Record Store Day in San José, Costa Rica
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 José, Costa Rica
Independent record shops open in San José, Costa Rica 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.
- Acetatos y Vinilos Oscar
Moravia record shop run by Oscar Araya, praised for a large personal collection of acetatos (vintage records) and vinyl, fair prices, and a family-like, music-loving atmosphere.
1 source
- Denki Records
Compact San Pedro shop run by owner Pablo, stocking an eclectic, carefully-picked selection of new and rare vinyl (LPs, 45s, 78s, shellacs) plus CDs and cassettes, with free customer wifi.
2 sources
- Insomnio y Paranoia San José
Downtown San José rock/metal specialist selling vinyl LPs, CDs, cassettes and band t-shirts across classic rock, hard rock, heavy metal, punk, progressive rock and Costa Rican artists; one of four Insomnio y Paranoia locations nationwide.
2 sources
- Mister CD
Long-running Barrio Merced shop tucked inside Condominio Las Américas; once a cassette/CD specialist, now stocks a wide range of new and used rock vinyl alongside CDs and movies, with disorganized-but-deep crate-digging.
1 source
- Tienda de Discos Decibeles
Record store on Calle Ancha in Alajuela, near Plaza Real; called by Vinyl World the store with the greatest variety of records in Costa Rica.
3 sources
- Vendimusic
Popular, long-running record shop near Heredia's Parque Central, praised in 200+ Google reviews for its vinyl selection and variety of records.
1 source
- Vértigo (Alajuela Centro)
Branch of Vértigo, a Costa Rican entertainment retail chain selling music (including vinyl LPs), movies, video games, and collectibles. This location is in downtown Alajuela near Parque Los Molinos.
3 sources
- Vértigo (City Mall)
Vértigo branch inside City Mall, La Ribera de Belén, part of a Costa Rican entertainment retail chain selling music (including vinyl LPs), movies, video games, and collectibles.
3 sources
- Vértigo (Desamparados)
Vértigo branch in Multicentro Desamparados, part of a Costa Rican entertainment retail chain selling music (including vinyl LPs), movies, video games, and collectibles.
2 sources
- Vértigo (Multiplaza Curridabat)
Vértigo branch in Multiplaza Curridabat, part of a Costa Rican entertainment retail chain selling music (including vinyl LPs), movies, video games, and collectibles.
2 sources
- Vértigo (San José Centro)
Downtown San José branch of Vértigo, a Costa Rican entertainment retail chain selling music (including vinyl LPs), movies, video games, and collectibles. Located diagonal to the Plaza de la Cultura.
2 sources
- Zona Retro
Small downtown San José shop in the Dolorosa neighborhood selling new and used vinyl records alongside CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays, with music cassettes also in stock.
1 source
See the full record store listing for San José, Costa Rica.