McAllen: Valley Vinyls

Victor Cantu never made the switch from vinyl to cassettes. He skipped CDs entirely. While everyone around him was boxing up LPs and moving on, Cantu kept spinning — and eventually turned that stubborn loyalty into one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most beloved record stores.

Valley Vinyls opened in October 2009 with a small McAllen shop and later expanded into its current home on North 10th Street. Today the bins hold between 10,000 and 20,000 records at any given time, the count shifting with how recently Cantu has been on the road. He travels Texas and beyond, chasing estate sales and dealer auctions the way a migratory bird follows a flyway — by instinct, season after season.

Cantu is a certified vinyl record appraiser, but the credential almost feels beside the point. He grew up playing guitar in local bands, absorbing the sounds of the 1960s and ’70s. His personal collection topped 10,000 albums before he ever opened a shop. “I want this place to look like my bedroom when I was a kid,” he has said — “posters on the wall and all that.”

What You’ll Find

Valley Vinyls stocks music from the earliest recordings to current releases. Beyond LPs, the inventory includes 45s, 78s, CDs, 8-tracks, cassettes, and T-shirts. Cantu also carries used stereo components and will order new equipment for anyone building a custom hi-fi system.

Plan Your Visit

Valley Vinyls is at 1700 N. 10th St., Suite D, McAllen. Hours are Monday 2–7 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday noon–8 p.m., and Sunday 1–6 p.m. Call (956) 929-1005.

The Valley’s vinyl scene runs deep. For the region’s Tejano and norteño heritage in record form, Pharr Out Records keeps the groove alive just across town in downtown Pharr.

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