The best record stores in Des Moines prove Iowa has no business being under-the-radar for vinyl. Three main anchors, three distinct neighborhoods, and a flagship that has been running since 2000 as Iowa's longest-tenured independent record store. Ingersoll Avenue for the heavyweight. Beaverdale for the curated dig with coffee. Merle Hay Mall for the multi-format collector shop. If you are in Des Moines for a weekend, a Record Store Day stop, or a Midwestern road trip, there is a record route that fits between everything else.
This guide covers every active independent brick-and-mortar record store in Des Moines with addresses, hours, specialties, and a one-day plan that hits all three anchors. The Midwest hospitality is real. The coffee scene is better than outsiders expect. The vinyl is well worth the drive off I-80.
Zzz Records
Zzz Records
Phone: (515) 284-1401
Hours: Mon 12pm-6pm, Tue-Fri 11am-6pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm
Web: zzzrecords.com
Facebook: Zzz Records on Facebook
Zzz Records is the Des Moines flagship and Iowa's longest-running independent record store, open since fall 2000. Located on Ingersoll Avenue in the heart of the neighborhood that bears the street's name, Zzz has anchored Des Moines vinyl for over two decades. The shop carries new and used records, tapes, CDs, and more, and its staff institutional memory is the kind newer shops simply cannot match.
Zzz is also the Des Moines Record Store Day anchor. RSD at Zzz is the largest vinyl event in the Iowa capital with exclusive stock, early-morning lines, and in-store programming. For anyone building a Des Moines collection, Zzz is where you start and often where you end.
What to dig for: deep catalog new and used LPs, vintage cassettes, used CDs, Iowa and Midwest artists on vinyl, Record Store Day exclusives on release day, and the kind of long-memory staff recommendations that come from two-plus decades behind the counter.
Vinyl Cup Records
Vinyl Cup Records
Web: vinylcup.com
Hours: See vinylcup.com/hours for current schedule
Vinyl Cup Records on Beaver Avenue in the Beaverdale neighborhood runs a different pitch than the typical record store. Walk in and you are handed a complimentary brew or a cup of coffee as you dig from A to Z. That hospitality touch is not a marketing gimmick; it is the shop's actual model, and the result is a record store that rewards a slower, longer visit than most.
The dig experience extends to the inventory approach: curated new and used vinyl with personality, rotating heavily, and staff who know what just came in. Vinyl Cup has built a reputation for community events, record listening sessions, and the kind of programming that keeps the shop central to Beaverdale's independent business corridor.
What to dig for: curated used LPs, staff picks that rotate weekly, Iowa artist pressings, and the kind of conversation a cup of coffee will earn you at the counter.
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Iowa Record Store DirectoryJay's CD and Hobby
Jay's CD and Hobby
Phone: (515) 331-0360
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 12pm-5pm
Facebook: Jay's CD and Hobby on Facebook
Jay's CD and Hobby at Merle Hay Mall is the multi-format shop of the Des Moines scene. Vintage LPs, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, band t-shirts, magazines, hobby goods, and collectibles share the floor. The inventory reflects the shop's name: records plus the broader hobbyist collector culture that the word "hobby" implies.
The mall location is a plus in January, when Iowa winters make walkable neighborhoods less appealing. Merle Hay Mall parking is abundant and free, and Jay's hours run longer than most independents (8 pm weekdays, 5 pm Sunday) thanks to the mall setting. For anyone combining a record stop with other errands, Jay's is the convenient anchor.
What to dig for: vintage LPs from estate buys, cassettes and 8-tracks in playable condition, used CDs, band tees, music magazines, and the hobbyist ephemera that Zzz and Vinyl Cup do not prioritize.
Also Worth a Stop
Beyond the three main anchors, Des Moines has a handful of smaller shops that round out the scene:
- Marv's Music. 506 East 6th Street in the East Village. An East Village favorite for wide-ranging vinyl, open mics, and community events.
- Des Moines Record Store Show. Periodic vinyl shows pop up around the city; check local calendars in spring and fall.
- Valley Junction (West Des Moines). The 5th Street corridor carries a handful of stereo and vinyl shops. Check hours before making a special trip.
Worth the Drive
The Midwest rewards a longer trip if Des Moines has been dug:
- Iowa City, IA (2 hours east). Record Collector and Daydreams Comics/Records anchor the college-town scene.
- Omaha, NE (2 hours west). Homer's, Almost Music, and Drastic Plastic. Full second-city scene.
- Minneapolis, MN (4 hours north). The Twin Cities vinyl flagship scene with Electric Fetus and more.
- Chicago, IL (5 hours east). The Midwest's record store capital.
- Madison, WI (4 hours northeast). Strictly Discs, Mad City, B-Side Records.
The One-Day Des Moines Dig
Three shops fit a single unhurried Saturday with room for coffee and the East Village:
- 10 a.m. Zzz Records (2200 Ingersoll Ave). Opens early on Saturdays. Budget 75 to 90 minutes. Ingersoll has breakfast spots within walking distance.
- 11:30 a.m. Drive to Beaverdale (15 minutes).
- 11:45 a.m. Vinyl Cup Records (2702 Beaver Ave). Budget 60 minutes. Accept the coffee, slow down, enjoy the dig.
- 1 p.m. Lunch in Beaverdale or drive toward Merle Hay Mall.
- 2 p.m. Jay's CD and Hobby (3800 Merle Hay Rd at Merle Hay Mall). 45 to 60 minutes. Multi-format dig alongside hobbyist ephemera.
- 3 p.m. Head to the East Village. Marv's Music if you want a fourth stop, or just dinner and a walk along the East Grand Avenue corridor.
Tips for Digging Des Moines
- Iowa winters are cold. Do not leave records in a car below freezing for extended periods. Vinyl can become brittle and crack. Shop-to-trunk, trunk-to-indoor if you are digging in January.
- Summer is better for Beaverdale. Vinyl Cup's indoor-outdoor coffee model lands better when the Iowa weather cooperates.
- Merle Hay Mall parking is free and covered in winter. Jay's is the most weather-proof of the three anchors.
- Record Store Day at Zzz is the Iowa RSD anchor event. Line forms early. Bring coffee and patience.
- Call ahead for specific wants. All three anchors can check stock over the phone, which saves a drive if you are hunting a rare title.
- Protect your haul. See our vinyl storage guide for temperature and humidity basics.
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