Shuga Records

Shuga has it all. Records, DVDs, video games, posters, books, art and equipment. Plus they sell tickets to concerts and host their own festivals. This place is the Renaissance Man of record stores!

Honey, ah Shuga Shuga,
You are my candy girl,
And you’ve got me wanting all that dusty crap you hide in the back room.

Shuga is a cool addition to an already cool neighborhood.
I almost feel guilty that I didn’t make it over here sooner. I’m not a vinyl nut by any stretch of the imagination, but, as a music lover, I appreciate a good record store.
Shuga has all these old turntables and retro and new vinyl (even some LPs for free). In the back, you’ll find a stage for in-​store performances, which I haven’t heard about yet.
Shuga was an online record dealer before they even opened this store about a year ago. In fact, if you don’t see what you want in the store, you can look through their merchandise online right there at the computer kiosk.
So far, I’ve found their concert ticket sales to be most helpful. They have a list of upcoming shows on this big board and you can buy them right there without the Ticketmaster charge or having to trek down to First Avenue. Bring cash though, because they charge some sort of fee otherwise (that’s where they got the star knocked off, because I don’t think that’s kosher).
I enjoy their community events too, like the block parties, outdoor concerts, flea markets and vinyl swaps they’ve been hosting!

I am so happy a decent record store opened in Northeast Minneapolis. Shuga Records boasts easily the most diverse collection of records under one roof in the cities, however they maintain an even larger presence on-​line.
It is easy to tell that the owner of this store loves vinyl, and I totally appreciate that. Located in the former home of the Minnesota Center for Photography, the store offers low-​priced used records, new releases on vinyl and CD, a free bin of records and album-​cover art, listening booths, a DJ booth and stage for in-​store performances, vintage turntables and an online database to browse the hundreds of thousands of records stored in the back-​of-​store warehouse.
A few of my personal highlights regarding Shuga Records:
1. They have an excellent stock of local artists, including Charlie Parr on vinyl. Having seen him at the 331 a number of times, it only was poetic that I find a vinyl copy of Roustabout here. The sales person was impressed at my purchase as well… it’s good to have a sales person think your purchase is cool.
2. They host Music Festivals such as Hoolie Fest that happen in their parking lot. We saw a little bit of it during Art-​a-​Whirl, and enjoyed the vintage t-​shirt vendor that had camped out there in the lot during the shows.
3. The art work on the wall… it’s local, it’s cool, and it’s for sale.
4. If you don’t see it in the store, ask, they most likely have it in their warehouse.