The 13 Best Record Stores in Dallas for Record Store Day

Record Store Day (RSD) is this Saturday, April 18, and for those who celebrate, it’s like a musical Christmas morning. You wake up early (some stores are opening as early as 7 a.m.). You celebrate (there are great band lineups playing all day). And you leave with a haul of your favorite things, except you’re the one paying for it all.

It’s more than just a holiday, though. RSD is its own institution. Hundreds of new releases, repressings and rarities are sold. Ultimately, the celebration is about injecting much-needed life and excitement into our local record stores, which fight the good fight day after day to keep physical media and local art alive. Ahead of the big day, we’ve updated the list of our favorite record stores in North Texas.

Good Records

9026 Garland Road
How could we not start with one of the city’s most beloved record shops? This East Dallas institution is the go-to for record lovers, local musicians, and even national touring artists looking to do pop-ups for tours, album releases and secret shows. It was long championed by Chris Penn, the shop’s late co-owner and a pillar of the Dallas music scene, who tragically died in 2025. Penn’s infectious love for music lives on through the joy that spills from this modest chest of vinyl treasure.

Red Zeppelin Records

109 S Tennessee St., McKinney
McKinney’s hub of local music recently moved locations across the suburb’s downtown square, but that hasn’t slowed down owner Katie Scott one bit. At a grand reopening party in January 2025, the shop hosted Madi Davis and budding country star and McKinney native Angel White. The shop’s new location shares a space with Scott’s other boutique, The Groovy Coop, making for a spectacular fusion of local art.

Dead Wax Records

113 N. 6th St, Garland
In addition to its Carrollton spot, Dead Wax Records recently opened a new, much larger location in downtown Garland Square. We checked it out shortly after it opened and are happy to report that the new space is far better suited to the flow of major events like RSD. If you’re in the area, Dead Wax is one of the best places to spend some money on music.

Lucky Dog Books

10534 Garland Road and 911 W. Jefferson Blvd.
If you’re a vinyl newbie looking to build your collection on a budget, Lucky Dog Books (one in East Dallas and the other in North Oak Cliff) is a great place to start. Though the two independently owned bookstores’ stock focuses on media of the written variety, there’s still a great array of vinyl, CDs and other physical musical media. The store’s relaxing environment and kind staff are also a nice fit for vinyl virgins wary of the scoffs and eye rolls from pretentious record snobs. Most of Lucky Dog’s inventory is made up of items that are used but still in good condition, meaning you won’t have to cough up over $100 to add just two vinyl LPs to your far-from-full shelf. And if you’re looking to make room for new additions to your years-old record collection, Lucky Dog offers great trade-in deals.

Spinster Records

408 N. Bishop Ave., No. 102
Over the years, Spinster has become cemented in Dallas’ vinyl community, moving into the bustling Bishop Arts district in 2019. The shop regularly hosts shows featuring local talent and gives neighborhood residents a place to shop for records. A friendly staff, modest selection and a generally great vibe make Spinster a perfect spot to visit on your way to a show at The Kessler or any other happenings in Bishop Arts. Wanz Dover

Recycled Books

200 N. Locust St., Denton
Very few college students in Denton would fail to name Recycled Books a favorite spot, which suggests the place is affordable. Just because the store’s stock is more robust with books than vinyl doesn’t mean its record selection isn’t equally impressive. A wide area of the back of Recycled is dedicated to nearly any genre you can imagine and is often a great place to find rare pressings. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, the shop’s kind staff is always willing to order requests for patient guests. Be sure to check out the store’s changing showcased genre collection, which frequently includes the names of figures and groups who hail from the college town and environs (it is Denton, after all).

Top Ten

338 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Top Ten is the oldest record store in Dallas, but it’s now known for more than its vinyl collection. A few years ago, the historic landmark became a music library and archive in the heart of the city. Crate miners can check out a number of vinyl and LPs from the store’s rare and vintage library. Other rare music media, ranging from The Judy’s to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are available only for in-store listening, which isn’t all that unappealing once you see the store’s retro listening area. Folks looking to purchase pressings can browse the front-of-house selection, which emphasizes Texas and Dallas-based artists. The store keeps things fresh by sorting albums by vibe rather than strict genre, such as its “Good With Dinner” section.

Forever Young Records

2955 State Highway 360, Grand Prairie
Forever Young is easily one of the largest record stores in the country. You can get overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of records in stock. If a record has ever existed, there’s a really good chance that at least one copy has passed through these doors. Open since 1984, the shop has moved locations a few times and now has found a home in an 11,000-square-foot building in Grand Prairie. Not exactly the best spot to find a cheap deal, the shop is well aware of the value of its stock and charges accordingly. But if you have not been able to find a particular record anywhere in town and are willing to spend the time digging through a massive inventory, Forever Young is your best option. Wanz Dover

Josey Records

2821 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, No. 100, Farmers Branch
If you’re a North Texas vinyl addict, you know Josey Records is tough to beat. Walking into the music warehouse can be an emotionally overwhelming experience (in a good way). The 25,000-square-foot mothership is packed to the brim with an amazing assortment of vinyl across nearly every inch of the walls and floors, a tempting sight sure enough to make any vinyl addict drool. Josey Records is also a place proudly run by and for vinyl nerds, which explains the store’s wide assortment of record players, cases and nearly any other vinyl accessory you could think of. Josey Records has expanded to other locations over the years, including Plano and its newest addition in Garland, making it the go-to record store that’s become a regional chain that doesn’t suck.

Half Price Books

Various locations
With so many dedicated record stores in the area, it’s easy to forget the establishment that carried the banner back when vinyl was completely out of vogue. Even in those days, Half Price Books kept records in boxes for collectors to pore over. It was only after vinyl made a comeback that stores started building dedicated record sections in the mid-2000s. Since then, the flagship store on Northwest Highway and all of its satellite locations have been a prime spot to find new and used records in addition to books, DVDs and all other forms of media. The flagship location has the largest record section, but the other locations are well worth visiting when you’re out vinyl hunting. 

Doc’s Records & Vintage

2628 Weisenberger St., Fort Worth
The record selection at Doc’s in Fort Worth is massive and varied, but the store also carries a wide selection of vintage merchandise, including shirts, posters, toys and just about every form of music memorabilia you can think of. And it’s not just the selection that’s massive, it’s the actual space that’s massive. The 10,000-square-foot store is a great spot for in-store performances from local bands and touring musicians alike. The staff at Doc’s is also quite knowledgeable and can help direct you to something you might like if you’re just browsing without any real direction.

Books & More

1626 W. University Dr., Denton
Nestled in the corner of a shopping center at University Drive and Malone Street in Denton, Books & More is, without a doubt, the biggest little record store in all of North Texas, and it has everything to do with that operative “& More.” The “& More” is the Record Hound shop within the store. The store puts its main attractions on full display in the main section — classics from Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, etc. — but the real joy comes in digging through the records that fill the store’s hallway leading to the back rooms, which are also filled with vinyl. You can find anything here. The only real problem is how much time you’ll spend digging, and you could spend days doing that if you want to see everything.