It's not the same big to-do as April's annual Record Store Day, but Black Friday is still a fairly large deal to the organization behind RSD and the Twin Cities shops that participate in it. Special limited-edition vinyl and other collector-oriented merch are hitting local shelves Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). Here's some of what to expect:
THE ELECTRIC FETUS ( 2000 S. 4th Av., Mpls.): As it usually does, the Fetus is loading up on the special RSD releases and will offer 20% off almost everything in the store this weekend. All sales also come with a coupon book for January offering even bigger discounts. The store will open early, 9 a.m., on both Friday and Saturday (the latter being Small Business Saturday).
DOWN IN THE VALLEY (8020 Olson Memorial Hwy, Golden Valley): Burgeoning local strummer J.S. Ondara, fka Jay Smart, will play a free in-store set at the Golden Valley location Friday at 6 p.m. to tout his upcoming album for Vanguard Records, "Tales of America." He's opening for the Cactus Blossoms at First Ave a night later. All three Down in the Valley locations are stocking up RSD special orders and will open at 9 a.m. Friday.
HYMIE'S (3820 E. Lake St., Mpls.): Still proudly owned by the Hoenacks as they seek a new owner, the great Lake Street haven will have a bundle of RSD items and is enticing shoppers with free food and snacks from Geek Love Cafe upon opening at 9 a.m. Friday
MILL CITY SOUND (812 Main Street, Hopkins): "For the life of me, I just don't remember ordering this many records," MCS owner Rob Sheely wrote/fretted in a Facebook post that showed off their loot that has already arrived. The great main-street Hopkins shop will also open at 9 a.m. Friday.
FIFTH ELEMENT (2411 Hennepin Av. S.): The hip-hop specialty shop will offer 20% off all books, 15% off all vinyl from 9-11 a.m., and 10% off vinyl after that.
FLASHLIGHT VINYL (407 Central Av. SE #101, Mpls.): After shutting down its storefront farther up Central Avenue last month, the northeast Minneapolis neighborhood shop is using Black Friday to tout its grand reopening at a new location inside El Diablo Amps & Guitars. Yep, it'll be open at 9 a.m., too.
Other participating Black Friday RSD shops around town include: Agharta Records (St. Paul), Barely Brothers (St. Paul), Cheapo Records (Mpls.,) Dead Media Records (Mpls.), Eclipse Records (St. Paul), Extreme Noise (Mpls.), Hi-Fi Hair & Records (Mpls.), Know Name Records (Mpls.), Roadrunner Records (Mpls.), Solid State Vinyl (Mpls.)
