Long lines, rare finds mark Record Store Day in Chicago

CHICAGO - If you're a fan of vinyl records, Saturday was your day.

Music lovers from coast to coast celebrated National Record Store Day — and Chicago, the birthplace of so much great music, was no exception.

What we know:

The line outside Reckless Records in the Loop stretched down the block. Some audiophiles camped out as early as 2 a.m.

"You can't play around with days like this, man. You end up coming here at 5 a.m. thinking you're coming early. The whole line will be down the street. You won't even get what you want," said Wanya. 

And what they want might be hard to find.

"We love Record Store Day because it has people coming into the store. That's important. We're really happy about that. But also, it's a chance for people who have been coming to stores to get a chance to get some stuff that hasn't been in print, isn't available anymore, is rare," said Reckless Records manager Steven Rahman. 

Record Store Day is a celebration of independent stores, featuring exclusive releases, in-store events and hidden vinyl gems.

What they're saying:

Fans and collectors say vinyl sounds better than digital — and they love that it’s something tangible.

"It's just something that you can have for awhile. The sound doesn't change. If you take care of the record, the vinyl, you'll be listening to this for years. Pass it down to generations and stuff," Wanya said. 

"I really hope that people who are fans get a chance to get the stuff they are looking for because there's nothing better than getting something that has been out of print or has been impossible to find. And Record Store Day is one of those days where those things come back into the market," Rahman said.