Record Store Day in Toronto, Canada
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 Toronto, Canada
Independent record shops open in Toronto, Canada 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.
- Battle Records
Dundas West record and collectibles shop curated by memorabilia collector Bryan Ulrich. Used vinyl leaning hip hop, R&B, soul, funk, rock, jazz and punk, plus autographs/memorabilia.
2 sources
- Baxters Vinyl
Family-owned Leslieville record shop in a hidden coach house behind the Greenwood Cafe. Specializes in buying and relocating used vinyl collections; fresh drops weekly.
2 sources
- Beach Sound Records and Cds
Packed Upper Beach used record shop -- classic rock, jazz, country, classical, comedy and soundtrack LPs plus DVDs, tapes and cassettes.
2 sources
- BMV Books (Annex)
Used bookstore chain's Annex flagship with an entire basement floor given over to vinyl, CDs and DVDs alongside its book stock.
2 sources
- BMV Books (Uptown)
BMV's Yonge and Eglinton location, part of the same used-book/music/DVD chain as the Annex store, open 364 days a year.
2 sources
- Circus Books and Music
Secondhand books, CDs and vinyl on the edge of Greektown, owned and run by Ron Duffy since relocating to Danforth in 2008. Wide-ranging jazz selection and an owner who knows every record in the shop.
3 sources
- Cosmos Records
Vintage vinyl specialist on Queen St W open since 1998, run by former DJ Aki. Deep crates of jazz, rare groove, Brazilian and rock with listening stations; often cited as Toronto's best single record shop.
3 sources
- Cosmos West Records
Second Cosmos Records location on Queen St W, sister store to the original 607a Queen St W shop, same vintage-vinyl focus.
2 sources
- Dead Dog Records
Full-service Bloordale Village record store: new and used vinyl across hip hop, pop, punk, metal, jazz, blues and rock, plus movies, merch and turntable/audio gear.
5 sources
- Dead Dog Records (Church St)
Second Dead Dog Records location in the Church-Wellesley Village, a full-service new-and-used vinyl, CD and DVD store expanding the Bloordale original.
2 sources
- Dead Dog Records (Henderson's Brewery)
Dead Dog Records satellite crate inside Henderson Brewing Co.'s Sterling Road taproom in the Junction Triangle, with its own regular weekly hours.
2 sources
- Deja Vu Discs
Scarborough branch of the GTA-wide Deja Vu Discs chain, serving the region since 1995 with used vinyl, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and video games plus a trade-in program.
2 sources
- Dine Alone Store
Retail shop on the main floor of Leslieville label Dine Alone Records' head office. Vinyl, CDs and apparel from label artists (Alexisonfire, City and Colour) and beyond; hosts in-store performances and signings.
2 sources
- Emissions Record Shop
Basement-level record shop on Dundas St W with a large selection of new releases and thousands of used records.
2 sources
- Executive Stereo
Toronto's authorized McIntosh audio dealer since 1969, selling turntables, amplifiers and speakers alongside a large library of new and used vinyl upstairs.
2 sources
- Flow Records (at Haven Brews)
Vinyl shop operating inside Haven Brews cafe in North York, specializing in City Pop, Japanese/Cantopop/Taiwanese music, J-jazz, anime and game soundtracks.
2 sources
- Futhark Records
Danforth-area metal specialty record shop and record label with its own retail storefront.
2 sources
- Gord's Back Room
A humble record shop tucked into the back room of Smoke In The Water, a Roncesvalles-area smoke shop, stocking vintage vinyl, tape, CDs and books.
2 sources
- Grasshopper Records
Vinyl-only Little Portugal shop run by Derek 'Grasshopper' Madison, open to midnight -- billed as Toronto's only late-night record store. Deep crates of noise, reggae, dub, krautrock, soul and more.
3 sources
- Henry's Records
Scarborough used-vinyl shop stocking crates of pre-owned records for collectors and casual listeners.
1 source
- High Notes Coffee + Vinyl
Toronto's vinyl record cafe/bar in Roncesvalles Village -- artisanal coffee and beer served alongside new and used vinyl for sale.
