Toronto Ontario Record Stores

[mattalica17]

and it only costs a can of soup

[patron]

I've always enjoyed Sonic Boom's in store performances and the screened posters are an awesome touch, but their selection is almost consistently more expensive than any of the Queen stores. Ever since Hits and Misses moved I don't even go to Bloor anymore.

[mattalica17]

Where are you going in Toronto for Record Store Day?

where are you going?

[kyleevanswastaken]

I've always enjoyed Sonic Boom's in store performances and the screened posters are an awesome touch, but their selection is almost consistently more expensive than any of the Queen stores. Ever since Hits and Misses moved I don't even go to Bloor anymore.

Agreed, used to be part of my boxing day routine, ossington station > HaM> bathurst > sonic boom > street car > queen west. And I would some how convince myself that I might as well buy something at sonic boom since I was there.

Also, why is Criminal records all crossed out? Did it close?

HaM is the only record store I can think of in Toronto that isn't run by an old dude or staffed by total hipsters.

Also, Theres Play da Record on young street if you are into that sort of music.

And Sunrise Records has a used section that you can occasionally find cool stuff in, I was there thursday and I saw a copy of the first 20/20 album if anyone is into power pop.

[patron]

Criminal shut down last summer.

[leaffanmax]

Where are you going in Toronto for Record Store Day?

where are you going?

I always used to hit criminal but i may got to the vinyl only Sonic Boom location in Kensington Market.

Has anyone been to other Toronto stores for Record Store Day? What are the line ups / selection like? What time did you go?

[kyleevanswastaken]

Criminal shut down last summer.

Oh true, It was called criminal because they treated you like one any time you wore a backpack in there and didn't see there sign about leaving it at the counter lol.

I just remember that time me you and mike went there and in the middle of ringing up my purchase that hipster behind the counter stopped abruptly and started grooving to whatever shitty album was playing.

[tkprtyrhd]

Criminal was by far the best store in the city.

I honestly have no idea where I'd do RSD now.

[drrowe]

I'm about an hour outside of Toronto, but love going downtown record shopping when I can. Suprised nobody mentioned Vortex Records 2309 Younge Street, Second Floor. They have a solid relationship with Third Man Records (only store in the country to get copies of the Dead Weather Triple Decker!) and usually have a decent RSD sale.

[kyleevanswastaken]

Criminal was by far the best store in the city.

I honestly have no idea where I'd do RSD now.

If by best you mean 3rd or 4th best for new indie releases...

You should try star records in oshawa.

[Werner Herzog]

Vinyl wise, I didn't find anything in Sonic Boom. However, I did come across some great ska CD's for only a couple bucks a piece!

[kyleevanswastaken]

Vinyl wise, I didn't find anything in Sonic Boom. However, I did come across some great ska CD's for only a couple bucks a piece!

Unless you are talking about stuff like desmond dekker, prince buster etc you just threw a huge oxymoron out there.

[divinewind27]

When searching this on google I came across this site: http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_vinyl_record_stores_in_toronto/

Helped me discover some good stores. Kops I thought had a good selection, and Rotate This I was in last week, seemed to have a good selection of larger artists like cash, zeppelin, beatles, etc. Managed to pick up Neil Young - Live at massey on 180g for what I considered a reasonable price.

[tkprtyrhd]

Criminal was by far the best store in the city.

I honestly have no idea where I'd do RSD now.

If by best you mean 3rd or 4th best for new indie releases...

You should try star records in oshawa.

Considering that would involve going to Oshawa, not likely.

Record stores are entirely subjective in their quality. It's not all about price and stock but with actually being able to build a relationship with the employees. I find the current batch in Toronto to be seriously unpersonable. Sonic Boom and Kops probably have the best employees right now, but worst prices.

[tkprtyrhd]

I'm about an hour outside of Toronto, but love going downtown record shopping when I can. Suprised nobody mentioned Vortex Records 2309 Younge Street, Second Floor. They have a solid relationship with Third Man Records (only store in the country to get copies of the Dead Weather Triple Decker!) and usually have a decent RSD sale.

Yonge is a bit out there, but that sounds promising, will have to check it out.

[kyleevanswastaken]

If by best you mean 3rd or 4th best for new indie releases...

You should try star records in oshawa.

Considering that would involve going to Oshawa, not likely.

Record stores are entirely subjective in their quality. It's not all about price and stock but with actually being able to build a relationship with the employees. I find the current batch in Toronto to be seriously unpersonable. Sonic Boom and Kops probably have the best employees right now, but worst prices.

Honestly, I couldn't give to shits about building relationships with hipster record store employees. Record stores are only good if I can find records I like or probably will like and at decent prices.

[sciencekiller]

I'm about an hour outside of Toronto, but love going downtown record shopping when I can. Suprised nobody mentioned Vortex Records 2309 Younge Street, Second Floor. They have a solid relationship with Third Man Records (only store in the country to get copies of the Dead Weather Triple Decker!) and usually have a decent RSD sale.

Yonge is a bit out there, but that sounds promising, will have to check it out.

It's Yonge and Eglinton and is easily accessible by subway. It's not walking distance like the rest of them, but worth the trip.

And I don't care about relationships with stores per se, but it's nice to have a store that will special order in titles for you without issue. But with pretty much everything available online, this has become less necessary.

