Indie record stores in NZ

How many independent record stores are in New Zealand? The folk at Amplifier.co.nz threw this question out on Twitter a while ago (2013), and pulled together this list. Any additions or corrections, please let me know in the comments.

Amplifier's site is now gone, and Stephen O'Hoy, who put that list together, is sadly no longer with us (RIP).

In April 2018 the good folk at Death Ray Records in Wellington put out a flyer listing 22 indie record stores, and I've added some of them here, like Hokitika and Timaru.

Auckland
Rhythm Compact Discs (Ponsonby) closed Aug 2013
Alien Records (10 Drury st, New Lynn)
Conch Records (115a Ponsonby Rd - note - in 2014, Conch shuttered its record store and focused solely on its cafe/restaurant - they now have records as decoration, but have occasional pop-up record fairs). Cian from Conch now runs record stall in a shop called Ulo in Raglan.
Flying Out 80 Pitt St, off Karangahape Rd - opened on 18 April 2015, to coincide with Record Store Day. Flying Out started as an online distributor for Flying Nun/Arch Hill in 2013, and this shop grew out of that operation. They are now run independent of Flying Nun.
Flying Nun Records, 202 Karangahape Rd opposite St Kevin’s Arcade (opened 23 Sept 2023, open Tues to Sunday)
Holiday Records - 111 Wellesley st, Akl City. Opened 28 Nov 2018 selling a selection of new vinyl, and started up a vinyl pressing operation in 2019. Now focussed solely on vinyl pressing.
Musiquarium (369 Dominion rd, Mt Eden) - closed down 2022.
Mix Foundation, (Little High St, off High St)
Marbecks (Queens Arcade, 34 Queen st)
Real Groovy Moved to 19 Victoria St West, above Countdown, on Jan 27 2023. 
Rebel Soul Records - Opened store late July 2015 on K Rd at Samoa House, closed down mid 2017 and shifted to  Cross St Markets on Cross St, and from mid May 2020 based at 80 Ponsonby Rd. 
Southbound Records (69 Mt Eden Rd Jan 2015 - moved to 132 Symonds Street)
My Generation (753 Beach Rd, down the driveway, Brown's Bay) closed Jan 2015
Vinyl Destination Birkenhead (opened in Albany and shifted to Birkenhead in April 2015 / closed down 31 March 2016, moved to Tauranga, reopened 16 April 2016)


Northland
Musicor (Whangarei)
Noise Company (106a Victoria st, Dargaville)
Vine St Vinyl (inside Kiwicakes, 29 Vine St, Whangarei)

Central Nth Island

Tron Record Shop (60 Commerce st, Frankton, Hamilton) opened Nov 1 2017
Needle In The Hay (300a Racquet Lane, off Barton St, alley alongside Kilt, Hamilton)
Ulo - Cian O'Donnell, formerly co-owner of Conch Records, has a shop inside Ulo selling great vinyl (4B Wallis St, Raglan)
Zinc Records (233 Gloucester St, Taradale, Napier)
Electric City Music (68 Dalton st, Napier)
Just For The Record (183 Dickens St, Napier)
Spellbound Wax Company (Treble Court 25 Peel St, 4010 Gisborne)
Tracs (39 Devonport Rd, Tauranga)
Vinyl Destination - moved to 52 Devonport Rd, Tauranga from Akld, reopened 16 April 2016
My Music (79 Tongariro st, Taupo)
Vinyl Countdown (109 Devon st, New Plymouth)
Vegas Vinyl, (1292 Tutanekai Street, Rotorua)
Q Records & Collectibles, (1147 Hinemoa Street, Rotorua)


Wellington
Slow Boat Records (183 Cuba st, Wtgn Central)
Flying Nun Records, (173 Cuba st, Wtgn Central, ex Rough Peel location from mid Nov 2022) 
The Revolution (120 Main st, Upper Hutt)
Evil Genius (462 Adelaide Rd, Berhampore) closed on 28 July 2013, and split into two new ventures... Death Ray Records, 3 Wilson st Newtown, and Rinski Korsakovs Cafe and Gallery in Berhampore
Lo-Cost Records/Moonhop (147 Jackson st, Petone)
Wonderland (2 Moores Valley Rd, Wainuiomata)
Mint Music, 258 Hugh St, Lower Hutt (run by ex Marbecks Queensgate manager)  - mid April 2018 they switched to online only til they find a suitable store.
Parsons (Wtg Central) closed February 2014
Rough Peel Music (173 Cuba st, Wtgn Central - closed down Oct 2022)


Nelson
Everyman Records - closed down, in voluntary liquidation, July 2014
Family Jewels Records, 95 Collingwood St, in The Freehouse beer garden, opened by Grant Smithies in August 2017

Christchurch
Galaxy Records (336 St. Asaph Street)
Lyttleton Records (650 Ferry Rd, Woolston)  
Penny Lane Records (430 Colombo St) 
Ride On Super Sound records, comics etc (Upstairs at Smash Palace, 172 High St)

Geraldine
Record Keeper 116 Talbot St 

Hokitika
West Coast Vinyl & Fashion (21 Revell St )
Graham Electronics (101 Revell St)

Timaru
At Last Records (82 Stafford St)
Vinyl Revolution, (32 Woollcombe St)

Dunedin
Portil (closed in late Jan 2015)
Too Tone Records (closed in Jan 2017)
Disk Den (118 Princes St)
Relics (86 St Andrew St)

Invercargill
Rock N Rolla (86 Spey St)






And for a contrast: From the Telegraph "Where are London's best independent record shops still selling vinyl?"

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi

just thought I'd let you know I run an indie record store in Upper Hutt called The Revolution

cheeres

Steve Cochrane

the revolution@posternz.com

we're on facebook

Robyn said...

Parson's in Wellington closed in February 2014.

Anonymous said...

My generation music in browns bay closes August 12th 2014.

Anonymous said...

My Generation Browns Bay have reopened in a new location. Mint Music are in Lower Hutt, run by former Marbecks Queensgate manager. Penny Lane Chch Riccarton branch closes in about 2 weeks. Musicor Whangarei have closed, Dave called it a day. Graham Electronics in Hokitika are still going-they sell instruments, electronics as well as new music. Peter Cairns Musicworks in Gore is still operating-quite a bit of country there! All Play It Agains have now shuttered. Mix Foundation High St Akl still sell new vinyl as well as DJ gear.

Anonymous said...

My Generation has closed in Browns Bay, but now seem to have teamed up with Vinyl Destination in Birkenhead.

Anonymous said...

Hi Fi Gallery and Just for The Record are the same business. Musicor closed in 2013, after 46 years of trade. Rhythm in Ponsonby closed 2013. ~LT~