About Us
Welcome to Miyagi Records!
Not your average record store. We are also a small cafe, shared workspace (w/ wifi), and gathering space hosting various cultural and community events.
But as a record store, we specialize obscure and classic - Soul, Funk, Jazz, Latin, Rock, Blues, World Music, New Wave / Industrial, Hip-Hop, Disco, House LP, 12inch single, & 45rpm formats.
The shop’s name says all about who we are. In the Japanese language, “Miyagi” means shrine fortress. It’s about protecting something almost intangible and very precious. Influenced by the hyper-curated, hidden away vinyl shops of Tokyo, Japan, our goal is to become your 'secret spot.' The crane that you can see on our logo is a symbol for longevity and prosperity in Japanese culture. Miyagi Records embodies all these concepts.
We founded Miyagi Records in late 2019 as a humble side project with the intent to one day grow it into a shop. During the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, as working musicians, our professional world shut down, and we saw that as an unlikely opportunity to fulfill Miyagi Records’ potential. It became a way for us to stay connected with music lovers and to continue sharing our love for arts and culture, and in the process, creating our own path to prosperity. That is Miyagi Records’ origin story.
We acknowledge that most of the music we love and sell was created by musicians of color, and this informs our business ethics. As a BIPOC-owned store, we want to serve the diverse Southside community by showcasing the vibrant musical legacy of Chicago’s Southside and by offering all our patrons high quality customer service and fair prices.
We are a proud member of Rebuild Foundation’s Creative Entrepreneurship program: because our values align so well, collaborating with Theaster Gates and his organization is key to implementing our vision. As we join the Arts Block, whose footprint once included boxer Joe Louis’ famed Rhumboogie Café, we aim to honor the area’s rich cultural history.
LOCATION / HOURS / DIRECTIONS
MIYAGI RECORDS
307 E. GARFIELD BLVD
CHICAGO, IL 60637
phone: 708.586.9773
email for general inquiries ONLY - info@miyagirecords.com
If you are interested in getting involved or producing an event, class, or workshop, please visit this page. Emails to our info@ address will most likely go ignored.
HOURS:
Tuesday - Wednesday 12pm-5pm
Thursday - Sunday 12pm-7pm
DIRECTIONS:
Confused or lost? Call or text us anytime!
PUBLIC TRANSIT / PARKING:
CTA Train - The Green line's Garfield station is directly across the street from the shop.
CTA Bus - The #55 Garfield Green line stop is just a couple doors away from the shop.
U of C Shuttle - Red Line/Arts Block Route. Mon-Fri, 6:30am-9pm, every 10 min.
Parking - You can find parking spots (unmetered) along Garfield Blvd. As well, you can find non-permit spots in the neighborhood streets on either sides of the Boulevard.
VENUE INFORMATION:
If you are interested in hosting an event at Miyagi Records, please send us your event idea HERE (the more information you can provide about your event, the better). We look forward to working with as many folks as possible this year!