Ohio Valley Record Trip: Cleveland to Indianapolis

Late Nite Records

Tremont · Rock, General · $$

Evening-hours shop where the owner will teach you about 45s while you dig.

Tip: Open until midnight most nights — a good late-evening stop after dinner.

2602 Walton Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA

Hausfrau Record Shop

Ohio City · Punk/Indie, Hip-Hop, General · $$

A small upstairs shop on Lorain Avenue with curated new and used records, strong on hip-hop and punk.

Tip: Up a flight of stairs on Lorain Ave. Open Wednesday to Sunday.

4601 Lorain Ave UPSTAIRS, Cleveland, OH 44102

Mistake by the Lake Records

Detroit Shoreway · Punk/Indie, Jazz · $$

Go-to for hard-to-find noise, experimental tapes, and old jazz, with regular in-store shows.

Tip: Call ahead to confirm hours and stock — a few reviewers report inconsistent open times.

6502 Lorain Ave, Cleveland, OH 44102, USA

Bent Crayon Records

78th Street Studios · Electronic/Techno, World, Reggae/Dub · $$

A long-standing specialist shop inside the 78th Street Studios for electronic, dub and non-Western music, with an owner who guides digging like a librarian.

Tip: Tucked in the arts studios building, so allow a minute to find it. Closed Mondays.

1305 W 80th St #216, Cleveland, OH 44102

My Mind's Eye Records

Lakewood · Punk/Indie, Metal · $$

Small shop packed with punk and hardcore titles, run by an owner full of concert stories.

Tip: Ask the owner about local shows — he's been to more than most and loves to talk about it.

16010 Detroit Ave, Lakewood, OH 44107, USA

Time Traveler Records

Downtown Akron · Punk/Indie, Rock, General · $$

An Akron indie record store with records, CDs and DVDs that has moved to a downtown location; visitors mention the owner's local Akron knowledge.

Tip: Hours are not listed online; call or check socials first.

118 W Market St, Akron, OH 44303

Hours not listed. Call ahead before you go.

Square Records Akron

West Akron · Punk/Indie, Rock, General · $

A long-running Akron shop with cheap used records, plenty of 45s and strong indie, post-hardcore and punk selections.

Tip: Hours have been cut back, so check before visiting; parking can be tricky.

824 W Market St, Akron, OH 44303

Hours not listed. Call ahead before you go.

Hollow Bone Records

Fairlawn · General, Rock, Pop · $$

A Fairlawn shop near Akron that is strong on new vinyl, with a wide range of genres and shipping.

Tip: Open Tuesday to Sunday.

2721 W Market St, Fairlawn, OH 44333

Used Kids Records

Old North · Rock, Jazz, Metal, General · $$

Dedicated rooms for jazz, soundtracks, and singles, with metal broken out by subgenre.

Tip: Ask about special orders — they'll track down and mail hard-to-find titles.

2500 Summit St, Columbus, OH 43202, USA

Records Per Minute

Clintonville · General, Punk/Indie, Soul/Funk · $$

A big North High Street shop with new and used vinyl and a $2 bin.

Tip: Closed Mondays. Genre sorting is a bit unusual, so ask for help.

2579 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202

Lost Weekend Records

Clintonville · General, Rock, Punk/Indie · $$

A Clintonville record shop with a good mix across genres, decent depth by artist and local music.

Tip: A good Columbus starting point; the owner can point to other record stores.

2960 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202

Elizabeth's Records

Indianola · General, Folk, Rock · $

A small used-record shop with a resident shop cat, a diverse stock and a good folk and less common selection at fair prices.

Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays.

3037 Indianola Ave, Columbus, OH 43202

Mole's Record Exchange

Clifton Heights · General, Metal, Rock · $$

A Cincinnati record store with used and new vinyl and CDs, and staff who will special-order or track down hard-to-find titles.

Tip: Hours are not listed online; check before going.

111 Calhoun St, Cincinnati, OH 45219

Hours not listed. Call ahead before you go.

Feel It Record Shop

Clifton · Rock, Funk/Soul, General · $

Mid-century vibe shop pairing vinyl with vintage clothing in a range of sizes.

Tip: Check the $3 bargain bin — reviewers report real finds in there.

356 Ludlow Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA

Shake It Records

Northside · Rock, General · $$

Beloved Cincinnati shop known for patient, helpful staff who'll track down specific records by phone.

Tip: Call ahead if you're hunting something specific — they'll often find and hold it.

4156 Hamilton Ave #1, Cincinnati, OH 45223, USA

Guestroom Records - Frankfort Ave

Crescent Hill · Rock, Punk/Indie, General · $$

The original, larger Guestroom location with a deeper selection than the Highlands sister store.

Tip: Ask staff to special-order anything they don't stock — they're responsive to requests.

1806 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206, USA

Better Days Records East

Highlands · Rock, General · $$

Deep vintage and new vinyl selection with an owner full of music knowledge.

Tip: Set aside real time — the inventory is large enough to fill an afternoon.

921 Barret Ave, Louisville, KY 40204, USA

Guestroom Records - Highlands

Highlands · Indie/Rock, Rock, General · $$

Newer Highlands location with a well-organized new-and-used mix, leaning newer artists.

Tip: Boho, laid-back vibe — a good stop if you want to browse without pressure.

1330A Bardstown Rd, Louisville, KY 40204, USA

Luna Music

Broad Ripple · Indie/Rock, Rock, General · $$

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

Indy CD & Vinyl

Broad Ripple · Rock, General · $$

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

Square Cat Vinyl

Fountain Square · Rock, Indie/Rock, General · $$

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