Where to Buy Vinyl in Mississauga

Are you newly into vinyl? Has the old-school look and feel of a round, full LP seduced you? Did you stumble across a super cool, colourful Crosley Cruiser at Sonic Boom and realize that hot pink suitcase-style turntable had to be yours? 

Note: The Cruiser, though stylish and serviceable (I have one, as seen in the photo below), is a more affordable starter table and you might have to weigh the tone arm down with a coin to avoid skipping and endless loops).

If hipster coolness is the reason you’re suddenly into a vintage analog music medium, that’s okay. Whether you’re a dedicated audiophile who’s always preferred the traditional format over digital or a recent vinyl convert who’s simply into records because they’re cool, you need to do you and find local places that sell the old, new and used albums you’re looking for.

Mississauga doesn’t have as vibrant a vinyl scene as TO, but it does have some old and new stores and cafes that sell everything from decades-old Beatles LPs to the latest Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey releases.

Here are five places to grab some cool new (and old) vinyl records.

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters — which also operates the fantastic but pricy Anthropologie — boasts youthful and modern clothes and a very cool selection of both vinyl records and turntables. If you’re into Lana Del Ray, the brand will be releasing an Urban Outfitters exclusive of her Honeymoon LP on Sept. 19 (you can pre-order now, if you’re so inclined). If you’re a big indie/alternative fan, UO offers Tame Impala, Vance Joy and Father John Mistry LPs, among others.

HMV

While some genuine hipsters might roll their eyes at corporate entertainment giant HMV proffering vinyl to re-capture the business of digital devotees and appease new fans of an old format, the fact that you can buy vinyl at HMV remains. If you’re interested in new vinyl by modern artists, you can hit up HMV at Square One, Erin Mills Town Centre and Ambler Drive. While sales and selection may vary by store, HMV’s website is boasting 20 per cent off vinyl records. Some records you can get for less? Sam Smith’s In the Lonely Hour, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana’s Nevermind and N.W.A’s Straight Outta Compton.

Archtop Café & Music

Archtop Café and Music recently opened in Port Credit and serves up coffee, pastries, sandwiches and vinyl. The cozy café only seats 12 (six inside, six outside), but it has an impressive vinyl selection that includes art and extras-heavy collector’s edition boxsets (such as this Smashing Pumpkins Melancholy and Infinite Sadness Deluxe Box boxset). You’ll find everything from the Beatles to Eminem and you’ll get to sip some great coffee while browsing the diverse collection.

Fantastic Flea Market

If you want used or vintage vinyl and you don’t want to pay too much, you might want to check out Fantastic Flea Market on South Service Rd. The store is boasts four colour-coded rooms and the Green Room has the Vintage and Vinyl, Vinyl Vault and Vinyl Records vendors. You can also find all the requisite flea market goods on your visit, including clothing, home décor, jewellery and DVDs. So, if you want a new shirt along with your records, you’re in luck.

Ric’s Recollections

Ric’s Recollections — now located at 257 Lakeshore Rd. E. in Port Credit — has been around for over 20 years and recently re-located to a larger space. If you’re in the market for used LPs, this is the place to go. Boasting over 1,000 sq. ft. of space, you’ll find country, pop, classical, international, rock, jazz and R&B albums. If you’re looking for classic albums, you’ll find a huge selection of Beatles, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin records. It’s important to remember that used records usually have some wear and tear, but Ric’s tests the LPs for sound quality and cleans them prior to flooring them. That said, some pops and crackles are normal and part ofthe vinyl experience, so don’t expect absolute perfection.