Getting Started

The resurgence of vinyl in recent years has seen shops devoted to the format multiply in the Fargo-Moorhead area. There are currently two shops that are primarily devoted to sales of the black circle, one that is increasing its shelf space to meet the demands of the increasing market, and a chain retailer that has sold records since it opened in Fargo.

Mother’s Records in Moorhead has been selling vinyl records continuously for forty years. They currently have two racks of used classic albums and one rack of new releases. They are in the process of liquidating their stock of country compact discs.
“We hope to have our new vinyl tripled by the beginning of the school year,” said Brady Bredall, owner of Mother’s Records.

They also plan on carrying represses of classic albums such as The Beatles, Nirvana, Credence Clearwater Revival, and Pink Floyd. They also buy used vinyl records as well as used compact discs.
Mother’s Records is also a head shop, sells black light and regular posters; new, used, and bootleg compact discs, local artists’, band and tie dye shirts, band DVDs; and is permeated by this elusive good feeling karma. Even though this is a new location in an old building, its feel is organic and unlike anything in town.

Orange Records in downtown Fargo has been in business for a little over one year. It has made a name for itself in the community by having the largest selection of new vinyl.
Matt Oland, owner, carries scratch and hip-hop records as well popular new releases. Oland has a large selection of used jungle and bass music that isn’t on display but can been seen upon request. He sells record cleaner and selected accessories, as well as a large selection of local artists, DVDs, and t-shirts.

Oland runs a special on Tuesdays, saying, “There’s fifteen percent off on new releases, on whatever came out that day.”

Orange Vinyl carries new and used compact discs; band shirts; local artists; and a healthy selection of 45s; and DVDs. Its feel is hipper and more crisp, like business casual at Skateland.

Vintage Vinyl of Fargo, has the largest selection of used vinyl. Shannon Grindberg, owner, is the walking and talking definition of a fanatic. He travels to find records and often buys in bulk. He has thousands of records spread over three locations.

He has his store which carries most of his mint used vinyl. He has a large selection of punk, classic rock, and country. He also sells new and repressed vinyl; rock and roll books; a very large selection of used 45s; some vinyl cleaning accessories; a few compact discs, and antiques since he is also the proprietor of Main Avenue Antiques.

He has used turntables, speakers, receivers, vinyl, video games, compact discs, and many more antiques at his garage location located near Twenty-Seventh Street and Fifth Avenue South. He has space on Antiques on Broadway and sells thousands of vinyl records for less than five dollars, some musical memorabilia, collectables, and antiques.

Big box stores don’t sell vinyl, even though most of them carry at least one type of turntable. Best Buy is the only large retailer whose website sells LPs. Their prices are in line with what new vinyl is going for at the other area stores.

If Best Buy is selling vinyl on their website then it seems likely that it is only a matter of time before they began to test the profitability of this format in their stores.

Hot Topic, a chain retailer, sells vinyl at their West Acres location. They sell only new music and represses such as a the new NOFX, Offspring, and represses of Pink Floyd, Bad Brains, and Metallica. The vinyl selection on their website is surprisingly sparse, to the point of almost not existing. One LP was the sole selection on HotTopic.com.

Websites like ebay and amazon.com all have large selections of new, used, and rare vinyl. Specialty websites devoted to niche markets like chemical-records.co.uk for disc jockeys or lastvestige.com for spoken word enthusiasts are countless and are one of best place to discover different acts.

It has never been a better time to be a lover of vinyl. There are places to get one’s fix and tons of different flavors for the discerning taste. Owners of all three independent music stores said that almost any vinyl that can be bought can be specially ordered.
The availability of all kinds of vinyl at all different prices is locally at new heights and will only increase as vinyl becomes cheaper and more and more people discover the wonderfully side-effect free but intensely intoxicating black crack.

If You Go

Mother’s Records
431 Main Avenue, Moorhead
218-287-9601

Orange Records
641 1st Ave. N Fargo
701-478-6240

Vintage Vinyl
1330 Main Ave, Fargo
701-232-1935

Hot Topic
West Acres
281-2600