This'll be ongoing as I discover more and get a better feel of these stores. I always look for record store reviews when I travel places, so this seems natural.
Soundscapes
572 College Street, Toronto, ON M6G 1B3 (416) 537-1620
www.soundscapesmusic.com
372 College Street, Toronto - (416) 944-3224
My one stop shop! I have bought a ton of records here, but they have a very focused selection with great divisions of genres. I like that I can buy tickets here, but cash only (sometimes a bit of a pain). Another major drawback is they only have new goods, which means their prices are a bit expensive. I come here for my new release purchases, or when I'm looking for something new and exciting because I don't download.
Sonic Boom 512 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1Y3 (416) 532-0334
The biggest shop in town. They buy anything and everything, making record shopping a little more tedious than it has to be. This can sometimes be a good thing though, finding something that means a lot to you, while garbage to someone else. Their prices are pretty good - they have a flat price of $10.99 for used CDs in good condition and good sellable state. Otherwise, they specify that it has a scuff and four bucks'll be knocked off that flat price.
They've really expanded over the years - reaching out to bookworms and fashionistas. Furthermore, they have a great reck room in their basement where they house their vinyl and great rock shows.
If I had only one store to drop into in a quicky visit to Toronto, it'd be Sonic Boom.
She Said Boom!
393 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto - (416) 531-6843
With two store that I know of in the city - a Roncesvalles location and a College Street location. This is my dependable go-to spot for books. They always have great sellers on hand quite often, or maybe I just have good luck.
They have a small selection of CDs and vinyl, nothing to write home about.
Rotate This! 801 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1G1, (416) 504-8447
This was the first independent record store that I heard about in high school. I remember buying a ticket for the Rocket Summer who played the old club Rockit way back when. They had a full store move down four or five blocks east taking them to Queen and Manning, a great location!
They sell concert tickets which is a total win for them, again only taking cash. Great vinyl and CD collection. This isn't my first stop for a record store.
Frantic City Records
Music: 799 Queen St W Toronto, ON M6J 1E9
Books:123 Ossington Avenue Toronto, ON M6J 2Z2 - (416) 533-9138
http://twitter.com/FranticRecords (for some really depressing messages)
I first stumbled into the owner's wife's vintage store on Ossington and found myself taken by this woman's personality. I mentioned to her Ossington needs a record store, she said her husband tried it and it flopped but moved to a cozy Queen West store. Frantic City is located above Rotate This! in what appears to have been an old one bedroom home. Who knows?
He still has his old digs on Ossington as well, but it's only a book store.
Frantic City specialises in '60s rock music. Fun fun fun. This was my first introduction to specialisation. I love that when I walked in and told him what I was after he recommended me something to satisfy my needs. Very small selection, but if I was going there to find something new I'd get some new recommendations for something of the past.
Neurotica 642 Queen Street West Toronto, ON M6J 1E4 (416) 603-7796
If my parents' home was a record store I'm sure this is what it would look like. Completely messed up and disorderly. The CD selections a little thin, but I always found stuff in a box of used goods that were very new near the front of the store, probably hot. Carrying some new releases. This store carries music and movies.
By far the tackiest website and store in TO!
Criminal Records:
493 Queen St West, Toronto, Ontario 416.364.5380
This store is almost too clean. I'm not crazy about it by any means, although I have fond memories of seeing Broken Social Scene play a very mellow show there. It was pretty cool to hear "Looks Just Like The Sun" played there. But beyond that, I really don't care for this store. If I needed a hip band t-shirt, this is where I'd go. They only carry new goods.
I hate that they have this whole criminal theme working for them. They have a very unwelcoming sign that says - "please leave all bags at the front, sorry this is because of the assholes that steal" or something along those lines. Immediately losing my interest in spending more than a quick peruse there.
Kop's Records:
29 Queen Street West
I actually had to look this one up on google maps because I don't trek in there too often but I am really happy to say someone at this store likes Cursive. I always see Cursive records in their window, most recently Happy Hollow.
Vortex Records:
2309 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M4P 2C6, (416) 483-7437
This place is definitely on the fringe of the city over at Yonge and Eglington, but I tell you,totally worth the trip. This record store located just north of the intersection on the east side above another store, is completely worth the wild hunt to get there. I met the owner, Burt, a four or five years back at what I believe was the most magical music buying opportunity I was open to doing. An EMI CD sale, fabulous, open house warehouse sale $1 a disc. I walked out with 100 CDs for $100. My employer at the time who invited me to go wasn't too impressed by me, I think he had expected me to shop for his store as well.
Vortex is tiny, but the selection is great. They sell used goods but have more than you'd expect. Good music and movie selection. If you bring cash, they'll make you a better deal if you buy a lot of stuff of them.
Look out for great sales, they normally run ads in NOW. But they have the occasional week each year where they'll slash prices in half.
Really great website, definitely cool how they post what just came in!
Refried Beats 599 Yonge Street Toronto ON M4Y 1Z4 - (416) 920-2417
When I worked on Yonge at the record store, I'd find myself going into Refried. Their prices aren't that great, but I was always happy with what I picked up there. All used.
I liked what Toronto Life had to say about Refried in their feature on Getting Good Stuff Cheap:
The two cheesey neon signs make this CD shop resemble a pawnbroker’s, but inside it’s slick and beautifully organized. The bulk of the enormous stock is mainstream pop-rock (think bands like Aerosmith and the White Stripes), which blares from club-quality speakers. Wall-mounted “best-sellers” include such fail-safe choices as classic Miles Davis (Kind of Blue) and the latest Killers album ($11.99), but “staff picks” are decidedly more eclectic—recent choices included Frank Zappa, Talking Heads and King Tubby. Smaller sections of the store are devoted to electronica, rap, metal, R&B, country, world and the like, with most CDs ranging from $9.99 to $17.99. The store also caters to couch potatoes with an enormous DVD collection ($2–$17) and an interesting selection of popular television shows—24 and Six Feet Under, among others.
Dixie Records (Don's) 1250 South Service Road, Mississauga
Don, the owner has been located in the deep depths of the Dixie Mall flea market in Mississauga for twenty years. It's pretty incredible. He has the space of about four or five booths. I spent a year or two working there. This was the record shop that I really got the opportunity to see and hear new things because of the people I worked with the clientele. The major problem of this shop is the people they get down there - mostly people in their late fifties looking for the rarest of the rare discs. My Dad is amongst the masses.
Consequently, Don doesn't buy many great independent artists. I wish more young people would go down there so he'd start selling and carrying these records. You can bet you'll find new releases from him because he pays for used goods better than any record store I know of. He gives $7, for something he'd sell for ten!
Great film selection.
You can bet that all your goods will be in immaculate condition, better than Sunrise's.
Definitely worth the trek to Mississauga.
