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Great Lakes Record Road Trip: Chicago to Minneapolis
Chicago's Milwaukee Avenue strip, Milwaukee, Madison and a classic Eau Claire stop before the Twin Cities.
Route: Chicago → Milwaukee → Madison → Eau Claire → Minneapolis · 15 record stores across 5 stops
Stop by stop
Stop 1: Wicker Park and Bucktown Milwaukee Avenue Run
Dusty Groove
Rare-groove specialists with encyclopedic soul and jazz knowledge.
Tip: Their want-list knowledge is legendary — ask staff about pressing variations.
1120 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622, USA
Hours
Monday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thursday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Friday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Signal Records Wicker Park
A curated shop on Ashland Avenue known for original and Japanese pressings of jazz, plus Brazilian and other world records.
Tip: A smaller, carefully chosen stock; the bargain bins sit under the main racks. Open daily noon to 7pm.
1343 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
Hours
Monday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Reckless Records Wicker Park
The Milwaukee Avenue branch of the Reckless group, stocking a large mix of new and used vinyl alongside CDs and DVDs. A staple stop on the Wicker Park record run.
Tip: Open every day 10am to 7pm, and the bargain bins reward patient digging. It is a short walk from Signal Records and Dusty Groove.
1379 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
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 Torn Light Records
A Milwaukee Avenue shop with a deep vinyl stock especially jazz and experimental music, plus tapes, CDs and used books.
Tip: Open daily 10am to 7pm, and a good last stop at the north end of the Milwaukee Avenue run.
1855 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
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: Milwaukee East Side & Beyond
Lilliput Records
Longtime Milwaukee shop (formerly The Exclusive Company) with a strong new-and-used mix.
Tip: Budget bins under $3 are on the floor beneath the main shelves — worth kneeling for.
1669 N Farwell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202, 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 - 5:00 PM Irving Place Records
Friendly East Side shop (formerly Bullseye Records) with a well-rounded selection across genres.
Tip: Grab a coffee next door at Comet Cafe before or after your visit.
1627 E Irving Pl, Milwaukee, WI 53202, 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 - 6:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Volta Records
Suburban Greenfield shop with a surprisingly deep selection and a loyalty rewards program.
Tip: They ship fast if you can't find something local — regulars vouch for their online orders.
5026 S 74th St, Greenfield, WI 53220, USA
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 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 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Stop 3: Madison Record Shops
Strictly Discs
Madison shop with a massive inventory across all genres, a jam-packed basement, mystery vinyl packs, and a searchable online inventory.
Tip: Browse their inventory online before you go. They host listening parties and run Record Store Day with a fair, menu-style order form.
1900 Monroe St, Madison, WI 53711, 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 - 8:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM B-Side Records
A State Street shop with new, reissue and used vinyl, CDs and cassettes and old Madison venue bills on the walls.
Tip: On the main downtown strip, so easy to combine with campus. Open daily.
514 State St, Madison, WI 53703
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 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM JiggyJamz Records and CDs
An east-side Madison shop focused on electronic music with deep hip-hop, funk and soul, and turntables for listening before you buy.
Tip: Listen to records on the shop turntables. Hours are late on Thursday and Friday.
1734 Fordem Ave Ste A, Madison, WI 53704
Hours
Monday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Thursday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Saturday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM Sunday 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM MadCity Music
A locally owned Atwood Avenue shop with a wide range of new and used vinyl and CDs, special orders and occasional in-store performances.
Tip: They list on Discogs and can hold or order items.
2023 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI 53704
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sunday 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Stop 4: Eau Claire
Revival Records
A well-organised downtown Eau Claire shop with used pop and rock, jazz, 45s, cassettes and used audio gear, plus a value box.
Tip: Ask about the upstairs. Open daily.
128 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701
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 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Stop 5: Nicollet Avenue Records
Electric Fetus
Twin Cities landmark with an unmatched new-vinyl selection and a deep Prince collection.
Tip: A must for Prince fans — extensive memorabilia and pressings on hand.
2000 4th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404, USA
Hours
Monday Closed 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 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Cheapo Records Minneapolis
A very large Nicollet Avenue store with a huge stock of vinyl, CDs and cassettes, plus DVDs, and knowledgeable staff.
Tip: Open daily 10am to 9pm. The sale bins hold marked-down Record Store Day leftovers.
2600 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Hours
Monday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Tuesday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Wednesday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Thursday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Friday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Saturday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM Roadrunner Records
A smaller, curated Nicollet Avenue shop in south Minneapolis with a well-organised stock of vinyl and used CDs at fair prices.
Tip: Owner is chatty and knowledgeable. Open daily.
4534 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55419
Hours
Monday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Wednesday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Thursday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Friday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM - 5:00 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.
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