Minnesota Record Store Guide: Fargo-Moorhead, Northwestern Minnesota, and nearby
April 14, 2026
The Minnesota Music Guide features content that illuminates key regions in greater Minnesota. This edition is a Record Store Guide focusing on Fargo-Moorhead and the nearby region.
Each record store serving Fargo-Moorhead and the neighboring communities in northwestern Minnesota has its own character, its own layout, and its own sound. But there is also something shared: you are welcome. No explanation needed.
Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota lie on opposite banks of the Red River of the North, a natural border dividing the two states. The region surrounding them is filled with grain elevators, college campuses, farms, small businesses, parks, and people moving through their days, with some in a hurry, others taking their time. Visiting record stores in the area feels a bit like a record rotating — consistent, cyclical, and always returning you to something familiar.
Time moves differently in these spaces — and, more importantly, you’re allowed to move at their pace. You can stop in, find what you need, and be on your way. Or you can stay, flip through bins, follow a conversation, and get help tracking down something you’ve been searching for. Before you know it, a few hours have passed.
Record stores open, close, move, change hands, and adapt. They persist because the passionate owners, committed staff, and faithful regulars around them make sure they do. The tone is consistent: interest, generosity, knowledge, and care.
So, in the words of Corinne Bailey Rae, “Girl, put your records on.” Gas up the car. Chart your path. Walk through the door. Make a new friend. And if something catches your ear along the way, take it home with you.
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DTFM Vinyl Distro
DTFM Vinyl Distro owner Devin Casavant says the business grew from his need to change direction and build something rooted in what he loves most. “The driving motivation was to get music that wasn’t in the [Fargo-Moorhead] area,” he says, referencing punk, hardcore, ska, and heavier releases that, even in a city with a strong music scene, could still be hard to find.
What followed is a space featuring inventory coming directly from labels, distributors, and bands themselves, alongside rare tour merchandise. And if it’s not on the shelf, Casavant will go looking: “If someone’s asking for something that’s really, really out there, I will go through the deepest, darkest regions of the internet to find it for them.”
The space itself — downstairs in deLendrecie’s Square building in downtown Fargo — feels a little hidden, like something you find intentionally. Since opening in 2019, DTFM moved through a few locations before landing there in 2023. Casavant says the space finally feels right — both in layout and in the kind of people it draws in.
“Most of the customers that come in here basically become friends,” he says. “It’s almost like a small family.” Some stop in for a quick visit. Others stay for hours. That sense of community extends to local shows, partnerships, and a passionate presence in the regional music scene.
Address: 624 Main Ave. #2A, Fargo, North Dakota
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday–Thursday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday
Facebook: DTFMVinylDistro
Instagram: @dtfmvinyl
Website: dtfmvinyldistro.com
Orange Records
At Orange Records, the experience begins simply: you walk in, and you start looking. Matt Coolen, behind the counter, doesn’t overstate it. When asked to sum it up, he pauses, shrugs a little, and admits, “I don’t know.” But as the conversation unfolds, the shape of the place becomes clear.
Some regulars head straight for new releases and reissues; others make a beeline for the used bins. “It all depends on the customer,” Coolen says. “There are people that are only coming in for new stuff… then there’s people that are only coming in for used stuff… people look at a little bit of everything.” That range is part of what keeps people coming back. The used inventory, in particular, draws people in — posted online, tracked closely, and searched through with a kind of quiet determination that turns browsing into something more intentional.
Since opening in 2007, the store has grown alongside the community, recently moving into a larger space after, as Coolen puts it, “we outgrew that space pretty much.” That growth shows in its shelves —one of the largest selections of new vinyl in the region, something he’s focused on from the beginning, especially at a time when few others were.
There’s a rhythm to the shop. New arrivals bring people back. Conversations pick up where they left off. And then there’s Record Store Day — more than just an event, but a surge of energy that fills the space with regulars and first-timers alike, all looking for something they can’t find online.
