Another day another fantastic Portland record store, today we are looking at Tomorrow Records in Southeast Portland. This record store can be overlooked by the dozen other record stores that are within a 10-minute drive but this shop can hold its own against just about every other store in the city slinging vinyl to the good folk of the Pacific Northwest.
Located less than a couple miles down Hawthorne from Portland staple Jackpot Records, this is a relatively young record store. First opened in 2018 the shop is owned by a former employee of another Portland record store: Everyday Music. Despite the record store scene in Portland, especially Southeast Portland, Tomorrow Records still manages to carve out its own piece of the market.
What to Expect
Tomorrow Records is a medium-sized record store by Portland standards. If we’re talking about the number of individual records in the store at any moment it’s pretty much dead middle of the pack. Expect plenty to flip through but not a place you need to set 5 hours aside for. The space itself is quite large so there is plenty of room to move around and shop without getting elbowed. Most days there are only a few people in the shop and maybe two employees at most. If you want a quiet place to spend an afternoon this shop is a great option.
Record Selection at Tomorrow Records
Tomorrow Records stock is made up of mostly high-quality used records. This isn’t a bargain shop filled with $5 records. If you’re on a budget and are looking to buy a stack of records, a shop like Dig Vinyl might be more your fancy in Southeast Portland. There is a decent amount of new records here mixed in the bins with the used stuff consisting of records that align with the taste of music in the shop: Rock and pop. I picked up a new copy of Violent Femmes self-titled debut. All of the other new records I saw were of similar persuasion, don’t expect new copies of anything particularly obscure.
Genre-wise it’s pretty traditional here, the rock and pop section is by far the biggest but there are decent-sized Jazz, Country, World, Metal, Punk, and Electronic sections amongst others. Besides 12″ vinyl, there was a section of 7” singles that was bigger than most places in town and filled with all kinds of cool stuff. There was a copy of South Park’s “James Cameron” whose existence I was not aware of, that I thought long and hard about. If you are someone who collects singles and is on the lookout for interesting ones, Tomorrow Records should be on your radar.
Audio Equipment Selection
Besides records, this shop really excels in the sound equipment department. While most shops fill their shelves with beginner equipment from Fluance and Audio Technica, Tomorrow Records has a stellar selection of used vintage audio equipment for sale. A lot of this equipment is towards the premium side but most days you’ll find a good mix of turntables, tube amps, receivers, speakers, and more. Prices start around $200 for turntables and can easily get into the $800+ range. If you’re still rocking a beginner turntable and want to make the switch to high-quality vintage equipment this is a great place to do so. The staff are extremely knowledgable and service and test all the equipment they sell themselves. The prices for much of this stuff are going to be higher than you might find on eBay but the peace of mind that it will work as advertised is well worth the extra money.
Prices at Tomorrow Records
Record prices at this shop are extremely reasonable. Both new and used were priced right where you expect, with many records coming in cheaper than I have seen them elsewhere around town. As I mentioned, the price of some of their audio equipment is a little higher than you may find online, but since the equipment has all been serviced and is in working order, this extra labor is factored into the price.
My Thoughts
Tomorrow Records falls into the category of a neighborhood shop. If you are looking got pick up the newest release of a record, this probably isn’t your place. This is a shop you pop into once a week to browse the excellent new arrivals section for any gems you’ve been on the hunt for. If you are in Southeast Portland, this shop is well worth going out of your way for. If you are in the market for any kind of vintage audio equipment, this is truly one of the best shops in Portland.
Records Purchased
Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes
Pioneer PL – 117D Turntable
Address: 700 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214