I got into vinyl about 2 years ago, after my girlfriend bought me one of those cool, suitcase record players. To any of you who collect vinyl will know, this is something which can turn into an obsession very quickly indeed, and this is exactly what happened to me.
Thankfully Mexico City is a fantastic place for this kind of thing and to date I have found over 30 record stores here, not to mention the bazaars which take place where you can find a huge array of pop-up stores. If you are looking for vinyl in CDMX, here is where to go.
El Chopo Tianguis
This is not a store but a market which takes place every Saturday, behind Forum Buenavista in Cuauhtémoc. Traditionally this was the place to go for imported records, and it has a real heavy rock vibe to it. Each Saturday the market is popping with many vendors and a number of stalls selling t-shirts, boots and all kinds of musical accessories.
Retroactivo
The street of Jalapa in Roma Norte is home to a number of pretty cool record stories and Retroactivo is certainly one of them. If you are looking for bargain vinyls then this is certainly the place to go and they have the biggest selection of second hand vinyls which I have seen anywhere in the city. When Record Store Day comes around, this is a shop which takes it very seriously indeed and they always make a big event of it, with live DJs and special offers. The only criticism of the store is the way that the vinyls are ordered, but if you are happy to invest some time digging then you will be able to find some fantastic options here.
Revancha
I have just found Revancha, after being recommended by my friend and fellow vinyl-head Rose Burillo. The store can be found in Roma Norte on Colima, and it is one of the coolest in the city. The owner Brandon is a lovely man who is more than happy to help you to get the record which you are after. On one side of the store you have second hand vinyls, all I must say are selected because of their great condition, unlike some stores here. Revancha also has a huge selection of jazz, afro-beat, as well as music from places like Ethiopia, Belize and Israel, to name just a few. There is a heavy hip-hop section and plenty to be inspired by here.
Roma Records
For me Roma Records is just a bit too pricy, but that is not to take away from the amazing selection which they have. Where this place really comes up trumps is in their new selection of music, and they often get new releases way before the rest of the stores in the city do. This can be found on Alvaro Obregon, again in Roma Norte.
Let me know if you manage to visit any of these cool stores.
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