You can tell a lot about a city by its record stores. Like independent bookshops and craft breweries, they function as safe spaces to connect with the community, get a pulse on cultural happenings and gather with friends. The best shops have a distinct flavor and relaxed feel. They invite you to dis cover the familiar and unknown, and get lost for hours in music. Steered by fanatics who possess specific expertise, the most rewarding brick-and-mortar stores give you the unexpected thrill that occurs when you chance upon a record you’ve sought for years. No online experience comes close. Though Chicago has long been home to some of the country’s finer record emporiums, the past several years witnessed a mini-boom of destinations for music lovers who want to enjoy more than a soulless stream or algorithm-triggered TikTok clip. Today’s landscape greatly differs from that of a decade ago, let alone the pre-digital era when outlets such as Hegewisch Records & Tapes, Dr. Wax, Rose Records and 2nd Hand Tunes operated multiple locations alongside beloved outposts such as Wax Trax! Records and the Quaker Goes Deaf. Another change? The notion of the snobby record-store clerk — the pretentious know-it-all embodied by Jack Black in the film “High Fidelity” — now appears quaint. By and large, affable and non-judgmental staff is the rule rather than the exception. They’ll keep busy on April 12, when the annual Record Store Day event draws thousands of enthusiasts with exclusive releases and collectible versions. Check out what the fuss is about — anticipate lines, and plenty of lively conversation — or, pick another date to explore shops that play a significant role in helping make Chicago the country’s best overall music city. With no disrespect to suburban shops (which warrant a separate article) or city-based locations not included here, the following stores are a cut above and offer something for even the most discerning listener. Reckless Records Founded in 1984 in London and established locally in 1989, Reckless remains the granddaddy of all-purpose Chicago record stores. The sprawling Lakeview and Wicker Park locations double as altars to recorded music. Featuring mainstream and esoteric titles, common and rare pressings, its bins, cases and shelves brim with new and used vinyl LPs, CDs and box sets covering every style. A huge assortment of DVDs, tapes, books, magazines and games — and a constant supply of traded-in records — ensures you’ll never run out of things to browse. 929 W. Belmont Ave., 1379 N. Milwaukee Ave. and 26 E. Madison St.; reckless.com Dusty Groove Started as an online-only hobby in April 1996 and at its present headquarters since 2000, Dusty Groove has built an international reputation as a paradise for deep-dive soul, funk, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, soundtracks and global music. Renowned for purchasing collections from individuals and institutions around the country, it serves as a primary subject in the “Dusty Groove: The Sound of Transition” documentary (2019). The brick-walled shop’s clean interior, spacious compartments and meticulous organization make perusing LPs and CDs a breeze. 1120 N. Ashland Ave.; dustygroove.com Torn Light Records Nearing its one-year anniversary in Bucktown after relocating from Cincinnati, where it thrived for more than a decade, Torn Light specializes in unique experimental, jazz, soul and post-punk from fringe artists and small labels — including its own in-house imprint. Its bright, calm space contains thick, wood bins stuffed with vinyl, CDs, 7-inches and tapes. The latter is another focus; Torn Light carries limited underground releases from around the world. Head here to find the unusual and what you never knew you wanted. You won’t be disappointed. 1855 N. Milwaukee Ave.; tornlightrecords.com Gramaphone Records Dating to 1969, Gramaphone cemented its identity in the early 1980s when it began concentrating on electronic music. Ever since, the Lakeview mainstay has been a first and last stop for house, techno, hip-hop, disco, trance, footwork and more. Catering to DJs, enthusiasts and clubgoers with an informed array of domestic and import releases, the store — differentiated with black-and-white checkerboard flooring and enough 7-, 10- and 12-inch LPs and CDs to keep anyone dancing for several lifetimes — is a bonafide institution. 