Address: 814 Main Ave. #100, Fargo, North Dakota
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 pm., Sunday
Facebook: ORANGE RECORDS FARGO
Instagram: @orangerecordsfargo
Hawley Spin Depot
Nestled between Fargo and Detroit Lakes, Hawley Spin Depot is a place to spend time with music and with people. The shop specializes in both new and used vinyl alongside CDs, posters, and music-inspired décor, but what stands out is the range. “We’ve got a little bit of everything,” co-owner Mike Lemoine says. The stock is loaded with Americana, red dirt country, rock, dollar-bin curiosities, and rare pressings worth hundreds.
The space is cozy and thoughtfully constructed. Record bins made by family, walls lined with repurposed vinyl art, and a coffee pot always on. It feels less like a retail store and more like a friend’s house. There’s even a small setup for live sound — open mics, informal shows, or just a place to plug in and play.
Regulars return for the rhythm of new arrivals and word of mouth. When the town gathers — whether for local events or a weekend downtown — the shop finds a way to be part of it. Since opening and expanding into its current space, Hawley Spin Depot has become a destination worth staying awhile.
Address: 413 6th St, Hawley, Minnesota
Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; closed Thursday, Friday, 2 p.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Facebook: Hawley Spin Depot
Website: hawleyspindepot.com
Ojata Records
Walking into Ojata Records & Comics — tucked inside the DogMahal Doghouse restaurant — you leave the outside behind for something warm, colorful, and alive with music. The smell of hot dogs mixes with the hum of conversation, and before long, it’s clear: this is a place for friends.
At its core, the store is about access to music, to nostalgia, and to people. New and vintage vinyl sit alongside comics, CDs, VHS tapes, and retro collectibles, all offered at accessible prices. In a college town like Grand Forks, that balance matters. It’s a place where students, longtime residents, and touring musicians all overlap.
The quirks are part of the draw. A stage tucked in the back hosts live shows, sometimes from bands passing through, sometimes from locals just getting started. On the other side, you can order a hot dog piled with anything from mac and cheese to mango to pulled pork. Events like Record Store Day bring crowds, but it’s the everyday rhythm that keeps people coming back.
Address: 305 N Washington St., Grand Forks, North Dakota
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Sunday-Monday
Facebook: Ojata Records | Grand Forks ND
Instagram: @ojatadogmahal
Bombshelter Records
Bombshelter Records is a carefully curated section inside Air Raid Antiques in Fergus Falls. Antiques, collectibles, vintage clothing, glassware, and furniture share space with vinyl records, CDs, and cassettes. This is a place built on passion and the simple idea that every town deserves a record store. “If you’re going to open up a business in Fergus Falls, don’t expect to get rich,” the owner, Tyler Merz, says, half-smiling.
Customers often come in searching for something specific—sometimes a record they haven’t held since they were a kid. Regulars also come to talk. “Our regulars probably spend more time talking than they do digging,” Merz admits.
Everything is bought and sold in person, conversation included. Instead, the shop moves at the pace of the town—steady, familiar, and open to whoever comes through. The philosophy underneath it all is simple, but it stays with you: music isn’t just something to consume. Merz concludes: “It’s kind of the heartbeat of the world… music doesn’t usually lie.”
Address: 322 N Tower Road, Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Hours: Friday-Monday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed Tuesday-Thursday
Facebook: Air Raid Antiques & Bombshelter Records
Lakeshore Vinyl
In a region shaped by cabin weekends, Lakeshore Vinyl fits naturally. It’s a regular stop when you’re back in town and best described by the people who keep coming back. Mark, a regular from Redwood Falls, doesn’t hesitate. “You can’t find a better spot to pick stuff up at reasonable prices,” he says, already halfway through scanning the bins. “The variety, the quality, they have it all.”
New releases sit alongside older pressings and reissues for an inventory that rewards casual browsers and serious collectors. Buying, selling, and trading all happens across the same counter. Regular employee Rome Karsnia is behind the counter. “If you want to trade, just tell him. He’ll do that, too,” says Mark.
Regulars return with lists, stories, and updates on what they’ve found since last time. There may not be formal events or big announcements, but there is continuity. Over time, the collection grows alongside the people who pass through.
Address: 122 E Lincoln Ave. Basement, Fergus Falls, Minnesota
Hours: Friday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Monday-Thursday
Facebook: Lakeshore Vinyl
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