Frantic City Records

With it’s separation from Frantic City Books up on Ossington, the new Frantic City Records recently opened the doors at its new 799 Queen St. W location (upstairs). Combined with punk/​hardcore/​metal vinyl haven Hits & Misses, which recently relocated from Bloor St to the 799 Queen St. W location and probably the most diverse independent vinyl/​cd shop in the city, Rotate This as a neighbour, a nexus of independent used/​new & predominantly vinyl record shops has coalesced on Queen street west.
This is a brilliant move on the parts of all three business owners to aggressively compete with the corporate chains that have the capital to buy the biggest, prime locations and maintain huge inventories, while undercutting the prices of independent retailers– effectively giving the finger to the little guy.
The one thing these corporations don’t have a monopoly over is the reemerging vinyl market. The amalgamation of three of Toronto’s finest independent vinyl retailers in one spot gives vinyl enthusiasts and collectors in Toronto now something to get excited about. The beauty of having these three shops basically right beside each other is that regardless of your tastes, the odds are you’ll find it.
Frantic City Records focuses on New and Used 45s and LPs from 50s — 70s. Rock ‘n Roll, Contemporary roots, Garage Rock, Rockabilly, R&B, Soul, Garage and Folk. Personally this is exactly where my tastes lie, so I’m elated to while away afternoons flipping through their sections any day of the week. The 5^th star is mainly for the location and the added bonus of having a carefully curated selection of books concerning music from the aforementioned genres and time periods also available for purchase.
In short, if you’ve been toying with the idea of buying a turntable with a USB out, driving to Orillia to sell all of your CDs, and then using the cash to start purchasing and digitizing vinyl, now’s your chance. I’ll see you at Frantic City Records!