Even though we sell records online, we still enjoy the thrill of going to brick and mortar shops.
Not only because we find gems for our personal collection but also because it gives us a reason to get out of the house and away from our computers, and have a bit of a special date 😺
Plus, if it’s summer time, this is the perfect opportunity to take a long walk for a full afternoon, and maybe explore a neighbourhood we’re not familiar with.
In this list we will present to you some of our favorite Montreal vinyl record stores, off the beaten path style.
Note that this list will not include some of the big players like Aux33 Tours, Cheap Thrills or Beatnick Records.
It’s not because these places are bad. On the contrary, we love them because they often carry big selections, but we want to focus on smaller shops that perhaps not a lot of people know about…
Without further ado here’s our top 4 Montreal Vinyl Record Stores Off the Beaten Path:
BBAM Gallery
Located a few steps from metro Lionel Groulx, in this store we’ve found some GEMS including an album from Vancouver’s pop band Doug and the Slugs, Altamira Banda Show’s “Banana” which is a super catchy Merengue album from the 80s and even a photo of David Byrne playing in 1977 taken by the stores’ owner, Ralph Alfonso.
This place is for you if you care about quality of selection, not quantity, and you want to visit a rather multi-faceted space that offers more than just vinyl.
Special mention to the SERVICE at this store. Even if you’re an introvert you will end up chatting with the owner and the regulars, trust me.
Les Bons Débarras
We included this one in the list because it’s located in our neighbourhood: Verdun. We like the fact that it offers a mix of new and used vinyl, as well as second-hand books at very low prices.
This place is for you if you want to do some create digging in a neighbourhood that is up and coming (PS: Verdun made it to the top list of coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Timeout a few years back), and maybe stop for some coffee, food or beer nearby and fully encourage the local economy!
La Rama
La Rama first caught our attention because we stumbled upon their online store and we LOVED the design and functionality of it.
Fun fact: we almost went ahead and re-did our entire website using the same platform they were using (Common Ground, it’s called), but in the end we ended up staying with our good ol’ Woocommerce website because it better fitted our needs as a small scale, living room store 😉
Their amazing design experience online also translates into their in person shop:
(If they are dog friendly, they already stole our hearts)
This place is for you if you are a big lover of Electronic + Dance music, but they also have a nice selection of Jazz.
Le 180g
When we first got into collecting vinyl many years ago, we visited this place and had a blast. Back then Johny had short hair:
Le 180g don’t seem to have an e-commerce website in 2022, but their physical location on Avenue de Lorimier is worth visiting.
If you want to know what type of vinyl they have, check out their social media posts. Their selection of Soul, Funk, Hip Hop and records from the label “Awesome Tapes From Africa” is very interesting.
This place is for you if you are looking to experience a full proper vinyl date that involves not only crate digging but also coffee or drinks!
You can’t come to our store because we don’t have a physical location :'( – but you can still do *digital* crate digging on our website and choose the free pickup in Verdun option when checking out
Once you complete your order we send you an email with instructions for making an appointment.
We then get you your records ready with the classic Johnythecat careful packaging we’re known for (those who know, know ;))
Plus, pickup takes place like two minutes away from metro de l’Église!