Browsing Cactus is overwhelming at first. The more you flip through every record and CD, the more you realize truly how long it would take you to finish. Not only does Cactus's expansive library include all your essential classics and alt-rock chart-toppers, but the staff also has a good eye for local gems — and excels at promoting them with album release parties. Those events are one of the store's great draws, featuring not only local acts, like Buxton and The Mighty Orq, but also touring acts, like Wild Belle and Titus Andronicus's Patrick Stickles, who play on the store's small stage and interact with the crowd in an intimate setting. You don't need an excuse to go — but if you want one, the beer is often free.
READERS CHOICE: Cactus Music