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Chicago to Indianapolis via Central Illinois
Chicago's Pilsen cluster, then Bloomington-Normal, Champaign-Urbana, ending in Indianapolis.
Route: Chicago → Normal → Champaign → Indianapolis · 12 record stores across 4 stops
Stop by stop
Stop 1: Pilsen and the Loop
606 Records
A bright, well-kept new and used shop with plenty of bargain bins and an owner who knows a wide range of genres.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Pilsen and Little Village are a good neighbourhood to wander for food between shops.
1808 S Allport St, Chicago, IL 60608
Hours
Monday Closed Tuesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pinwheel Records
A small, cheerful Pilsen shop stocking current releases alongside original pressings of alternative and indie favourites.
Tip: A short walk from 606 Records, so pair them. Monday hours are shorter, 12 to 4pm.
1459 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reckless Records
Chicago institution for trade-ins with a tight, well-organized selection.
Tip: They buy and trade on the spot — bring records you're ready to part with.
33 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Stop 2: Bloomington-Normal Record Run
Waiting Room Records
Uptown Normal shop with a wide mix of genres, including horror soundtracks and dark wave; its owner also took over part of the closed Deadpan Alley stock.
Tip: Sits next door to North Street Records, so visit both.
113 W North St, Normal, IL 61761, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM North Street Records
Uptown Normal shop selling new and used vinyl, CDs, shirts and posters in a laid-back setting.
Tip: Saturday is the busiest day, with hours until 7 PM.
117 W North St, Normal, IL 61761, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Reverberation Vinyl
Bloomington independent with deep crates of new and old records and used audio equipment.
Tip: Closed Sundays and open only until 5 PM.
1302 N Main St, Bloomington, IL 61701, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday Closed
Stop 3: Champaign-Urbana Crawl
Parasol Records
Downtown Urbana new and used shop connected to the Parasol label and the local indie scene.
Tip: Open weekdays and Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM; closed Sunday.
303 W Griggs St, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Hours
Monday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wednesday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Sunday Closed Record Swap
An Urbana record store with vinyl, CDs, 8-tracks and DVDs, with a stand-out reggae selection.
Tip: Stock is plentiful and can be a bit chaotic, so allow time.
119 Lincoln Square, Urbana, IL 61801
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Exile on Main Street
A downtown Champaign shop with a large stock of new and used records, CDs and cassettes, a $1 bin of 45s and in-store shows.
Tip: Open daily, with a shorter Monday (12 to 5pm).
100 N Chestnut St #120, Champaign, IL 61820
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Stop 4: Indianapolis: Broad Ripple to Fountain Square
Luna Music
Well-curated shop strong on modern indie and alternative, with a notable rare-vinyl wall.
Tip: Ask staff to hold restocks for you — they keep a list of what customers are hunting for.
5202 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Indy CD & Vinyl
Broad Ripple shop with a photobooth, DVD/VHS section, and genuinely helpful staff.
Tip: They'll ship anything they don't have in stock directly to you.
806 Broad Ripple Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220, USA
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Square Cat Vinyl
Record shop, coffee bar, and venue in one, with community-forward events.
Tip: Grab a coffee and take your time — this is a browse-slowly kind of shop.
1054 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203, USA
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Hours and details come from public listings and may have changed. Small shops often keep short or irregular hours, so check or call before a long trip. See something wrong? Use Still open? in the app and we will look into it.