Record Store Day in San Antonio, Texas
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 San Antonio, Texas
Independent record shops open in San Antonio, Texas 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.
- Alamo Records & Sheet Music
Downtown shop billed as the largest used-vinyl selection south of Dallas, with roughly 90,000 records and 12,000 pieces of sheet music from the 1890s-1960s, tucked on the 3rd floor of a Broadway St antique mall.
2 sources
- Batcave Vinyl
Vintage-leaning shop inside The Alley on Bitters stocking vinyl dating back to the 1930s, plus CDs, DVDs, VHS, and used stereo gear; named San Antonio Current's Best Record Store 2025.
2 sources
- Brainwave Records
Rock-focused shop near Woodlawn Lake specializing in krautrock and shoegaze; run by longtime vinyl seller Ryan McKnight, who started selling records online 15 years ago.
2 sources
- CD Exchange (SW Military Dr)
South Side location of the CD Exchange chain, trading used and new vinyl, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and games; the chain traces to a single store opened in December 1993. Surfaced via OSM shop=music.
3 sources
- CD Exchange (W IH-10)
West Side / IH-10 location of the CD Exchange chain, trading used and new vinyl, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and games. Surfaced via OSM shop=music tag; verified against Yelp and the chain's own site.
2 sources
- CD Sam
Locally owned media shop inside the Wonderland of the Americas mall trading new and used vinyl, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and collectibles across all genres; an official Record Store Day participant.
2 sources
- Crazy Rhythms Records
Used vinyl, CD, and cassette shop across from the Witte Museum and Brackenridge Park, covering all genres.
2 sources
- Crescent Moon Music & Collectibles
Multi-vendor North Side shop where independent sellers each run a booth of vinyl, antiques, vintage memorabilia and jewelry under one roof.
2 sources
- Del Bravo Record Shop
West Side family record shop opened in 1966 by Salome and Diamantina Gutierrez; one of San Antonio's oldest, specializing in Tejano, conjunto, and hard-to-find oldies.
1 source
- Flagship Records
Small punk/indie-focused record shop inside The Corn Pound, a Windcrest retail-and-rehearsal complex; buys records and hosts in-store shows and book releases.
3 sources
- Flip Side Record Parlor
South Side record-and-counterculture shop started in 1972 by the late Douglas Day Lease; records, tapes, CDs, DVDs, t-shirts and smokeshop items, plus tickets for local venues like Alamo Music Hall.
2 sources
- Friends of Sound Records (Beacon Hill)
Beacon Hill location of Friends of Sound Records, founded 2006 in Austin and relocated to San Antonio in 2016 after being priced out of its South Congress space; deep LP and 45 selection, largest 45s stock in San Antonio.
3 sources
- Friends of Sound Records (King William)
King William-area second location of Friends of Sound Records, San Antonio's Beacon Hill vinyl shop; same buy/sell/trade LP and 45 stock.
1 source
- Hogwild Records
Tobin Hill mainstay since 1982 known for deep metal, punk, rap, and indie stock; a regular Record Store Day participant that supports local bands.
2 sources
- Janie's Record Shop
Tejano and conjunto institution founded in 1985 by Janie Esparza, a National Hispanic Hall of Fame inductee; her children now run the shop and ship hard-to-find Latin vinyl nationwide.
2 sources
- Music Connection Record Store
West Side all-genre shop tracing back to 1982's '45's Unlimited' at the Marbach flea market; owner Jesse Galvan stocks vinyl, 45s, and CDs of every genre.
2 sources
- Needle Noise
Deco District record shop opened in 2023 by Raul and Patricia Perez after years selling vinyl at Traders Village flea market.
2 sources
- Pink Zeppelin Books & Records
Combined bookstore and record shop born from owner Francois 'Mike' Robles inheriting his father's 1970s vinyl collection; hosts live local sets at its South Flores space.
2 sources
- Robot Monster Guitars & Collectables
Buy/sell/trade shop near the St. Mary's Strip mixing vintage guitars and gear with a deep vinyl bin of punk, metal, new wave and underground rock, plus toys, comics and oddities. Celebrated its 14th anniversary in January 2026.
3 sources
- Southtown Vinyl
Southtown record-and-DJ shop voted San Antonio Current's Best Record Store of 2024; manager Paul 'DJ Chacho' Perez hosts monthly Sol Tree community nights.
2 sources
- StingRay Records
Small vinyl-only shop in a converted house run by a local OB-GYN doctor on the side; deep bargain bins spanning rock, jazz, funk, and country.
4 sources
- Volta
Hi-fi listening room from Danny Delgado (Hi-Tones, Faust Tavern) with 3,000+ vinyl records on the wall, Technics turntables built into the bar, and bespoke cocktails in a kissaten-style Government Hill space.
4 sources
- Yard Sale Records
Locally owned shop specializing in Texas garage rock, honky-tonk, soul, and lounge vinyl; nearly doubled in size in 2025 after taking over the neighboring suite.
5 sources
See the full record store listing for San Antonio, Texas.