Utah RSD FAQ
How many record stores are in Utah?
Utah has 21 active record stores spread across 14 distinct towns. Salt Lake City alone holds six shops, Ogden and Provo each carry two, and the rest distribute one per town. Utah has zero national music chain locations (no FYE, no Newbury Comics, no 2nd & Charles); the local Graywhale Entertainment chain is the closest thing to a regional anchor. The Salt Lake metro shops sit on the I-15 corridor toward Nevada‘s Las Vegas, the eastern Utah corridor pulls into Colorado‘s Denver scene, and the southern Utah shops in St. George sit a short drive from Arizona.
Tell me about Randy's Records.
Randy’s Records on East 900 South in Salt Lake City has been operating since 1978 – 47 years and counting. The shop claims the largest selection of new and used vinyl in Utah and has been named one of “eight must-visit American record stores” by the Travel Channel, with KSL.com features as well. Owner Randy has been at the counter throughout. It’s the natural first stop for any Utah record-store circuit.
Tell me about The Heavy Metal Shop and the 900 South cluster.
Right next door to Randy’s at 156 East 900 South (Randy’s is at 157), The Heavy Metal Shop has been operating since 1987 (38 years) as a dedicated heavy-metal and hard-rock specialist under the tagline “Peddlin’ Evil Since 1987.” Sole owner Kevin Kirk runs it and hosts in-store concerts in the small storefront. The two shops together make East 900 South the densest two-block record-shop walk in Utah – a Randy’s and Heavy Metal Shop combo visit is a one-stop SLC vinyl crawl.
What are the best record stores in Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City’s six shops form Utah’s densest cluster. Beyond Randy’s Records and The Heavy Metal Shop on 900 South, Diabolical Records on South Edison Street pairs an underground music venue with a record shop specializing in metal, psych, garage, noise, and punk. FOUNTAIN Records, Memento Mori, and Raunch Records & Skate round out the city’s indie circuit.
Tell me about Graywhale Entertainment.
Graywhale Entertainment is Utah’s largest local indie chain, in business for over 30 years and covering music, movies, games, records, toys, books, and more under one roof. Two Utah locations operate: Graywhale Ogden on Riverdale Road and Graywhale Taylorsville on West 4700 South (Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.). The chain fills the regional-anchor gap in a state with no FYE or Newbury Comics presence.
What are the best record stores in the rest of Utah?
Ogden carries Lavender Vinyl alongside the Graywhale Ogden location. Provo holds 3hive Record Lounge and Provo’s Vintage Groove serving the BYU crowd. Daybreak Records in Sandy and Sound and Vision Vinyl in South Salt Lake handle the SLC suburbs. Down south, Rock House Records in St. George anchors the southwestern corner, and Groovacious Records in Cedar City covers the I-15 stretch toward Zion National Park.
Does Utah participate in Record Store Day?
Yes. Randy’s Records in Salt Lake City (since 1978) anchors the state’s annual Record Store Day turnout every April. The Heavy Metal Shop next door pulls the metal-specialist RSD crowd. Graywhale Entertainment‘s two locations stock RSD allocations across the chain. Diabolical Records and Lavender Vinyl round out the in-state RSD circuit. Check the official Record Store Day store locator each spring for the current Utah participant list.
Are there any unusual record shops in Utah?
Utah has a few. Imagine Real Peace Smoke Shop & Vinyl Records in Orem combines a smoke shop with vinyl retail. Platinum Music and Sports Collectibles in Pleasant Grove pairs records with sports memorabilia. Diabolical Records in SLC runs as both a record shop and a working underground music venue. Beejers Vinyl & Collectibles in Riverton and EntertainMART in Layton round out the broader entertainment-and-vinyl crossover end of the state.