Garland Welcomes 2 New Record Stores

The Dallas suburb is a record haven, with new locations from Josey and Dead Wax.

March 11, 2025

Image: Josey Records is one of the biggest record stores in the world. In Garland, it's expanded its empire.

Josey Records is one of the biggest record stores in the world. In Garland, it's expanded its empire. Kathy Tran

Audio By Carbonatix

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On Saturday, May 17, the Texas Music Office will hold a ceremony in downtown Garland to designate the Dallas suburb as a “music-friendly city.” The ceremony comes amid a weekend celebration for Willie Nelson’s seminal Red Headed Stranger album, released and recorded 50 years ago in Garland.

The city has done much in recent years to cultivate and grow its community, culminating in a massive revamp of its downtown square in 2023.

The surrounding area may be starting to take notice. This month will mark the second local record store to open a new location in Garland.

In November, North Texas music behemoth Josey Records opened its third location on Northwest Highway. The grand opening was on Saturday, Nov. 9, preceded by two days of soft launch celebration. The Ben and Skin Show was recorded live for 97.1 The Eagle, and live radio returned with a show with Jeff K from Lone Star 92.5.
Last weekend, Dead Wax Records soft opened a second location on the downtown square. Its primary location is in downtown Carrollton. The Garland store's doors first opened on Tuesday, March 4, for a surprise sneak peek of the space and of Charley Crockett’s new album, Lonesome Drifter. Free posters and a limited quantity of sample CDs were handed out at the door.
Dead Wax's Carrollton location has been temporarily closed since Feb. 18. Its Instagram cites "challenges beyond our control." Although the shop remains closed, the new Garland location remains a second location, not a move.

The new Josey Records and Dead Wax Records join the budding Garland arts ecosystem, alongside creative respites Garland Camera, Boogie Nights Vintage and Rosalind Coffee.

Simon Pruitt is a staff writer for the Dallas Observer. He's been writing professionally since he was 16, covering art, sports and all the peculiar things he finds along the way.

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