Excellent record store, very reasonable pricing on used records and very friendly service. My…read morefavorite vinyl store in Calgary

First stop on the vinyl break, and made it just in time before closing. They were setting up for a…read moreshow so all the bins were moved around and couldn't really get the full experience. HUGE selection of new vinyl going the gamut of genre. I found a Jesu record I've been looking for so was pretty happy about that. Not a lot of used vinyl, which is what I was looking for. Guy behind the desk was helpful.

I love this place. If you are looking for unique gifts for a music lover... LOOK NO FURTHER!…read more Old vinyl, vintage posters and signed memorabilia are what qualifies this shop as a gem. The staff/owners are friendly knowledgable and helpful. Support Local and visit Heritage Music! Added plus is their knowledge and focus on Canadiana and Calgary specific events. I cannot say enough good things.

Popped over here on a break from a conference, and was quite happy I did. A little amoeba I'd…read moredescribe it as, a wonderful place to dig and chat up the owner who talked me through a bunch of local artists. I knew Loverboy and Skinny Puppy, but he hooked me up with a few more, as well as some Canadian presses of Foreigner and Genesis, and an OG Ramones I was more than happy to purchase. Great shop, great talk. If you're looking for a shop to grab some classic vinyl, go no further.

Very unorganized CD section. Not everybody is 6'10 , why the heck is there CDs so high up? Very…read moresmall space. This place is meant for slender man....*sigh*.... (Very good chill employees tho)

Friendly service. Massive selection of records for all eras. Prices for older records is very…read morereasonable. Prices for newer records tends to be expensive. Good place to look around and find a bargain.

Really nice store with very friendly service. The store includes a comic store, so a good place of…read morevisiting with people of mixed interests. Good prices for used vinyl

25 years ago this was a good store. Today it has very poor selection of used LPs. Most of the…read moreinventory is new vinyl. 90% of the used LP's are flea market or things you could have acquired at a Recordland Dollar Sale. However, I had a couple LPs pulled that I was somewhat interested in, but changed my mind after having a conversation with the guy behind the counter. When I entered the store, I asked if he was the owner, he replied, "well sort of". Not sure what that means? So anyway, this is where things went downhill. I had a record that was clearly stuck inside the paper sleeve due to some sort of stickiness. When I successfully removed the record from the sleeve, I asked the guy for a new sleeve and told him to dispose of the old one because the LP was stuck to something inside along the edge. His condescending reply, "oh nonsense, it's probably because the paper was folded". I thought to myself, "well that was an odd reply, what's this guy's problem? Why would he immediately dismiss the fact that it was legitimately stuck?" I've been collecting records for 50 years. I've had thousands of LPs pass through my home, buying and selling via Goldmine Magazine, and later on the internet through various platforms. I can assure you, it's not my first time removing an LP from a paper inner sleeve, Lol. But hey this is a record store, and that was your typical condescending record store "sort of owner" guy reply. Straight out of the Empire Records play-by-play handbook. Anyway, I eventually began looking for CDs near the till, and overheard part of a conversation between the "sort of owner" and his friend who'd just entered. The "sort of owner" said that he was being pushed out or evicted from an apartment or house that he was renting, and in need of another rental property. His friend mentioned Ramsay, then their discussion switched to the cost of homes and rentals today. Having lived in Ramsay for nearly 30 years, and being 6 ft away, I chimed in with my two cents, mentioning that I was very familiar with the area, and flipped a couple of houses for a decent profit several years ago. I was about to say that part of the reason the housing market skyrocketed the way it has is because of people practicing the house flip for profit. I was also going to add, that at the time I didn't have a crystal ball, it was just a job, and a means to support my family and keep a roof over our heads. Unfortunately I never had a chance to say any of this because the "sort of owner" cut me off saying "don't pretend you don't know! You're the one to blame! It's because of people like you that we can't afford to buy a house today, and why rent is so high!", bla bla bla. The next thing I know "sort of owner" begins waving his arms, ranting on and on about this. Then I asked again, "are you the owner?" To which he replied, "why, do you want to buy the store?" With that, I replied "your business must not be doing well if you can't afford to buy a home, or pay your rent. Not to mention offering to sell your store at the drop of a hat, so no thanks." Touché I thought, one insult deserves another. Besides at this point it was 2 on 1. Then he and his buddy began to whine because I hurt "sort of owners" feelings. Keep in mind, I wasn't the first one to throw any insults or escalate the discussion. To the "Sort Of Owner"... How long do you think a 120-year-old wooden structure will last? Do you think they are timeless, and don't require upkeep? At a certain point these homes need to be renovated, updated; exterior facia replacement, new insulation, vapor barriers, new roof, interior subflooring, flooring materials such as hardwood, carpet, tile, linoleum, etc. Not to mention removal of plaster walls due to mold, being replaced by drywall where framing is involved. Then we have cabinetry in the kitchen, bathrooms, as well as fixtures in the aforementioned. And let's not forget about electrical panels, wiring, and plumbing upgrading! Unfortunately these upgrades are not free, despite what you might think. Without these actions, a 120-year-old home would become dilapidated and unsuitable for habitation. The end result would be demolition, with some sort of ugly eyesore infill taking its place. Obviously the infill thing is happening on a smaller scale, but if many of those older homes weren't renovated and saved, they'd have been demolished, and replaced by more infills, thus Ramsay and Inglewood would lose their classic charm. Also keep in mind, if that were to have happened, those infills would cost as much as an older renovated home if not more. So you'd still be whining and priced out of the market in those neighbourhoods either way. Bottom line "sort of owner"...if you can't afford to buy a home in Calgary, or pay the current rent, stop blaming someone else's successes on your life's failures, as that's a losers game. Time to grow up. Typical of so many millennials, lacking perspective and never seeing anything objectively.