2843 N. Clark St.; gramaphonerecords.com Tone Deaf Records Despite opening nine just months before the pandemic, Tone Deaf beat the odds and blossomed into a locus for underground and “weird” music. The Portage Park shop touts a healthy roster of punk, psychedelic, garage, metal and industrial vinyl. Its cassette label spotlights ambient and drone from Chicago acts. In-store performances, clever decor, reasonably priced used LPs, indie-press books, 45s, CDs, bargain bins and a comfortable couch — plus, a spot steps from comic book and graphic novel stores — epitomize what a neighborhood record store should be. 4356 N. Milwaukee Ave.; tonedeafrecs.com Bucket O’ Blood Books and Records It’s nearly impossible to miss Bucket O’ Blood. A throwback to when record shops called attention to their street-facing spaces, its storefront — a vibrant mural created by local artist Mac Blackout — screams with eyeballs and planets. Inside is just as cool. In Avondale since 2015, Bucket O’ Blood stokes curiosities with a well-curated array of metal, hard rock and hardcore vinyl — plus, smart choices in other genres. But that’s half the fun. The store’s authoritative collection of horror, sci-fi and fantasy books rivals that of any in Chicagoland. 3182 N. Elston Ave.; bucketoblood.com Dan Govert says goodbye to Jennifer Kilgore, a co-owner of Bucket O' Blood Books and Records, after a purchase on March 23, 2025. Govert traveled from Crown Point, Indiana, after seeing Arkham House Publishers horror books featured online. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)Jennifer Kilgore, co-owner of Bucket O' Blood Books and Records, organizes shelves at the store in Chicago on March 23, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)Bucket O' Blood Books and Records in Chicago on March 23, 2025. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)Records in the heavy metal section at Bucket O' Blood Books and Records in Chicago on March 23, 2025. The store specializes in heavy metal, punk and hard rock. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)Show Caption1 of 4Dan Govert says goodbye to Jennifer Kilgore, a co-owner of Bucket O' Blood Books and Records, after a purchase on March 23, 2025. Govert traveled from Crown Point, Indiana, after seeing Arkham House Publishers horror books featured online. (Audrey Richardson/Chicago Tribune)Expand   606 Records Celebrating its 10th anniversary this fall in Pilsen, 606 Records prides itself as a community-oriented store. Its collaborations involve its across-the-way neighbor Thalia Hall, Estereo and the Charis Listening Bar. Focused on selling albums most listeners won’t recognize upon initial sight from small international and local labels, as well as ambient, jazz and electronic releases from artists yet to break, 606 Records also issues LPs on its own imprint. The store’s minimalist aesthetic, turntables and “deal digs” provide good excuses to linger. 1808 S. Allport St.; 606records.com Bob’s Blues & Jazz Mart The spirit and passion of deceased Delmark Records founder and Jazz Record Mart proprietor Bob Koester live at the low-key store he opened in 2016 after closing and selling the inventory of his downtown spot. Bigger than it looks from the outside and run by his genial son, Bob’s Blues and Jazz Mart contains a maze of bins crammed with vinyl and CDs of various vintages. Co-existing with boxes spilling with yet more jazz, gospel and blues treasures, a surfeit of hard-to-find books, posters and handwritten signs exude old-school charm. 3419 W. Irving Park Road; bluesandjazzmart.com Rattleback Records Recognizing that the independent-minded expanse of Clark Street in Andersonville lacked a record store, Rattleback launched in 2018 with a single-storefront footprint and later doubled in size when it took over an adjoining property. Though it leans more mainstream and generalized than some shops, the brightly lit Rattleback — named after a spinning top — fills nearly every inch of its racks and the places below with vinyl: new, used, discounted, bargain and otherwise. Used music books, CDs and tchotchkes and posters add to the living-room-like atmosphere. 5405 N. Clark St.; rattlebackrecords.com Customers search for music at Rattleback Records in Andersonville on Nov. 25, 2023. (Talia Sprague/Chicago Tribune) Round Trip Records Tucked away in the garden level of an apartment building on a nondescript stretch of Foster Avenue, Round Trip mirrors its North Park neighborhood in that it, too, remains a well-kept secret. Walk through the door, descend a few stairs and enter a 500-square-foot room jammed with new and used vinyl, CDs and more. Opened in late 2021, Round Trip strives to find obscure and out-of-print items for customers and cultivate relationships. The unassuming co-owners — one of whom is ex-Mercury Rev vocalist David Baker — are reasons enough to stay away a while. 