Zia Records Is Opening Its Third Valley Store, Its First in North Las Vegas

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

WhatNow Las Vegas reporter Candese Charles broke down the plans on Oct. 16 in a story titled "Zia Records to Open its Third Las Vegas Valley Store." The new shop will be at 1366 W. Cheyenne Ave., Suite 101 to 103, in North Las Vegas. WhatNow reported the store is expected to open in fall 2026, and that signage is already up on the building.

Zia is planning a grand opening celebration weekend with sales, promotions and freebies. The exact dates have not been announced. Store hours and square footage were not shared in the report either.

Christina Wilson, Zia's marketing manager, has been with the company for 18 years. She told WhatNow, "North Las Vegas is untapped territory for Zia, but a location there has been heavily requested for years." She added that a third valley location "has been a dream/something that's been talked about from the moment I started."

Myke Joyner, who manages Zia's Las Vegas Valley stores, described the shopping experience this way: "Zia is a place where you're immersed in the past, present, and future of media, music, pop culture, and the like."

Row of vinyl records on display in a record store

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

North Las Vegas has grown a lot in recent years, with many newer neighborhoods and young families. But residents often say they have to drive across town for the kinds of shops and hangouts that other areas take for granted. A new specialty store like Zia is a small but real sign that retailers are paying more attention to the north side.

Independent and specialty stores give a neighborhood character. Big box stores and chain restaurants are useful, but they look the same in every city. A record store is a place where people browse, talk music, swap recommendations and run into neighbors. Teens can spend an afternoon digging through bins. Parents can find the album they loved in high school. That kind of place helps a neighborhood feel like a community.

The trade-in counter matters too. WhatNow reported that customers can sell or trade in records, CDs, movies and games for store credit or cash. For families, that is a way to turn old media into something new, or a little extra money. For collectors, it means fresh used stock coming through the door all the time.

It is also more convenient. North Las Vegas residents who wanted to shop at Zia had to drive to one of the other two valley stores. With traffic, that can be a long trip for one stop. A store on West Cheyenne Avenue puts it within a short drive for many neighborhoods in North Las Vegas and the north side of Las Vegas.

Timing helps as well. A fall opening puts the store in place right before the holiday shopping season. Records, movies, games and collectibles are popular gifts, and many families would rather shop close to home than fight crowds at the big malls. If the store opens before the holidays, North Las Vegas shoppers get one more local option for their gift lists.

There is also a jobs angle. A new retail store means new local jobs, often a mix of full-time and part-time roles. For students and young adults in North Las Vegas, a job at a record store can be a first job in a field they actually care about. Zia's Las Vegas stores have been around for more than two decades, and long-running local employers are good for any community.

Background and History

Zia Records has deep roots in the Southwest. According to WhatNow, Brad Singer founded the company in Phoenix in the spring of 1980 as a small used record and novelty shop called Zia Used Records and Incidentals. It focused on pre-owned music, supported local artists and grew mostly by word of mouth.

In the 1990s, Zia expanded across Arizona, with stores in places like Tempe, Tucson, Chandler and Mesa. The company also started side businesses: Impact Music, a distribution company; CHUD Graphics; and an independent record label, Epiphany Records. As CDs declined and digital music took over, Zia adapted. It added pop culture merchandise, video games and collectibles, and it helped drive the vinyl comeback and Record Store Day.

Today Zia has nine stores across Arizona and Nevada. Two are already in the Las Vegas Valley, one in Las Vegas and one in Henderson. WhatNow reported that 2026 marks Zia's 21st year in Las Vegas. That is a long run for a physical media store in a world of streaming.

Zia sells records, CDs, movies, video games, books, pop culture merchandise and collectibles, both new and pre-owned. The stores also host events, including meet-and-greets, giveaways, listening parties and Record Store Day celebrations. Those events draw collectors and fans who line up early for limited releases.

Why does a record store still work in 2026? A big reason is that people like owning things they love. Streaming is easy, but you do not own anything, and songs and movies can disappear from an app overnight. A record on the shelf or a game on a disc is yours. Vinyl also gives fans big album art, liner notes and a reason to sit down and listen to a full album start to finish. Zia leaned into that shift early, and it is a big part of why the company is still opening stores more than 45 years after it started.

Used media is the other half of the story. Zia started as a used record shop, and buying and selling pre-owned media is still at the heart of the business. That model keeps prices lower for shoppers and keeps old records, movies and games in circulation instead of in landfills or garage boxes.