Like getting coffee in a dumpy thrift store. Basic coffee, questionable service - not sure why this…read moreplace exists.

Luke's never disappoints! Great constituency on the soft serve. the flavour was great !!read more

Well I'm glad I waited a few years to do a review on Hot Wax Records. Had I done this 5 or 10 years…read moreago, they may have received a 2 out of 5. I first began buying records at Hot Wax in 1978 back when the original owner Chuck Newman first opened his doors. During this time, there were only a couple places one could find second-hand records in Calgary. Sandra Armitage & Ken Hague's 'The Record Store' didn't open until 1981, and 'Recordland' didn't open until 1985. So besides Hot Wax, flea markets and news paper ads, there were only a couple hole-in -the-wall stores along Macleod Trail between 12th and 14th ave (long gone now). In it's early days (1978-88) Hot Wax was a treasure trove. Besides the main floor, there was also the basement (at the time closed to the general public). Chuck used to let a few of us privileged customers dig through the "Dungeon" where there was no less than 50,000 LP's. Mostly obscure prog, jazz fusion, Krautrock, etc. Some of that stuff wasn't priced, so when you walked upstairs to the till with an armful, he'd usually say "make me an offer" or he'd simply price them, always fairly. Jump forward to 2020, and we have new owners. From what I'm told, the same folks who own Melodiya Records. The new Hot Wax is a major improvement over what many became familiar with the last 20 years or so. The previous owner (tall skinny guy grey hair) was definitely living in his own little bubble. He had zero people skills that no doubt hindered his sales and reputation. Hot Wax's new managers name is Dan. During each of my visits the last year or so he's proven to be very professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful to not only myself, but to each customer I've seen venture into the store during my 1-2 hour visits. I can say the same about other staff I've encountered as well. Hot Wax is now constantly bringing in new inventory (used records), and the prices are very reasonable. Also, I find the condition of the vinyl to be much more in line with what I typically look for when purchasing used records (NM). It's nice to see this iconic Calgary record store back in good form! I truly feel those who had negative experiences and reviewed this store prior to the most recent owners taking over should pay another visit. Then maybe re-evaluate and adjust their review accordingly (if they feel inclined to do so).

