This week marks the 2021 return of Record Store Day Black Friday, followed swiftly by Small Business Saturday. These two events will see vinyl fans flock to their favorite record stores in search of special Record Store Day releases, the hope of buried treasure in the crates, special merchandise and other goodies. 

Ahead of Friday, November 26, and Saturday, November 27 — this year's Record Store Day and Small Business Saturday, respectively — here's what's happening at record stores around Minnesota.

Electric Fetus • Minneapolis website

The Minneapolis mainstay will open Friday at 9 a.m. (an hour early) and launch a storewide sale that will extend across Record Store Day Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. There will be Record Store Day exclusives, plus signed copies of music from artists including Bad Bad Hats, CHVRCHES, Charlie Parr, and Shaggy and Sting, such as signed CDs and vinyl for Black Friday. There's even an exclusive transparent vinyl of Sting's new album, The Bridge. “We didn’t have the vinyl in time for him to sign in Las Vegas like he did the Duets CDs/vinyl," says the Electric Fetus's marketing manager Dawn Novak, "but the first 25 people to buy The Bridge clear vinyl on Black Friday will get a Las Vegas postcard signed by Sting."

Urban Lights • St. Paul website

According to owner Tim Wilson, Urban Lights will open at 10 a.m. on Record Store Day, an hour earlier than normal. "It's going to be a party, man!" Wilson enthuses. "We'll keep the music flowing. We're procuring really hard-to-find vinyl for people, and of course, the merch."

For Record Store Day Black Friday, Urban Lights will roll out some exclusive merchandise, including a new Urban Lights hoodie designed by Co+op, aka local designer Glenn Brown "who is really hot right now, and having a really good year," Wilson says. 

Wilson stresses the importance of record stores to the community. "The year started out gloomy," he says, "but as we round into 2022, I think we're going to be OK. Just keep the positive vibes … Music can have an effect on people, whether you listen to jazz, blues, rock and roll, hip hop — it helps you find your zone, and can hopefully put you in a good space."

Mill City Sound • Hopkins, Minn. website

"The days of waiting in the cold on a big cold line, I never could figure that out," muses Mill City Sound owner Rob Sheeley. "I'd think, 'This is horrible, why are we making people do this?'"

That's why Sheeley devised a number system for Mill City Sound. On Record Store Day, customers can visit Mill City Sound at 8 a.m. to get a number associated with a time they can visit the store. "That will be your spot, and then we post on Instagram the numbers as they come up," Sheeley says. "I tell people you can get your number, get breakfast, go back to bed."

Something else Sheeley focuses on is bring local flavor to Record Store Day. For example, Sheeley will have on hand a limited number of 45s by the band Revolver. "It was Dez Dickerson's band before he joined Prince," Sheeley explains. "A local band, they were around for a couple years."

In addition to the Revolver exclusive, Sheeley will also be selling advance copies of the Material Issue vinyl release of International Pop Overthrow, released by Mill City Sound's own label, Backgroove Records.

Roadrunner Records • Minneapolis website

This bright, mustard-yellow record store on Nicollet Avenue will be open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday. "People start lining up at 6 a.m.," says assistant manager Keith Patterson. "With COVID coming back, we'll be handing out numbers and about a half-dozen people at a time into the store.

"We've got some top-shelf, blue-chip, good used stuff, because a lot of people will show up on those days looking for good used stuff," Patterson adds. "There's a lot of good stuff we've been sitting on. We've bought a couple really killer collections, so there should be some really good stuff in there."

Down in the Valley • Golden Valley, Minn. website

"This Friday will all be about the limited and exclusive Black Friday titles," says Scott Farrell, general manager of Down in the Valley. Those limited releases include Slowdive’s self-titled album, pressed on violet vinyl, and white-vinyl editions of Bad Brains’ debut single.

Farrell also says the store will open early, at 9 a.m.

Hymie's Vintage Records • Minneapolis website

Owner Adam Taylor (no relation to the writer of this piece) says Hymie's will be doing a storewide sale for Record Store Day Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, including half-price 10-inches. Taylor says the store will be stocked with a full complement of RSD releases.

Rochester Records • Rochester, Minn. website

This Med City music outlet will open at 8 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 26, and will have a number of RSD special releases on hand. 

More Record Stores around Minnesota

Agharta Records
St. Paul • website

Annex Novelty Shop
Duluth • website

Barely Brothers
St. Paul • website

Broken World Records
Winona • website

Caydence Records & Coffee
St. Paul • website

Cheapo Records
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Blaine • website

Disco Death Records
Minneapolis • website

Eclipse Records
St. Paul • website

Extreme Noise Records
Minneapolis • website

Fly Vintage & Vinyl
Robbinsdale • website

Groovy's
Minneapolis • website

Hidden World Vinyl Records
Rochester, Minn. • website

HiFi Hair and Records
Minneapolis • website

Homestead Pickin' Parlor
Richfield • website

Know Name Records
Minneapolis • website

Lake Country Books and More
Eden Prairie • website

Lakeshore Vinyl
Fergus Falls • website

Last Stop CD Shop
Marshall • website

Mother's
Moorhead • website

Mr Zeros
Roseville • website

Ramble On Records
Shakopee • website

Remix
Forest Lake • website

The Record Spot
Minneapolis • website

Rock Paper Scissors Goods
Minneapolis • website

SolSta Records
St. Louis Park • website

Tonka Tunes
Mound • website

Treedome
Rochester • website

Tune Town
Mankato • website

Ultimate Collectibles
Hopkins • website

Vintage Music Company
Minneapolis • website

Vyntage Vinyl
Red Wing • website

White Bear Lake Records
White Bear Lake • website

Wizard Wax
Minneapolis • website