Vinyl Vault transforms Power Building basement into a musical wonderland

The vault houses an extensive collection of records, spanning a wide range of genres and eras. (Source: Gary Robson, CTV News)

Winnipeg music lovers were drawn downtown Saturday as the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra's (MCO) Vinyl Vault opened its doors once again for its monthly sale.

Located in the basement of the Power Building at 428 Portage Avenue, the sale runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of every month.

"We have LPs, we have CDs. We have laserdiscs, in case you remember those back from the nineties," said Vinyl Vault volunteer Dennis Henney. "We have VHS tapes, we have cassette tapes, a whole plethora of things for people to enjoy."

The sale is located in the basement of the Power Building. (Source: Gary Robson)

The vault houses an extensive collection of records, spanning a wide range of genres and eras. From classic rock to jazz, blues to classical, shoppers can browse through thousands of albums.

For those on a budget, the majority of records were priced at just $3 each, making it an affordable way to expand one's music collection. As an extra treat for vinyl enthusiasts, albums from legendary artists Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, and Tony Bennett were all on sale for $1 each.

It was the last chance for access to the vault in a while, as there will not be a Vinyl Vault sale in December. "That's one of the holiday days for the volunteers," Henney said.

The sale runs on the last Saturday of every month. (Source: Gary Robson)

The massive physical media collection is the result of donations to the MCO. Henney said there are treasures to be found in the Vinyl Vault. "We do have collectors that come particularly here to seek out the gems. And we do often have gems."

The next Vinyl Vault sale won't be until the new year, on January 27, 2024.