chicago record stores?

Reckless Records is probably the best all-around indy record store here. The one on Broadway seems to have more good music in stock.

Second Hand Tunes is good for vinyl, if I remember right. Also, if you like to dig, there's a Brown Elephant in that region that has a bunch of (mostly cheesy) used LP's and 45's along with other detritus.

Crazyman is also really, really good for vinyl. I mostly buy my stuff at thrift stores and my secret spot in the suburbs, though.

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/CMSIcons/emoticons/basic2/cheers.gif

What's the scoop these days? Normally I stop at Reckless and Hyde Park Records, love both. In general I'm more into used records than new, don't mind digging, enjoy old jazz, soul, Latin, African, doesn't have to be pristine. I used to really like digging for 45s at Logan Hardware.

Shops that I don't remember seeing before: Torn Light, Signal. Any good? Lily's also looks very interesting but I'm not sure if they have records, maybe it's just CDs?

Out of the Past also looks fun.

If you don't mind coming north a bit, Animal Records and Vintage Vinyl in Evanston are both lovely ways to lose a few hours and dollars.

I will be driving down from up north so it's definitely possible! Thank you

maybe check out Round Trip as well

Interstellar Space in Lincoln Square was pretty good last time I was there, not sure if it's still around

I believe Torn Light is a shop that used to be in Cincinnati, and that picked up and relocated to Chicago a few years ago. I went to the one in Cincinnati when it was still there and it was great for the kind of thing I look for--roughly, used rock-nerd-type records from the '60s-'80s. That's where I got my copy of the Stooges Fun House (an '83 repress, but still a great find for me), plus IIRC some Soft Machine, Magazine, and Blue Cheer. It was a big place with a lot of stuff, so they might be strong in other areas too, but that's what I can comment on.

Stooges Fun House (an '83 repress,

this is my keeper copy as well, had it for 40 years

Nice! It's a pretty good one huh

heh, i have the same one :D

I haven’t lived in Chicago since 2011 but based on your list of genres I would have gone to Dusty Groove first

funny that I do live in Chicago and don't even recognize most of the ones mentioned. but I'm not a vinyl guy.

A bandmate went to Out of the Past when we were in town a few months ago, said it was wild.

I went to Out Of The Past (I'm from Toronto FYI/FWIW) in Oct 2019, and didn't go too crazy but prob bought maybe 5 LPs and 10 12"s--it was indeed wild: https://www.mediafire.com/view/nyzp34r6uzk7jiy/Photo_on_2026-04-03_at_9.33_PM.jpg

https://external.fybz1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/emg1/v/t13/12605922667072843294?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mediafire.com%2Fconvkey%2F7582%2Fnyzp34r6uzk7jiy5g.jpg&fb_obo=1&utld=mediafire.com&stp=c0.5000x0.5000f_dst-jpg_flffffff_p800x417_q75_tt6&_nc_gid=uvzQcwsCLv5avhTzBmGtug&_nc_oc=AdoL7xdQcV42drsYkq_LtONrzDJRHz34DelRrVlmP7ePhiENdUQIda-Nr0KndNuQJdsgnna1tu7WWUEcx1Ik4LrS&ccb=13-1&oh=06_Q3-9Afe5zCvf11VDC7Rr5Oez-7CFr82IhN3aeCIAEl_0RFwS&oe=69D2453F&_nc_sid=215617

Apparently 'steppin'' is a west-side thing, which makes sense since OOTP is in West Garfield Park? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UEqba30cCE

Laurie's Planet of Sound in Lincoln Square and Gramophone (mentioned once above) just so you can say you've been to Mecca :)

ok wow at Gramophone. it's on the list

how did gramaphone (spelled correctly <<<) only get mentioned once before thats crazy lol

Laurie's was awesome - I went there a lot in the late '00s. Has it changed much since? If it has, I'm guessing for the better, but at the time, it was mostly CD's (the vinyl boom hadn't really happened yet) and I think movies, but regardless, it was a good place to get new music, especially at a time when indie rock bands seemed to be doing especially well. I still have most of the CD's I bought there, including Art Brut's debut which I just played yesterday.

I used to like going to Permanent Records, then they actually moved into two new locations here in L.A. and shut their doors there. tbh i never go to their spots here, it seems to me like they're incredibly overpriced which i don't think was the case in Chicago.

There was (is?) a Permanent Records in NYC, though the Greenpoint location I used to frequent is long gone. (They were basically priced out of the neighborhood they helped make worth visiting and living in.) I wonder if it's the same owner?

Love Hyde Park records and the amazing Donnie Hathaway mural a few blocks up.

When I visited the city last year Interstellar Space was recommended. It did not disappoint! Great selection, fair prices. Got the Roscoe Mitchell/Braxton, Shepp Donaueschingen, Bob Ostertag/Fred Frith/Phil Minton, Spontaneous Music Ensemble and a gorgeous LP of Iranian santoor.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2020/01/06/lincoln-squares-new-record-store-interstellar-space-dedicated-to-jazz-rock-and-rare-finds/

Laurie's was awesome - I went there a lot in the late '00s. Has it changed much since? If it has, I'm guessing for the better, but at the time, it was mostly CD's (the vinyl boom hadn't really happened yet) and I think movies, but regardless, it was a good place to get new music, especially at a time when indie rock bands seemed to be doing especially well. I still have most of the CD's I bought there, including Art Brut's debut which I just played yesterday.

― birdistheword, Monday, April 6, 2026 4:31 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

they definitely shifted the focus to vinyl at one point, though there's a small CD section and they still have the walls of obscure dvds. they have some used records but it's really more a nice neighborhood record store than somewhere i would recommend as a destination for a crate-digger from out of town.

Yeah, Laurie's isn't really what it used to be. It's fine, prices are decent, but I beyond the obscure DVDs (which aren't really my thing), I don't feel it's anything special. Of course, I'm more of a CD guy and that section has clearly been left to kinda languish.

I've had nothing but bad experiences with Vintage Vinyl in Evanston, the guy is a crank and the prices are pretty insane imo. Now and then there will be a CD copy of a rare prog album or import that is worth it, but I mostly walk out shaking my head. Animal Records is a pretty impressive newish place in Evanston, though pretty much vinyl only. Also give a shout-out to Squeezebox in Evanston, don't be fooled by the bookstore part, they've also got a ton of records at good prices and a small used CD section, but things regularly cycle through that.