Here is a quick look at what WhatNow says shoppers can expect at Zia stores:

New and used vinyl records
CDs and movies
Video games
Books
Pop culture merchandise and collectibles
A trade-in counter for store credit or cash
In-store events like meet-and-greets, giveaways and listening parties

Large collection of records displayed on shelves inside a record store

Bins full of vinyl records in a record store, ready for browsing

What Happens Next

The next big date is the opening. Zia has said fall 2026, which means it could open any week now through the end of the year. The company has not shared a specific date. Follow Zia Records on its website and social media for the grand opening announcement, since the opening weekend is expected to include sales and freebies.

Record Store Day is the other date to watch. It is a yearly event for independent record stores, with special releases sold only in participating shops. Zia has been a big part of Record Store Day, and a new location means one more place in the valley to line up for those releases. The organization usually holds a Black Friday event in November as well. Check the Record Store Day website for 2026 dates and participating stores.

Beyond the store itself, keep an eye on what else opens nearby. When a well-known retailer moves into a shopping center, it can draw new foot traffic and make the center more appealing to other businesses. North Las Vegas residents have been asking for more shopping and entertainment options for years, and every new opening helps make the case.

It is also worth watching how Zia uses the space. Its other stores host events like listening parties and meet-and-greets. If the North Las Vegas store does the same, it could become a small gathering spot for local music fans, bands and artists. Zia's history of supporting local musicians, going back to its start in Phoenix, suggests that could happen. North Las Vegas has local artists and bands of its own, and a store that gives them a stage or a shelf would be a welcome addition.

We will update readers when an opening date is announced. Until then, the signs on West Cheyenne Avenue are the clearest sign that the store is on its way.

Ryan's Take

I talk with a lot of buyers who are open to North Las Vegas because of the value. You can often get more house for the money there than in some other parts of the valley, and there are plenty of newer communities. The trade-off people mention most is that there are fewer things to do close to home. That is changing slowly, and openings like this are part of it.

We have covered several North Las Vegas stories in recent months, like Fire Station 51 opening and the Hylo Park youth sports plans. Public services, parks and local businesses all add up. When a city gets new fire stations, sports fields and shops people actually want to visit, it becomes a more complete place to live. That matters for families buying today, and it matters for what those homes are worth down the road.

On a personal note, I love that a record store chose North Las Vegas. Physical media stores are not easy businesses. Zia is betting that the north side has enough music lovers, gamers and collectors to support a store. I think they are right.

When I show homes to buyers, I always encourage them to look past the house itself. Where would you grab coffee? Where would your kids hang out on a Saturday? Where would you meet friends? Those answers shape daily life more than an extra bedroom or a bigger garage. Specialty stores, local restaurants and parks are a big part of what makes a neighborhood feel like home. North Las Vegas is adding more of those every year.

Shopper flipping through records inside a record store

What You Can Do

Watch for the opening date. Follow Zia Records online so you hear about the grand opening weekend. Early shoppers often get the best deals and freebies.

Clear out your shelves first. If you have old records, CDs, DVDs or video games you no longer use, the new store's trade-in counter gives you a way to turn them into credit or cash. Gather them up now so you are ready on opening weekend. Check with the store about what they accept before you bring in a big box.

A few trade-in tips: clean your discs and records before you bring them in, keep cases and sleeves with the items, and sort things by type. Items in better shape usually earn more. Store credit offers are often higher than cash offers at trade-in shops, so if you plan to shop anyway, ask about both before you decide.

Plan for the holidays. If the store opens before December, it could be a handy stop for gifts. A used record, a classic movie or a retro game makes a thoughtful present for the music fan, film buff or gamer on your list.

Make it a family outing. Record stores are a great way to share music across generations. Let kids pick a record from the year their parents graduated, or let grandparents show the grandkids the albums they grew up on. It is a fun, low-cost way to spend an afternoon.

Support local and specialty shops in your area. Stores like Zia stay open when people show up. If you want more shops like this in North Las Vegas, the best thing you can do is shop there and tell your friends.

And if you are thinking about moving to North Las Vegas, take a drive along West Cheyenne Avenue and the nearby neighborhoods. Look at what is opening, what is under construction and what is already there. It will give you a good sense of where that part of the valley is headed.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.

Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com