Exploring Asheville's Record Shops
Record Store Day — coming up on Saturday, April 18 — is a semi-annual event launched nearly 20 years ago to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store." It takes place on a Saturday (usually the third) every April and again on Black Friday in November, bringing fans and artists together with thousands of independent record stores around the world.
Meet Asheville's indie record stores where you'll be able to find special Record Store Day releases (and albums proudly pressed at Citizen Vinyl).
HARVEST RECORDS
Harvest Records is an award-winning, independent record store founded in the summer of 2004 by co-owners Matt Schnable and Mark Capon. An anchor business on Haywood Road in West Asheville, Harvest has carved out an essential space in the community not only as a retail store, but as a central hub for cultural creativity in Western North Carolina. The friendly and knowledgeable staff will help you comb through a massive inventory of new & used vinyl, CDs, cassettes, stereo equipment, books, DVDs, vinyl accessories and beyond. Plus: monthly art openings, annual participation in Record Store Day, a storewide anniversary sale every August, occasional in-store performances, listening parties, and plenty of other special events.
STATIC AGE RECORDS
From the Static Age website: "Sometime around 2004 Static Age Records began slingin LPs, cassettes and hosting DIY live music. We've grown our record store into a community space that hosts tons of shows, all year long.
"Hundreds of touring acts from all over the world have come through, along with a plethora of the ever changing local bands of Asheville. All while keeping a fresh stock of vinyl and tapes for your listening pleasures!"
Location: 110 N. Lexington Ave.
VOLTAGE RECORDS
"Quaint shop for new and used vinyl records, plus CDs, tees and posters. Friendly service and atmosphere," is as far as Voltage Records will go with tooting its own horn. So we tracked down a fan review to round out the description. "Might just be well-suited for my personal tastes, but the selection at this place is phenomenal for its small size, including some really rare finds. Especially when it comes to metal and prog, but I've also bought plenty of jazz and hip hop from here. I always end up buying several things even when I tell myself to restrict myself to only things I have to have."
Location: 90 N. Lexington Ave.
RECORDS IN THE RAD
Records in the RAD (in Asheville's River Arts District) is a thoughtfully curated record store with an eclectic selection of vinyl, both new and used. It's owned by Brian and Susan Haynes who, two decades ago, owned the beloved Almost Blue Records in downtown Asheville). "We love good music and strive to keep an unforgettable collection of vinyl. If we don’t have it, we would love to try to find it for you," the owners say on their website. Also shop for music-inspired art at Records in the RAD.
EARTH RIVER RECORDS
Boasting "Asheville's largest selection of Vinyl, Tapes & CDs with over 20,000 items both new and used," Earth River Records traveled many miles and decades before landing in Western N.C. First located in Rochester, NY, in the 1960s, and the on the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington), the shop finally landed in Asheville in 2021. It's owned by Morgan Markowitz and carries audio equipment, cassette tapes, CDs, DVDs, hundreds of vintage posters, signed memorabilia and more.