The Best Record Stores in Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s record shops are working archives with personality. This rundown blends decades of history with what you’ll actually find in the bins today. And because crate-digging pairs beautifully with caffeine, we’ve mapped each stop to the closest Stone Creek Coffee.

Rush-Mor Records (Bay View)

If Milwaukee had a vinyl family tree, Rusmor is the trunk. A record shop has operated at this KK address since 1971; co-owners Dan DuChaine and Bill Rouleau have steered the ship for decades and still treat release day like a holiday. Punk, metal, prog, imports, it’s a lifer’s selection. It’s also not usual to see Rush-Mor’s name on the Bay View Bash music stage each September, which tells you how woven-in they are to the scene.

Pro tip: Ask what they’re actually spinning behind the counter. You’ll leave with homework, in a good way.

Closest SCC Shop: The Factory - 422 N 5th St.

Acme Records & Music Emporium (Bay View)

Opened in 2012 by WMSE DJ “Shopkeeper Ken” Chrisien, Acme feels like a curator’s living room—listening station in the window, reclaimed-wood buildout, and bins that prize condition and taste over hype. Expect adventurous jazz, left-field reissues, psych/post-punk, plus the occasional in-store set. During Record Store Day, they often roll carts outside for maximum dig.

If you collect with your ears—not just the hype sticker—this is your spot.

Closest SCC Shop: The Factory - 422 N 5th St.

Lilliput Records (East Side — Farwell)

When The Exclusive Company chain closed in 2022, longtime Milwaukee managers Tanner Musgrove and Brian Kirk bought the inventory and resurrected the beloved Farwell Ave space as Lilliput Records. The name nods to Gulliver’s Travels (and the post-punk band Liliput/Kleenex), and the shop’s vibe is inclusive: heavy on new releases, an expanding used section, and community events.

Pro tip: Ask about their event calendar—DJ sets and performance nights use the space well.

Closest SCC Shop: Downer Cafe & Kitchen

Irving Place Records (East Side — Brady/Prospect)

The baton pass: Bullseye Records (est. 2006, itself the successor to Farwell Music/Earwaves) closed in 2024 and re-opened under longtime staffer Terry Hackbarth (with Don Kurth) as Irving Place Records—same address, refreshed shop, more space, and a DJ booth. They hit their one-year anniversary in 2025 and announced an expansion to double the floor. Selection is lean, priced right, and the staff actually plays what they recommend.

Closest SCC Shop: Downer Cafe & Kitchen

We Buy Records (Riverwest)

Andy Noble (musician, DJ, and former Lotus Land owner; co-founder of Kings Go Forth) built a buy-first, sell-smart operation on Center Street. Translation: constant inventory turnover, fair trade-ins, and the chance to spot a soul/funk grail before it hits Discogs. Don’t be fooled by the name; they do sell, and the $3/$6 bins can be ridiculous. 

Pro tip: If you’re selling a collection, text first; they make house calls.

Closest SCC Shop: Shorewood

Omen Alternative Music & Media (South Milwaukee)

Niche done right: industrial, goth, darkwave, horror ephemera, and thoughtfully chosen new/used vinyl. If your mood tilts midnight-black, Omen will feel like home. Hours are generous; the curation is tight. This is a great stop when you’re building a moody synth set.

Closest SCC Shop: The Factory - 422 N 5th St.

Volta Records (Greenfield)

Opened July 2022, in the former Exclusive Company Greenfield space; big floor, steady buy/sell action, and lots of fresh stock weekly (LPs, CDs, tapes). If you’re already west/southwest of the city, this is the easiest place to fill a crate fast. Come ready to flip. Turnover here means new surprises on every visit.

Closest SCC Shop: Tosa Bluemound

Milwaukee Vinyl Lore (the short version)

• Rush-Mor is the city’s longest-running indie shop and anchors the Bay View Bash stage—proof that it’s a community hub, not just a storefront.

• The East Side lineage runs Earwaves → Farwell Music → Bullseye → Irving Place Records—a rare, continuous thread of counterculture retail.

• When The Exclusive Company shuttered in 2022, Milwaukee responded with Lilliput (Farwell) and Volta (Greenfield), keeping those neighborhoods stocked with wax.

• Stone Creek Bay View closed in 2021; your nearest SCC for Bay View digs is the  Factory Cafe downtown (bonus: you can tour the roastery on Sundays).

How to Tackle a Milwaukee Dig Day (playbook)

1. Start South at Rush-Mor and Acme. Grab coffee after at Factory Cafe (near the fireplace if it’s cold). Grab a Record Player Tee if you're feelin' the vibes.

2. Cut East to Lilliput and up to Irving Place, then lunch & espresso at Downer Cafe & Kitchen for round two.

3. Finish North/West with We Buy Records (Riverwest) and, if you’re driving back toward the burbs, a dash to Volta in Greenfield; refuel at SCC Tosa Bluemound.