Record Store Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Independent record shops open in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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.
- 48 Record Bar
A listening room above Sassafras bar in Old City built around a high-fidelity vinyl sound system and vintage Altec Lansing speakers, with roughly 300 records, cocktails, and recurring listening sessions.
2 sources
- Beautiful World Syndicate
An East Passyunk shop with a massive inventory of over 100,000 used LPs, 45s, CDs and DVDs across rock, punk, jazz and soul, also fulfilling online sales for bands and labels.
2 sources
- Common Beat Music
West Philly record shop and music hangout with folk and country LPs, 7-inch singles, and new releases, plus used-gear buying and instrument/audio repair.
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- Cratediggaz Records
A South 4th Street shop run by owner CD Bob that has become a hub for hip-hop, funk, soul and jazz vinyl, hosting in-store performances and a local chapter of the Flip A Beat Club.
2 sources
- Creep Records
Originally launched in West Chester, Creep Records runs a Northern Liberties storefront selling vinyl, art and music merchandise, and hosts in-store and courtyard performances by local acts.
2 sources
- Digital Underground
A Queen Village shop stocking all genres with a strong focus on metal, electronic, experimental and synthpop, known for knowledgeable staff and a small board-game selection.
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- Greatest Hits Records and Books
Downtown Media shop pairing used and new vinyl with a used-books section, running weekly online record drops, in-store signings, and a walk-in program for selling records.
1 source
- Haddonfield Record Exchange
South Jersey shop near Camden buying, selling and trading vinyl and CDs, with additional appointment-based hours beyond its posted walk-in days and a member loyalty program.
2 sources
- Hideaway Music
A Chestnut Hill shop open since 2002 selling new and used vinyl across rock, jazz and blues alongside vintage stereo equipment such as turntables, receivers and speakers.
2 sources
- Hop Fidelity
Chester County record store and nano-brewery combo pouring house-brewed beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks alongside a curated new-and-used vinyl selection, books and art prints.
2 sources
- Inner Groove Records
Vinyl-only shop across the river from Philadelphia with stock that's roughly 90% used and vintage, spanning classic rock, jazz, funk, soul and reggae, plus an in-house reissue label.
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- Latchkey Records
A South Philly vinyl boutique focused on 1980s and 1990s hip-hop, new wave and alt rock, doubling as a community gathering spot for listening parties and music-themed quizzo.
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- LMNO Lounge
A neon-lit lounge inside Stephen Starr's Fishtown restaurant where the weekly "Off the Walls" series lets guests pull a record from the wall to set the soundtrack over food and drinks.
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- Long in the Tooth
A Rittenhouse shop widely cited by local press as one of Philadelphia's best, carrying used vinyl across rock, metal, prog, punk and jazz alongside out-of-print books and DVDs.
2 sources
- Main Street Music
A Manayunk neighborhood anchor founded by Pat Feeney, focused on new indie/alt releases plus curated used vinyl, rare reissues and deluxe box sets.
2 sources
- Milkcrate Cafe
A Fishtown cafe that pairs breakfast, brunch and La Colombe coffee with a curated selection of new and vintage vinyl, turntables and hi-fi gear; it also runs an evening vinyl-bar DJ lounge and a second location in West Philly.
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- Molly's Books & Records
An Italian Market shop that grew out of Molly Russakoff's bookstore, pairing used books and cookbooks with vinyl, VHS and CDs, and hosting film screenings and poetry events.
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- Newtown Book & Record Exchange
Bucks County shop trading used books alongside new and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes since 1981, with free customer parking in the municipal lot behind the store.
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- Percy
A 1970s-inspired diner and bar in Fishtown with a dedicated Sound Lounge where Saturday-night DJ sets stick to an all-vinyl format.
2 sources
- Phidelity Records
Haddon Township shop just across the river from Camden, opened in 2018 by former music-chain manager Jim Corso, selling new, used and reissued vinyl and CDs.
2 sources
- Philadelphia Record Exchange
A long-running Fishtown shop known for a deep, eclectic stock of used vinyl and CDs spanning jazz, blues, alternative and experimental music at old-school prices.
2 sources
- Record Museum
South Jersey shop run by Doug Kepple above his carpet store, buying, selling and trading LPs, 45s and 78s alongside turntables and stereo gear, with occasional in-store concerts.
2 sources
- Records Forever
A Fairmount shop opened by former public-media journalist Gabriel Coan, selling new and used vinyl across jazz, rock and reggae with turntable repair and a recurring DJ happy-hour series.
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- Repo Records
A South Street fixture since the mid-1980s, Repo stocks new and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes with an emphasis on punk and indie, plus a dollar-bin basement and a dedicated local-music section.
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- Shady Dog Record & Disc Exchange
Main Line used-vinyl and CD shop near Ardmore run by longtime collector Dave Castleman, whose record-selling business traces back to a 1993 start in nearby Narberth.
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- Siren Records
Independent Bucks County shop selling new and used vinyl and CDs since 1988, with buy/sell/trade service, an in-house record-digitization option and a regular events calendar.
2 sources
- Sit and Spin Records
A South Philadelphia shop run by a husband-and-wife team since 2013, specializing in punk, metal and hardcore used vinyl alongside CDs, cassettes, band memorabilia and t-shirts.
2 sources
- Solar Myth
A shotgun-style space in the former Boot & Saddle on South Broad Street combining a small vinyl retail section, a coffee and natural-wine bar, and a live-music room, with an analog sound system feeding the front bar.
2 sources
- SOOK Vinyl & Vintage
Mount Airy shop opened by Rashied Amon in December 2023, described as Philadelphia's only Black-owned record store, pairing vinyl from Black artists with vintage clothing, magazines and memorabilia.
2 sources
- Sweet 45
An ice cream parlor and listening room near Fishtown/Kensington from DJ Nashirah Felder, with vinyl displayed on the walls, couch seating, and after-dark DJ sets under the El.
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- Val Shively R&B Records
Collector-only Upper Darby shop run by Val Shively, holding several million R&B, doo-wop and soul 45s organized without a computer database; browsing is by request rather than open shelves.
2 sources
- Vinyl Closet Records
Family-owned Norristown shop selling vinyl, CDs and cassettes since 2011 that also runs an in-store coffee counter and a sports-card nook, with regular live-music nights.
2 sources
- Vinyl Revival
Lansdowne record shop selling new and used vinyl, with a 35-seat in-store theater (The Vault) hosting films, concerts, and comedy nights.
2 sources
See the full record store listing for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.