About RecordStops
About this directory
RecordStops is a directory of independently owned record stores. It covers North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. It lists 316 stores today: 147 in North Carolina, 78 in Virginia, 47 in Maryland, 24 in South Carolina, 11 in West Virginia and 9 in the District of Columbia. Listings are checked against each shop's own website and every change is recorded. It was built by Brian Mangum and is maintained by Ascend Systems, Lighthouse 27 LLC.
We're building the most comprehensive directory of independent record stores because finding great vinyl shouldn't be hard.
Our Mission
RecordStops exists to connect vinyl enthusiasts with independent record stores. Whether you're a seasoned crate digger looking for rare imports or a newcomer exploring your first record shop, we want to help you find stores that match your taste.
The vinyl revival is real — sales have grown every year for over a decade, hitting $1.9 billion in 2024. But while demand grows, independent record stores still struggle to be found online. They're buried behind Amazon listings, big-box retailers, and streaming service ads. We're here to fix that.
Who's Behind This
RecordStops was built by Brian Mangum, a software engineer and vinyl collector based in South Carolina. After moving to a new city and spending hours trying to find local record stores through scattered Google results, Yelp listings, and Reddit threads, the idea was obvious: there should be one place that has them all.
Built and maintained by Ascend Systems (ascendsystems.ai), Lighthouse 27 LLC.
We combine music industry data with technology to make independent record stores as easy to find as the nearest Target. Our directory covers stores across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, with national expansion underway.
How We Verify Stores
Every store in our directory goes through a multi-step verification process. We don't list chains or online-only retailers.
- 1
Data aggregation
We source store data from Google Places, Outscraper business data, and community submissions to build our initial database.
- 2
Chain filtering
We exclude big-box retailers (Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble), online-only stores, and chain music shops. Only independently owned brick-and-mortar stores make the cut.
- 3
Website & business verification
We visit each store's website and Google Business profile to confirm they are actively operating, verify ownership, and extract details like genre specialties, features, and store vibe.
- 4
Google Places enrichment
We pull ratings, review counts, photos, and hours from Google to give visitors trusted third-party data alongside our curated information.
- 5
Ongoing updates
Store owners can claim and update their listings. We periodically re-verify data, and community members can report closures or inaccuracies via our contact form.
Our Data Sources
- Google Places API — Ratings, reviews, photos, and business hours
- Discogs — Vinyl release data, marketplace pricing for our Value Checker
- Store websites — Genre specialties, features, events, and ownership details
- Community submissions — Store owners and vinyl lovers submit and update listings for free
- Cloudflare R2 — Store photos hosted reliably on our own infrastructure
What Makes Us Different
- Depth over breadth. We go beyond basic listings with genre specialties, store vibes, and features that matter to collectors.
- Community-driven. Our directory grows through submissions from collectors like you who know the best spots.
- Independent focus. We celebrate the small shops, the hidden gems, the places where owners know their stock.
- City guides. Curated deep-dives into music cities with stores, venues, and itineraries — not just a list of addresses.
Help Us Grow
Know a great record store that's not in our directory? We'd love to hear about it. Every submission helps fellow collectors discover new places to explore.