This place has been around for 30 years. Which accounts for their extensive record collection. The…read moreguy told me they have something like 800,000 of them. Which they need a whole basement to house. They also have a pretty decent used cd assortment averaging around $10 a pop. I found some good stuff here and if I still had a record player, I'd be in heaven. Some of their records go for $1. People sell and trade at Hot Wax all the time, so even the cd selection changes. It's the best used cd place I've found in town.....

I've been buying from Wade since this store first opened. Great selection of vintage gear, with the…read moreknowledge to back up what they sell. Reasonable rates for repair, with a 60 day warranty. Lots of cool records too (main floor and basement). I've bought hundreds of LP's from That Old Retro Store over the last few years, and I'm quite particular regarding condition when digging for records. I always walk out with an armful of gems, priced fairly. Recently I was looking for a clean replacement copy of Allan Holdsworth's 'Metal Fatigue' (original pressing). I called around town, and the only store that had a copy was That Old Retro Store. Lindsey said she'd have to check her stock, and she got back to me right away. The LP looked like it had never been played, and was $10. That really made my day! While there, I snagged a few more records, all priced reasonably and in near mint condition. The staff at That Old Retro Store have always been very friendly, and operate with the utmost professionalism. A pleasure to deal with.

My wife is Canadian (we live in the southern US) so we were in town visiting her family/our family…read more and I found this record store right next to KnifeWear Japanese knives that I was visiting. The owner was extremely courteous and informative. I spent a couple hours there which was not enough time to go through everything he had and he has lots! I'm currently listening to an absolutely mint Duran Duran-Notorious album that I purchased for $20 Canadian. Extremely happy with my purchases, thank you sir!

Walked in clean organized store Winifred is a love, store puppy. Staff was amazing. I had old…read morerecords to sell. Was honest and upfront but took the time to look through them. Made an offer and gave options. I highly recommend them. They have a great selection and very easy to find things.

Blackbyrd first opened in Edmonton in the dark days of 1993 and relocated to its Whyte Avenue…read morelocation in 1996. After professing a love for Tubby Dog, they are now a pan-Albertan company: they opened their Calgary location in 2015, and the Beltline scene has benefitted from having another record store to haunt. Blackbyrd has built up its collection through its network of international distributors and a healthy used section, and their special orders system is efficient. The building itself is a clean split-level south-facing space it shares with Gravity Pope, generously sunlit and welcoming - an ideal browsing experience. They have done synergistic discounts between the stores, a surefire way to boost business, and their giveaways for concert tickets and the occasional turntable is welcome. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, but mostly stay out of the way until you need them - I've had a couple of fantastic phone interactions with them. The main difference between this location and the Edmonton one is size, and therefore stock. While they do have a great array of the rarer albums, their CD section is lamentable in comparison (what can I say, I hold the flame for discs - I will be there for the CD revival coming in the 2020's). The prices are largely comparable to - and often better than - Sloth. A great addition to 17th Avenue's shopping district.

I would never recommend this place to anyone who wants to get rid of their, dvds, cds and vhs. the…read moreowner is cheap and a crook, I spoke with him over the phone told him what I had and he was very eager to buy everything but when I got there I should have left, the place is over crowded with way too much inventory and he picks and chooses what he wants and gives you peanuts for can. I wish I would have read the reviews before dealing with this crook. cheap SOB.......

Drove all the way up there. He took my best albums cds and dvds and gave me $20. Not too happy…read moreabout that. Won't go there again

My WORD! I have never, in my life, seen a better stocked store of trades and hardcover graphic…read morenovels and comics in my life! This store was an absolute delight to wander around in, which I and another American friend did for well over an hour. Just an absolute delight, with even a well stocked discount hardcover section, which I took full advantage of, and had a delightful time finding books that I wanted. We ended up spending several hundred dollars, and the clerk even gave us an unasked-for discount! All and all, a wonderful store, highly recommended to all my visiting friends from the states.

Very good selection, best i've seen. The atmosphere is basically my ideal. The staff are incredibly…read morehelpful. Cant stress how helpful, and the books are in great shape. will try to come again.