3455 W. Foster Ave.; roundtriprecords.store Meteor Gem If you’re familiar with goregrind, deathcore, thrash, doom, powerviolence, technical death metal or any other subgenre of extreme music, Meteor Gem will be your mecca. Even if you don’t like metal, this immersive portal into heavier worlds serves as an example of a hyper-specialized boutique done right. Open since 2022 and impeccably organized, Meteor Gem stocks albums, CDs, tapes and shirts you won’t see elsewhere. Its exclusive LP variants — complete with in-house-made obi strips — are the ultimate sign of its metal fervor and burgeoning reputation. 3082 N. Elston Ave. Suite A; meteor-gem.com Out of the Past Records True to its name, Out of the Past conjures memories and represents the sort of ma-and-pa establishment largely swept away by “progress.” The family-run West Garfield Park cornerstone has been at it since 1968 and boasts an ocean of soul, dusties, house, disco, gospel and hip-hop LPs to prove it. Very traditional, Out of the Past beckons crate diggers and summons you to flip through everything to learn what’s really available. Black-and-white photos, piles of CDs and historical vibes stamp this female-owned shop with inimitable charm. 4407 W. Madison St.; outofthepastrecords.com Pinwheel Records Pilsen’s first record store turns 10 years old this summer. Its longevity can be credited to its spacious layout, clean appearance, Pac-Man game, on-site cat and, above all, the friendly nature of its owner. Pinwheel connects with its clientele, going as far as to ask them what albums they want in the shop and seeking recommendations on music it might not know. Committed to evolving as a community space, the store hosts listening events and even collaborated with Bridgeport sports emporium Grandstand on a series of White Sox hats. 1722 W. 18th St.; pinwheelrecords.square.site Hyde Park Records Helmed since 2011 by a French native who, after repeat record-buying trips to Chicago, relocated here, Hyde Park teems with vinyl, CDs, DVDs, figurines, magazines and books along with a surplus of bargain used LPs. Hip-hop, jazz, R&B, house, soul and blues remain strong suits at a joint that fills a long space occupied by 2nd Hand Tunes from the mid-1970s until 2004. Even if you’re on a strict budget, odds are you’ll still leave with a handful of records, especially if you’re willing to dig through the one-dollar sale options. 1377 E. 53rd St., instagram.com/hydeparkrecordschicago Interstellar Space Whether you ever had the fortune of walking into your uncle’s attic and stumbling upon a stash of well-preserved records or just wondered how that would feel, Interstellar Space seemingly exists to turn that satisfaction into a reality. Chiefly populated with used LPs centered on classic jazz, rock, avant-garde, new age, soul, folk and various unexpected finds, the intimate store — named after a John Coltrane album — also features used music books, stereo gear and boxes of records awaiting their turn in the racks. Bonus: Your uncle would approve of the fair pricing. 2022 W. Monroe Ave.; interstellarscpacerecords.com 6 more worth a stop if you’re in the neighborhood Beverly Records: Billed as “Chicago’s Oldies Headquarters” and on the Far South Side since 1967. 11612 S. Western Ave.; beverlyrecords.com Laurie’s Planet of Sound: Lincoln Square’s homey, anything-goes music-themed bazaar for more than 25 years. 4639 N. Lincoln Ave., facebook.com/lauriesplanetofsound MetalEdge Records and Tapes: The tiny, single-aisle Edison Park shop features surprises, fantastic deals and amicable attitude. 6682 N. Northwest Highway; metaledgemusic.com Miyagi Records: Community-driven space in Washington Park modeled on “the hidden vinyl shops of Tokyo, Japan.” 307 E. Garfield Blvd.; miyagirecords.com Shuga Records: Two locations burst with all manner of vinyl, cassettes and Shuga’s own releases. 1272 N. Milwaukee Ave. and 3306 W. Armitage Ave.; shugarecords.com Signal Records: Focused on used LPs with a propensity towards electronic, punk, jazz and soul. 1343 N. Ashland Ave. and 3156 W. Diversey Ave.; signalrecordschicago.com Bob Gendron is a freelance critic. ...read more read less