[Guest deathbydrums]

Still don't know where I'm heading, gotta do mad research this week and perhaps make a trail map. Never been to Vortex, any one else been there... especially for RSD? Good to hear everyone's thoughts and experiences. ...and is that Death From Above Canadian RSD release cancelled? That'll be one thing I'm looking for fur shure in addition to Tomahawk.

Edit: Anyone been to Kops? I've been around Queen but don't recall seeing this one. What about Soundscapes for RSD?

[tankerdesk]

Anyone going to Sonic Boom that wants to help me out PM me. I'd like to score the METZ/Fresh Snow 7" and they are only selling it at sonic boom. Will pay in advance and all that jazz. thanks

[lukep2]

Still don't know where I'm heading, gotta do mad research this week and perhaps make a trail map. Never been to Vortex, any one else been there... especially for RSD? Good to hear everyone's thoughts and experiences. ...and is that Death From Above Canadian RSD release cancelled? That'll be one thing I'm looking for fur shure in addition to Tomahawk.

Edit: Anyone been to Kops? I've been around Queen but don't recall seeing this one. What about Soundscapes for RSD?

kops is on queen west - near osgoode subway station - near the CTV builidings.

not a bad store - when they eventually udpate their stock. good prices.

for RSD - rotate this is probably the best one to hit.

Sunrise will open early and will have a lot of stock -but not a lot of great stock.

Sonic boom was damn lame last year. Vortex has a list on their website of everything they are getting in which is very handy

[voltagedrop]

Old thread, but I figured I'd post a few updates:


- Sonic Boom has merged locations and moved to Spadina just north of Queen: http://sonicboommusic.com/
 

- Kops Records has opened a second location on Bloor near Bathurst: http://kopsrecords.ca/kops-on-bloor/

- For east-enders like me, there's a new place called the Tiny Record Shop on Queen East near Broadview: http://tinyrecordshop.com/

- June Records has opened up in Little Italy on College near the Mod Club: http://junerecords.ca/

- Neurotica on Queen recently moved to Mirvish Village and will be apparently opening soon: https://www.facebook.com/Neurotica77/photos/a.596548587048102.1073741827.174487869254178/758952150807744/

- You can add Zoinks on Bloor between Ossington and Dufferin: http://zoinks.ca

- Grasshopper Records has opened up near Dundas and Ossington (beside the Garrison): https://www.facebook.com/GrassRecords

- Hits and Misses closed in the fall of 2012



Hope this has been useful!

[nickxmurphy]

Hope this has been useful!

Right on!

[Sidney Crosley]

Old thread, but I figured I'd post a few updates:

- Sonic Boom has merged locations and moved to Spadina just north of Queen: http://sonicboommusic.com/

- Kops Records has opened a second location on Bloor near Bathurst: http://kopsrecords.ca/kops-on-bloor/

- For east-enders like me, there's a new place called the Tiny Record Shop on Queen East near Broadview: http://tinyrecordshop.com/

- June Records has opened up in Little Italy on College near the Mod Club: http://junerecords.ca/

- Neurotica on Queen recently moved to Mirvish Village and will be apparently opening soon: https://www.facebook.com/Neurotica77/photos/a.596548587048102.1073741827.174487869254178/758952150807744/

- You can add Zoinks on Bloor between Ossington and Dufferin: http://zoinks.ca

- Grasshopper Records has opened up near Dundas and Ossington (beside the Garrison): https://www.facebook.com/GrassRecords

- Hits and Misses closed in the fall of 2012

Hope this has been useful!

Went to Tiny Record Shop recently. Amazing selection - no dud records - but everything is $10-$15 more than it should be. Everything you might think should be $10 is $20, and some of the rarer ones are higher even than the highest discogs prices. Too bad because it's a pretty convenient location for me.

June Records is my new favourite since Criminal closed.

Sonic Boom's location is terrible. And the fact that it's still open until midnight makes no sense - why would I ever be on Spadina past 6pm?

I think there are a couple of other new ones. On mobile now but will find out which ones when I get a chance.

[voltagedrop]

Went to Tiny Record Shop recently. Amazing selection - no dud records - but everything is $10-$15 more than it should be. Everything you might think should be $10 is $20, and some of the rarer ones are higher even than the highest discogs prices. Too bad because it's a pretty convenient location for me.

June Records is my new favourite since Criminal closed.

Sonic Boom's location is terrible. And the fact that it's still open until midnight makes no sense - why would I ever be on Spadina past 6pm?

I think there are a couple of other new ones. On mobile now but will find out which ones when I get a chance.

 

 

Yeah, I was talking to Trevor, the guy who runs Tiny Record Shop and he picks up most of the stock on his travels (he owns Paper Bag Records). The prices are a little high, but I guess that's because everything is personally curated. I live close by as well, so it's a shame things aren't a little more affordable there.

I didn't find Sonic Boom's new location that bad. Their old location at Honest Ed's was up in the air after the Mirvish family sold the building, so they had to move. There's more foot traffic (even after 6pm) and the space is still fairly large for a downtown location. 

[Barberbro]

I really used to love criminal records... So sad to see them go. Their prices were fair and they had a good selection. I loved the way they handled RSD. I usually go to sonic boom b/c I can order something in, and they usually hold it for me. Their old location was a tad more convenient but they have the best selection IMO. I will have to check out June Records since I pass it every time I go to sonic boom.

I also LOVE play de record. The staff there are super cool and will usually help you find/order anything. They are more of a DJ shop. But that's the best part. Usually records I'm looking for are very available at that store.