rpm records, CDs, cassettes, record players and band merch; hosts listening parties.
4 sources
- Defiant Records & Craft Beer
Downtown Laconia record-shop-and-craft-beer bar; boutique vinyl retail (new titles put out weekly) alongside a taproom and Friday live-music nights. Founded 2021 by Kristin and Mike.
4 sources
- Dodo Music
Brand-new (2026) vinyl/CD/cassette shop above Shadow and Soul Emporium and Tea Lounge, opened by Danny Kamps.
2 sources
- Keene on Vinyl
New/vintage vinyl shop with thousands of titles.
4 sources
- Metro City Records
Import/rare/hard-to-find and general vinyl/CD/DVD/Blu-Ray shop.
4 sources
- Modern Records Shop
Used-vinyl specialist staffed by people who've been in the music business since the 1960s; stock is alphabetized and quality-graded.
4 sources
- Music Connection
"Manchester NH's premier independent record store" -- new/used vinyl, 45s, 78s, CDs, DVDs, plus hi-fi equipment and accessories.
5 sources
- Newbury Comics (Manchester)
Manchester branch of Newbury Comics, the New England chain founded in Boston in 1978 — a genuine vinyl department alongside comics and pop-culture merchandise.
2 sources
- Newbury Comics (Nashua)
Nashua branch of Newbury Comics, the New England chain founded in Boston in 1978, inside Pheasant Lane Mall.
2 sources
- Newbury Comics (Salem)
Salem branch of Newbury Comics, the New England chain founded in Boston in 1978, inside The Mall at Rockingham Park.
2 sources
- Newbury Comics (West Lebanon)
West Lebanon branch of Newbury Comics, the New England chain founded in Boston in 1978 -- a real vinyl department alongside comics and pop-culture merchandise.
2 sources
- NH Vintage Vinyl
Downtown Laconia record shop; one of four vinyl retailers now operating in the Lakes Region.
4 sources
- Old's Kool Records
Lakes Region vinyl shop relocated from Plymouth to the Senter's Market plaza in Center Harbor in 2023, owned by Mike McDowell.
3 sources
- Pembroke City Limits Records and Books
New record-and-book shop with roughly 40,000 albums and thousands of DVDs, run by the team behind the neighboring Pembroke City Limits bar.
3 sources
- Pitchfork Records & Stereo
Downtown Concord's anchor record/stereo shop.
4 sources
- Revolution Records, LLC
Vintage vinyl, new releases, vintage audio equipment, CDs, cassettes and music-themed books in downtown Conway.
4 sources
- rpmNH
Upper Valley institution selling vinyl records, Dartmouth Winter Carnival posters, movie/TV/pop-culture posters and Ivy League football programs alongside music.
4 sources
- Skeletone Records
Vinyl records shop in downtown Rochester.
3 sources
- The Infectious Groove
Southern NH vinyl haven with 6,000+ new/used records on the floor (plus 2,000 more in back stock), CDs, turntables, receivers and speakers. Opened 2020 by Richie Thorn and Tina McCarthy.
4 sources
- The Music Techs
Manchester instrument/music shop that also carries a large used-and-new vinyl selection displayed along both walls, plus an organized used-CD section.
3 sources
- Wardtone Records
Indie record store inside Full Moon Vintage Village on the seacoast -- curated new and vintage vinyl (LPs, 12in, 45s) plus CDs and some cassettes.
4 sources
- Wicked Music
Small independent Main Street record store specializing in metal/rock/hardcore/punk vinyl, CDs and DVDs, with special-order service; also trades online as Discogs seller 'themetalvault'.
3 sources
- Wingo's Wecords (at R.S. Butler's Trading Co.)
Dedicated vintage-vinyl dealer operating inside R.S. Butler's Trading Company antique mall; rare/collectible records and concert posters, and the supplier of vintage vinyl to Bull Moose Portsmouth.
3 sources
See the full record store listing for New Hampshire (statewide).