Built on Obsession
Midnight Vinyl Collective started the way most good things do: someone cared too much. Dex Morales spent 15 years touring as a jazz drummer, playing clubs from Portland to Tokyo. After a wrist injury ended his playing career in 2008, he needed a new way to stay close to the music.
He opened the shop in 2009 with $8,000 in savings and three crates of his personal collection. The name comes from his habit of listening to records past midnight after gigs — that liminal hour when music hits different.
Seventeen years later, the 400 sq ft hole-in-the-wall has grown into a 2,200 sq ft destination. But the mission hasn't changed: every record in this shop has been listened to by a human being who gives a damn.
Dex Morales, Founder
The Timeline
The Beginning
Dex opens with $8,000 and three crates of personal vinyl in a 400 sq ft space on Alberta St.
First Listening Party
What started as Dex playing records for friends on Friday nights became the weekly tradition it is today.
The Expansion
Moved into the current 2,200 sq ft space. Added the listening lounge and the Staff Picks wall.
The Team Grows
Rina and Marcus join the crew, each bringing their own obsessive taste in music.
The Listening Lounge
Built a dedicated stage and sound system for intimate live performances. 45-person capacity.
Still Here
17 years in, 12,000+ records on the shelves, 500+ listening parties hosted. No algorithms. Just taste.
Meet the Crew
Dex Morales
Owner & Founder
Former touring jazz drummer. 15 years on the road before a wrist injury redirected his obsession from playing music to curating it. Knows more about Blue Note pressings than is healthy.
Rina Takahashi
Co-Curator & Events Manager
Former radio DJ at KEXP. Rina's ear for ambient and world music expanded the shop's identity far beyond its jazz roots. She runs the listening parties with an iron fist and a gentle playlist.
Marcus Webb
Vinyl Specialist
Started as a customer who wouldn't leave. Marcus can grade a record's condition by touch alone and has an encyclopedic knowledge of 90s hip-hop pressings.