Inside Orange’s record store scene ahead of Record Store Day 2026
Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
In the ever-evolving digital world of streaming, playlists and Spotify algorithms, record stores offer a different, more tangible approach to music: brick-and-mortar storefronts selling physical vinyls.
In Orange, record stores are more than just retail spaces — they reflect the identity of the city: creative, nostalgic and community-oriented. They fit naturally into the vintage aesthetic and slower-paced culture that Chapman students interact with everyday.
Record Store Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in April by record stores and music distributors since 2008, celebrates the culture of independent record stores and the role they play within communities and the music world at large. Each year, exclusive vinyls, CDs and promotional materials are released and distributed at record stores around the globe, giving communities a chance to come together and celebrate the universal language of music at their local vinyl shops.
Ahead of this year’s Record Store Day on April 18, The Panther checked out three of the stores closest to campus: Mr. C’s Rare Records, Resident Vinyl and Left of the Dial Records. Each store has a distinct identity, but all three celebrate culture, community and connection through physical music.
Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
Mr. C’s Rare Records — 148 N Glassel St, Orange; 0.3 miles from campus
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays
Mr. C’s Rare Records maintains the vintage side of vinyl with a used records collection shaped by decades of music history. The shop opened in its current storefront on The Circle in 1977 with Everrett Caldwell’s (Mr. C) own vinyl collection, and has remained a steadfast symbol of Old Towne Orange since, despite the passing of Mr. C in 2016 and, later, his wife Helen.
Curtis Blevins has helped the family run the shop for the last eight years and works closely with the couple’s daughter, Brenda Whetsel.
“It’s a little bit of everything, mostly older stuff,” Blevins said of the shop’s selection. “We don’t buy new records; we don’t have any new releases unless somebody has it in their collection and they come to sell to us.”
The mom-and-pop shop is not one to underestimate. Weathering the changes of the music business over the last half-century, the store’s stock at one point held more than a million records. The shop’s longevity can largely be accredited to the scarcity of the records in its collection; many of the records are now out-of-print, making them truly rare and especially valuable to collectors.
According to Blevins, however, the exclusivity of the records isn't what’s most important.
“I think that the real rare record for anybody is just the one they want — the one they were trying to find,” he said. “That’s the best thing about this place, is somebody coming in and, to me, it’s a common album that I see a lot of. But to them it’s like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve been looking for this.’ That’s the really cool thing.”
Alongside typical 12-inch LPs and 10-inch EPs, Mr. C’s also has an extensive collection of rare 45s – 7-inch vinyls that became iconic in the 1950s and ‘60s for popularizing rock singles. The shop also sells cassettes, postcards and merchandise, and the majority of its records are under $25.
Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
Resident Vinyl — 115 N Orange St, Orange; 0.4 miles from campus
Open daily 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Tucked inside Contra Coffee and Tea, Resident Vinyl is uniquely positioned — literally. Despite its small size, the store has a huge range, from classic rock to newly released hip hop, and an overall modern vibe as far as record stores go.
Owen Ela, Resident Vinyl’s owner, takes the curation of the shop seriously.
“Because we have such a small space, we have to be kind of picky on what inventory we bring in,” said Ela. “Our inventory is a revolving door of what’s new, what's hot, what people are into. We’re very, very selective and it’s a curated inventory.”
That intentional curation means Resident Vinyl truly has something for everyone, from AC/DC to A$AP Rocky. Records range in price, from $5 for some of the used records to $50+ for newly released albums.
The shop serves as more than just a storefront, putting on live community events including advance album listening events, album release parties and more that provide music lovers with an even greater sense of community.
In part due to its partnership with Contra — a popular study spot for Chapman students — Resident Vinyl sees a lot of traffic from Gen Z, even those who came to grab a drink and stayed to browse the record collection.
“A lot of my customers grew up in the iPhone or digital age where finding out about artists only happened on (the phone), and you know, streaming doesn’t make much money,” said Ela. “The number one way to support artists is to buy their record, and I think a lot of my customers value that.”
Resident Vinyl’s expansive collection helps music lovers support their favorite artists, no matter what genre they are, while giving them a space to celebrate and listen to music beyond screens. From classics to limited-edition records, the shop is a small space rich in personality. An impressively wide-ranging collection that is intentionally and personally curated lends itself to Contra’s easygoing atmosphere and sense of community.
Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor
Left of the Dial Records — 508 N Tustin St, Orange; 1.0 miles from campus
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Named after a song by The Replacements, Left of the Dial Records has been keeping rock alive via vinyl since 2021, originally opening in Santa Ana in 2017.
Inhabiting a larger storefront, Left of the Dial has no lack of inventory. After the loss of a friend and regular in 2020, the shop inherited 10,000 used records to add to its collection and maintains an extensive collection ranging in price from $3 to $50, including a selection of local artists.
The store offers a little bit of everything — including vintage band tees — but focuses mainly on a few genres.
“Classic rock and jazz are my main two,” said the store’s owner, Bill Michelle. “I’m not your stop for modern music or hip hop, but I know ‘70s, ‘80s rock very, very well. So it was easy for me to build a store around that.”
An especially unique aspect of the shop goes beyond the records and into the equipment used to listen to them. The walls of Left of the Dial are lined with high-quality speakers and turntables, many of them vintage as well.
“I love the gear more than the records,” said Michelle. “To be able to put out ‘70s gear with a warranty that no one else does, that’s kind of my niche.”
Over the years, one of the most special things for Michelle has been the community created by sharing a love for music.
“I have people that come in semi-daily. It’s just fun to develop a relationship with these people that otherwise I would never have gotten to know,” he said. “It’s very easy to project the joy that I’ve had with records and gear.”
This will be the last Record Store Day that Left of the Dial celebrates — Michelle is closing the shop once the building’s lease is up in December, possibly earlier. After a great nine years and amid many changes in the industry, he decided it’s time to move on.
Those celebrating Record Store Day have been working to bring their customers the best of what innovations in physical music have to offer, from exclusive releases to limited-edition re-presses. Meanwhile, used record stores like Mr. C’s hold a sense of rediscovery, offering hidden gems and older classics pulled from personal collections. It’s this range that ensures Orange’s record stores truly have something for every kind of listener.
For a generation born into all the options for music listening, choosing to listen to physical vinyls can be meaningful, nostalgic or just plain fun. No matter the day, purchasing from a local record store allows listeners to engage with what Record Store Day stands for: community, character and, above all, a lasting love of music.