Where to Shop Black Friday Record Store Day Deals in Denver

If you’re a fan of vinyl records, you’re not alone. Among its many aficionados is no less than Jack White. “Vinyl is the real deal,” the singer and guitarist said. “I’ve always felt like, until you buy the vinyl record, you don’t really own the album. And it’s not just me or a little pet thing or some kind of retro romantic thing from the past. It is still alive.”

With that sort of recommendation, music lovers of all stripes should get their post-Turkey Day butts out of bed a bit early and head out to a Denver record store to peruse the exclusives. After all, Record Store Day has been releasing original discs and re-issues of hard-to-find classics, and only happens twice a year — once in the spring, and again on Black Friday, which lands on November 28. Sure, it’s a day before Small Business Saturday, but get out and celebrate both anyway — most of the city’s favorite record stores are also small businesses, so it’s a feel-good-while-feeding-your-habit two-fer. Fair warning: if your tastes in vinyl are shared by many other fans, you might want to get there early. Like camping-out-in-line early. (Or at least setting an alarm–seriously, sleep is for the weak and music-less.)

What exclusives are available for this Record Store Day? A short set of the highlights includes Bob Dylan, Prince, Talking Heads, Billie Eilish, Grateful Dead, King Gizzard, Tom Petty, Bad Brains, Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, Joni Mitchell, Bruno Mars, Spinal Tap, Deee-Lite, Warren Zevon and more. Olivia Newton John’s Xanadu soundtrack will be re-issued in all its sonic glory, as will a gathering of Wilco, Jeff Tweedy, and the late Daniel Johnston dBpm 15, an LP collection pressed on red vinyl that compiles twelve rarities and unreleased tracks from fifteen years of dBpm Records. The Ramones’ Live from CBGB; Van Halen’s Live at Wembly 1995, and Fleetwood Mac’s Live 1975 are also included. Since every store will carry a slightly different selection of the full list of recordings available for Black Friday RSD 2025, you might plan to hit a few stores on Friday morning.

Here’s a short list of the stores participating, and what extra-special events they may have planned for RSD. Keep your pennies off those tone arms, music-lovers.

Twist & Shout
2508 East Colfax Avenue
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Mile High institution that is Twist & Shout is arguably at the pinnacle of its powers on Record Store Day, when it traditionally sees massive lines and even more massive excitement. T&S regulars take note: Unlike previous years, the store will not open early; it will open at its usual time (10 a.m.) on Black Friday 2025, closing at 7 p.m. That still gives shoppers nine hours of potential and pure vinyl bliss. Everything is first-come, first-served, and on-site only. So, sure, there might be a line, but take the opportunity to make a new friend with the music fanatic in front of you and behind. They’re there for the same reason you are, most likely. Grab a coffee (and maybe a book!) from Tattered Cover before you line up, and soak up the groovy adoration.

Black and Read
6655 Wadsworth Boulevard, Arvada
9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Arvada’s Black and Read moved recently into new digs — a larger, more well-lit place than its last home that nonetheless has sacrificed none of its charm. That’s because its charm was always in its earnestness; like Linus in the pumpkin patch, Black and Read is all about the sincerity of fandom, whether that’s books, games, or — yes — music. Perhaps especially vinyl, of which the store always has an extensive selection. And that sincere devotion carries over to its many faithful patrons — the store promises to move the line inside if the weather is inclement, and it offers coffee and donuts for those gathered, along with some super-sweet giveaways, such as concert tickets and a portable turntable. Is it worth the drive out to Arvada? Indubitably.

Angelo’s CDs and Vinyl
1959 South Broadway
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
16725 East Iliff Avenue, Aurora
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Angelo’s CDs and Vinyl opened in Denver back in 1990, which means that it’s been around to sell fans that Deee-Lite album when it first came out, and again some 35 years later, for RSD. This year, both locations — South Broadway and East Iliff — are opening at 6 a.m., which means you’re officially required to bring something with caffeine. But the early morning hour will be worth it: Angelo’s always boasts a full day of giveaways along with its heaping helping of RSD exclusives and even a discount on other merchandise.

Wax Trax Records
638 East 13th Avenue
9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Wax Trax Broadway Bazaar
200 South Broadway
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Wax Trax Northside
3641 West 32nd Avenue
9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The venerable and still doughty Wax Trax has been serving the music lovers in Cap Hill since 1974…or 1975, or 1978, depending on what article you read. But when exactly it began in those hazy days of the 1970s doesn’t matter — what matters is that it’s still around and still spinning discs. It’s the place that Colorado Public Radio called “Denver’s Vinyl Record Mecca,” and what we at Westword named Best of Denver several times, most recently in 2023. Three of its four Denver locations will be celebrating RSD (the new Central Park store is sitting this one out), and each one will host a party that most closely matches the neighborhood in which it is located. All three will offer RSD exclusives, from almost all the titles at the O.G. store on 13th to a “more curated” selection at its Northside location. Other than than that, you can decide which location to visit based on the breakfast snacks offered: the Cap Hill location will offer donut bites and coffee courtesy of Jelly Cafe to those lined up starting at 8 a.m., with high-end giveaways and Denver doom metal band KHEMMIS showing up from 1-4 p.m. for a special vinyl DJ set and meet n’ greet. Meanwhile, at the South Broadway location, those in the queue will enjoy VooDoo Donuts and an afternoon visit by DK Boyhollow from Noon-3 p.m.. And at the Northside location on 32 Street, things will be a little more refined with croissants and coffee from Cafe Zuri, with DJ Woody Deville spinning vinyl from noon to 3 p.m. It’s an embarrassment of musical riches, courtesy of Wax Trax.

Sold Out Vinyl Records
3751 South Broadway, Englewood
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sold Out might be relatively new to the vinyl game, but it’s doing up RSD like a boss with a full selection of the RSD titles available. The usual rules apply: first-come, first served, and the store would like to remind those choosing to line up in the wee hours of the morning that the store is adjacent to a residential area, and it wants to stay in the good graces of its neighbors. So won’t you be a good neighbor too? (No, that’s not a reference to an RSD release of songs from Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, more’s the pity.) Want to support small business and your own lust for new and exclusive vinyl? Don’t forget to check out Sold Out.

Invincible Vinyl
99 Kalamath Street
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Okay, okay, so Invincible Vinyl isn’t ordering RSD exclusives, but it will still be putting together a day of which vinyl record fans might want to take notice. “Don’t buy what the man is selling,” the store says on Facebook. Instead, check out tons of fresh used vinyl hitting the bins while live DJs spin all day with free snacks and drinks and special Black Friday sales on lots of records. Like Invincible says: It’s “the way a day for independent record stores should be!”