Vinyl Shopping in Portland
Spend the day exploring the stacks at these local record stores.
Tuck Woodstock
Tuck Woodstock wrote and edited content for Travel Portland from 2014–2020. Read More
Every day is Record Store Day in Portland, where indie bands rule the airwaves and mom-and-pop music vinyl shops still line neighborhood streets. From vintage wax to locally pressed vinyl to new European imports, those rare releases you’ve been searching for are surely waiting at one of these rockin’ local record stores. And you might even catch a touring band live in-store for an intimate show.
Vinyl Shopping in Portland
Crossroads Music
Crossroads Music works like a melodic consignment shop, divvying up the catalog of more than 35 individual record collectors. The deep well of musical tastes results in an impressive selection of quality vinyl inside this Southeast Foster gem. Spend an afternoon browsing bins of prog-rock, post-punk, classic rock and more, and don’t miss the killer assortment of vintage concert posters.
Everyday Music
What’s even more exciting than the enormous selection at Everyday Music, you ask? Its scrupulous organizational system is surprisingly rare among independent record stores. The mammoth West Burnside Street mainstay keeps its vast vinyl collection impeccably sorted and neatly labeled, letting customers use the time they’d usually spend digging through jumbled boxes to listen to groovy tunes instead.
Jackpot Records
On the bustling shopping district of Hawthorne, Jackpot Records, and local indie label since 1997, stocks lots of new and used vinyl of every genre, including a soundtracks section and pop vocal albums and everything in between.
Mississippi Records
Eric Isaacson maintains a meticulously curated assemblage of rare releases at celebrated Mississippi Records. Finds include old-timey gospel, blues, folk and pre-Beatles rock, as well as contemporary albums released under the shop’s namesake record label. (Not in Portland? Local Little Axe Records is the label’s online distributor.)
Music Millennium
Portland’s oldest music store, Music Millennium, opened in 1969 with a mission to stock the kind of underground tunes absent from the racks of mainstream department stores of the era. To the delight of audiophiles, not much has changed. Multiple rooms stash untold tuneful treasures, from bargain bins of used CDs and vinyl to collector rarities (a first pressing of Led Zeppelin I sold there for $1,000). Looking for live music? Touring bands often drop by the shop for free shows.
My Vinyl Underground
In the basement of Division comic book shop Books with Pictures, My Vinyl Underground sells a mix of new and used vinyl, focusing mainly on local artists, small labels (including its own mail-order service Jigsaw Records), and indie pop/rock subgenres including shoegaze, twee, lo-fi, and dream pop, plus some punk and metal. They even occasionally host shows.
Speck’s Records & Tapes
Local DJ Michael Gersten opened Speck’s Records & Tapes in the Kenton neighborhood of North Portland in 2017. In addition to stocking records from a wide range of genres, the store boasts a small but mighty collection of gear, new and vintage tapes, and a stage equipped with turntables and a PA system.
2nd Avenue Records
Crowds of pierced teens and graying rockers find common ground at popular 2nd Avenue Records, where stacks of used hip-hop and hardcore punk albums draw devoted fans. A downtown fixture for more than 30 years, the shop has a massive metal collection, rivaled only by its robust collection of vintage band tees.
Live Music
Explore the music scene of Portland at these venues and events.
Niche Live Music Venues in Portland
These hidden gems are havens for jazz, punk, bluegrass, funk and more.
Music Festivals in and Near Portland
Looking for a tuneful way to enjoy your time in Portland? Get your tickets now for these exciting annual celebrations.
Free Live Music and Comedy in Portland
Discover a new favorite comic or musician at Portland’s free concerts and comedy nights, scattered across the city and scheduled throughout the week.
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