2 sources
- Invisible City Record Shop
Record shop and DJ sound system run by the Invisible City reissue label, in Chinatown Centre. New and used records, LPs, 12-inches, 45s and cassettes across rock, jazz, house, techno and disco.
2 sources
- J Poison Records
Small Kensington Market storefront selling used vinyl alongside vintage fashion, on Baldwin Street.
2 sources
- Kops Records
Toronto vinyl institution since 1976. Queen West flagship stocks thousands of 45s, new releases, and rare/vintage records, including North America's largest Rare & Northern Soul 45 collection.
2 sources
- Kops Records (Danforth)
Second Toronto location of Kops Records, nicknamed 'The Warehouse' -- where the 1976-founded chain buys, processes and stocks its overstock of vintage and new vinyl, including a Backroom Records rarities section.
1 source
- Last Gen Used Toronto
Games, records and comics shop inside Chinatown Centre Mall, dealing new and retro video games alongside a genuine vinyl selection.
2 sources
- Lost 'n Found
Used record store in the Junction, at 2836 Dundas St W.
2 sources
- Neurotica Records
Little Italy record shop selling records, CDs and tapes (entrance on Manning Ave).
2 sources
- Pandemonium
Junction-neighbourhood books-and-discs shop with 12,000+ well-curated records in a 3,000 sq ft space, emphasis on punk, metal and indie.
2 sources
- Paradise Bound
Family-run Kensington Market record shop since 2000. Eclectic jazz, classical and rare LPs, plus Japanese woodblock prints and hand-painted scrolls curated by owner Coyote.
2 sources
- Paramusic Records
Independent record store near Bay/Dundas since 1995. Huge selection of new and used vinyl, CDs, Blu-rays and DVDs including rarities; buys and trades vinyl and CDs.
2 sources
- Play De Record
Chinatown DJ and vinyl institution since 1990 -- new and used records, DJ equipment and international/dance imports for over three decades.
2 sources
- Pop Music
Records and tees shop on Broadview Ave with an in-store retail location and in-store pickup for online orders.
2 sources
- Press Vinyl Cafe
Two-floor Danforth cafe and record shop with over 15,000 new and used vinyl records to buy or browse over coffee.
2 sources
- Resolute Records
Queen St W record shop near Bathurst, part of the West End's cluster of independent vinyl stores.
2 sources
- Rotate This
One of Toronto's best-known independent record stores, on Ossington for over 25 years. New vinyl from independent artists worldwide alongside a deep used selection.
2 sources
- She Said Boom
Roncesvalles Village used record and book shop serving Toronto's West End since the 90s. Buys and sells vinyl, CDs, DVDs and books.
2 sources
- She Said Boom (College St)
Second, separately-run She Said Boom location at the top of Kensington Market, buying and selling used books, vinyl, CDs and DVDs, distinct from the Roncesvalles store.
2 sources
- Sonic Boom
Canada's largest independent record store, open in Chinatown since 2001, 364 days a year. Vinyl, CDs, DVDs/Blu-ray, turntables, speakers, books and merch.
2 sources
- Tonality Records
Dundas West West shop for indie vinyl, vintage audio gear and collectibles -- self-described 'general weirdness guaranteed.'
2 sources
- TreaJah Isle
Little Jamaica cultural hub on Eglinton West, named for Jamaica's Treasure Isle label, currently selling classic albums, mixtapes and vinyl alongside apparel and a juice bar.
2 sources
- Treehouse Collectibles
East York collectibles storefront just off the Danforth specializing in vintage toys, comics, video games and records, open since 2016.
2 sources
- Village Vinyl Music Emporium & Cafe
Lakeshore Village record store and cafe combo since 2012 -- huge selection of recorded music plus rare collectables, live music events, and coffee. Two-time 'Gem of the Lakeshore' award winner.
2 sources
- Zoinks Music and Books
Combined used bookstore and record shop between Ossington and Dufferin stations, open since 2005. Vinyl LPs and 45s across jazz, reggae, soul, funk, folk and rock alongside secondhand books.
2 sources
See the full record store listing for Toronto, Canada.