If you’re looking to support local businesses while finding unique gifts for yourself or the people you love this Black Friday, our local record stores are ready to help. Several of the local staples will participate in the annual Record Store Day Black Friday, stocking exclusive titles that are available only from indie retailers.
Keep in mind that supply chain issues, including shipping delays and production problems, have been disrupting operations for independent record stores. If you had your eye on any specific titles, you may want to double-check that they’re still going to be available. The Record Store Day organization provided a list of delayed releases, but reassured customers that even those titles will arrive eventually.
The list of exclusives dropping on Friday is still substantial, with 119 titles. These include a collection of reissues, like 50th anniversary editions of both Leonard Cohen’s Songs of Love and Hate and Miles Davis’ Live-Evil, and a 10th anniversary edition of Evanescence’s eponymous album. There are also a number of “RSD Firsts” that will be available on vinyl for the first time on RSD Black Friday, including Jason Isbell’s Georgia Blue and John Legend’s Once Again. There are live recordings, like Charlie Parker’s Bird in L.A., Carole King’s In Concert — Live at the BBC 1971 and All Them Witches’ Live on the Internet, soundtracks to popular films including How to Train Your Dragon and The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, and even a few seasonal titles like The Staple Singers’ The 25th Day of December and Teddy Swims’ A Very Teddy Christmas.
Even those shops that aren’t stocking RSD exclusives are finding other ways to commemorate the day, including discounts and giveaways. So grab a mask (they’re required or strongly encouraged at many of the locations on the list) and stop by this weekend at one or more of the stores that are here for you every day of the year.
Alison’s Record Shop (994A Davidson Drive) won’t have any RSD releases, but they will be offering 15 percent off everything in store throughout the weekend. They’ll stay closed on Thanksgiving, but will open from noon to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
If you’re looking for RSD exclusives, head down the road to The Great Escape (5400 Charlotte Ave.). The store will open for extended hours on Black Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., then resume normal noon to 7 p.m. hours on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to the exclusive releases, Great Escape will hold a storewide 20-percent-off sale with some exclusions. If you’d prefer to stay on the East Side, expect the same at the Madison location (105 Gallatin Pike N.).
Also in East Nashville, Vinyl Tap (2038 Greenwood Ave.) will have a table of RSD exclusives that opens at 9 a.m. on Friday. Only two customers will be allowed to peruse at a time, so you may want to arrive early to line up. The rest of the store and the bar will open at noon. Among their RSD exclusive offerings, Vinyl Tap will have Lera Lynn’s Live & Unplugged From Vinyl Tap LP, and Lynn will drop in for a performance, listening party and album signing at 3 p.m. on Friday.
While you’re in the neighborhood, also head over to The Groove (1103 Calvin Ave.) for more RSD exclusives and a 40-percent-off sale on select other titles. The Groove — which recently launched a crowdfunding campaign in a bid to buy its building — will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Keep in mind that all deals are available in-store only.
For more RSD exclusives in East Nashville, stop by Grimey’s New and Preloved Music (1060 E. Trinity Lane). The shop will open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. They’ll also kick off their annual Toy Drive for Christmas on Friday, so bring a toy donation to receive 15 percent off your purchase, with some exclusions. If you can’t make it out in person, any RSD exclusives that don’t sell over the weekend will be available on Grimey’s website starting Monday, Nov. 29.
Third Man Records (623 Seventh Ave. S.) will be carrying only Third Man titles, but they will have a tiered discount based on your total purchase: 10 percent off sales of $50 or more, 15 percent off $100 or more and 20 percent off if you spend $200 or more. You can spend some of that cash you saved in the Blue Room Bar, which will be open Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to midnight.
Just outside of Nashville, Viv and Dickey’s Oldies and Goodies (1264 Jackson Felts Road in Joelton) is teaming up with Elevator Vinyl (115 Sanders Ferry Road in Hendersonville) and Disk Go Joe’s (211A N. Main St. in Goodlettsville) for the inaugural Northside Record Crawl. Viv and Dickey’s is not stocking any RSD exclusives this year, but they will offer 20 percent off the whole store on Friday, when they’re open from noon to 6 p.m. And if you visit the three locations on Saturday between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and answer trivia questions at each store, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one of three prize packs, with first place valued around $200.
