Zia Record Exchange

All the familiar record-store chains have fallen, but Phoenix-based Zia Record Exchange remains Las Vegas’ closest approximation to a music-shop franchise. Actually, it’s more like a pop culture geek’s Target, with not only music and movies, but also books, video games, turntables, toys, board games and loads of branded knick-knacks—a family-friendly retail outlet, if not for the occasional profane punk blasting from its speakers. At its core, Zia—both its decade-plus Eastern Avenue and younger-brother Sahara Avenue locations—remains the largest album emporium in town, still devoting considerable real estate to used/new CD sales (where you’ll usually find the dads), but now complemented by its expanded vinyl department (where the kids now reign, naturally), including its impressive new/reissue selection. Finds (and clean copies) are hard to come by in the low-turnover used section, but its recent-arrival bays are a must-flip for every visit, and the gems displayed on the wall would endear the most cynical collector.