Record Shops

Hi,

This probably belongs in the music thread, but I want maximum readership, so I put it here!

I went to one of the few remaining used record shops in Milton Keynes yesterday. They sell vinyl, cds and dvds.

I told the chap there that I wanted to get some more 60's and 70's rock, but didnt really know where to start because I was only born in 72, and apart from the big names I hadnt heard of a lot of it.

He went through the entire racks for me pulling out albums. He then spent just under 3 hours playing samples from each record to see which ones I liked.

At the end of the day I walked away having spent just 55 quid for over THIRTY LP's, some of which are doubles.

The reason for the post is that he said that he may have to close the business because of lack of trade.

Its an absolute tragedy IMO, I mean when these places start to go - where else are you going to get that kind of service? All that we will be left with is the internet - which is fine if you know what you want (and dont mind the postage costs and buying unseen element), but you can't beat browsing stock in a friendly atmosphere.

For those who live anywhere near Milton Keynes, this shop is in the square in Wolverton, and they need the business they deserve.

Hope local people can help.

Thanks
Chris

 

Chris, I agree. It's a tragedy, but it's affecting most industries, not just Music. As you know a growing number of people are buying all sorts of products, obviously HiFi, TVs, furniture even groceries and medicine over the 'net. I feel not just for the retailers, but poor sods like us who want to be able to see and feel the quality of the products before we buy. Where will we audition HiFi, TVs, or try an arm chair etc.?

 

It's a nightmare. I have a local shop that is brilliant. He's got an upstairs full of 70's and 80's stuff that is a pound a pop. He keeps going from people like me who spend their £30 quid or so a month, and on people buying and selling videos. I hope he doesn't close because then I'd have to trek into manchester, a right pain

 

I think a reaction to this has already started. As a manufaturer who has stayed small (the company not me) in a craft type industry I have spoken to a couple of customers this week who want to buy from me because I produce in small quantities in the UK, because they can talk to me face to face, because they can visit the factory etc. Yes it's taking a while (7 years so far) and yes I would probably be more (financially) successful if I produced off shore and traded via the www.
The other thing I have noticed since moving to Devon is the number of people who want to buy direct from potters, woodturners, artists, furniture makers, farmers etc. It's not just a price thing as these people often sell for the same that a retailer would, it is the personal involvement.
What the web has done is connect people with similar interests; individuals can now trade vinyl, hi-fi, whatever. But again, it would appear that we would rather do business with an aqaintance on a forum than an unkown on ebay.
Having said all that, one of the redeeming features of my trips to London is that I get to go to proper record shops!

 

It's not just the internet taking sales from the shops. There is an excellent record shop in Birmingham (The Diskery) where the proprieter is friendly and works your bill out on a piece of paper. I have bought loads of great 2nd hand classical vinyl from him.

But with the introduction of ipods and mp3 it is difficult for a younger generation to understand the enjoyment in going out and hunting down something as antiquated as records. These people with a virtual record collection, some via file sharing, which they carry around on them - some of them cannot even relate to a physical record collection. After all why spend money on something when you get the download for free ?

Most new records I buy on the internet are no cheaper then if bought in the shops and once p+p is taken into account actually cost more - most records I buy via the internet are repressings from audiophile companies - such as the Led Zep reissues - which are difficult to get hold of from shops.

 

Can you give me the full address and postcode Chris so i can see where it is on a map.
Milton Keynes is a nitemare for me to find places

Cheers
Curtis

 

fish music
79 church street
wolverton
01908 227225

They have a good 1 pound section, the other section is anywhere from 3 to about 7.

Have fun

NB
They trade in cd's, dvds, VHS videos etc if you have any of that that you dont want

Chris

 

The record shops in Manchester City Centre are very expensive and the two main shops I go to are:

Kingbee Records, Chorlton (south Manchester) - A specialised record shop focusing on factory stuff, manc indie, northern soul and collectors, he also has a couple of bargain bins) stuff tends to be slightly below book price but he really knows his music so its unlikely to get a pure bargain unless their is a half price sale on. He has a very fast turnover of stock and local music celebreties can be seen in here. Very much a shop for people in the music business.

Sifters Records - Didsbury (Burnage end, south Manchester) - Mainly a pop shop selling lots of good condition Madonna ABBA type LPS for 50p. He is aging a little bit now and some times you can get stuff that he dosn't understand really cheap. I bought a Joy Divison Attompshere/Transmission single for £1 which would be approaching £10 in city centre stores. Stock dosn't seem to change at all but he also sells a lot of brand new chart CDs so I am guessing most of his income is this way.

There is one city centre shop I like and that Vinyl Revival simply because it specailises in indie, however its slightly expensive. This is the shop to get your Smiths t-shirt/poster from though I buy a lot from this shop, I just don't buy records there!

 

Hmm. I don't believe for a moment that the 2nd hand record market is any less active or vital than it has been in the past. The action going on on ebay and at record fairs and the increasing prices of half decent 2nd hand vinyl are testament to that. I think the problem here is that the 2nd hand market has changed but a lot of the shop based retailers haven't and are just doing the same old thing that they been for the past 30 years.

 

My local shop which is quite small btw always has at least 10 people browsing the vinyl sections on a saturday afternoon and their are ques for the tunrtable there is certainly a big market if you run a good a shop. What their isn't much of a market for is carboot sale pop recordshops as you can't really make money selling 50p Rick Astley LPS.

 

Having lived in Milton Keynes for a number of years I know of Fish music, in fact business has been difficult for this trader for some time and over the most recent years he concentrated more on the used video and DVD market.

Just around the corner from Fish is another second-hand store, it's in Wolverton Square next to Lloyds TSB (handy, that's my bank!). This shop used to be called 'Phat Trax' (an old DJ friend of mine used to own it), but then it was taken over by a local well known used record dealer who has now changed the name to something like 'Go Round Records'.

I was only there last week and I noted that his vinyl section had been downsized compared to times past, again moving towards the DVD buyer. But there is still a very good selection of vinyl and his prices are very good.

I also concur with other sentiments that good quality used vinyl stores are becoming harder to find. I grew up in Norwich as a young lad and there were so many record stores to choose from it blew your mind. You could almost find just about anything by doing the rounds. Now, many are closed which seems to be a pattern of what is happeneing everywhere else.

However, if you can ever get to San Francisco, California, there is a record shop in the Haight and Ashbury district called 'Ameoba Records', this was an old ten-pin bowling alley, they ripped out all the lanes and now it is just racks upon racks of vinyl and CD's (new and used). You can easily spend most of the day in there.

Roll on February 15th,...I leave for a four-week trip to California

 

is bobs records l still on the city center market? it was a wonderfull place for a young hippy to spend his pocket money,off topic but the chippy on church street used to be the one of the best in mk

 

Are you talking about Manchester? I assume so becuase of Chruch Street Market.

There is a very cheap car boot sale record shop which sells 20p LPs with cofee stains on them. This is the first stall on Church street on the side nearest to the Arndale.

 

sorry at im on about milton keynes,however i have spent more than a few pennies in piccadilly records , the second hand stalls in afflics palace,and a place just down from victoria station

 

Piccadilly Records is still going strong although its on Oldham Street now (not sure if its always been there)

 

Hi.

I might have got my shops mixed up. I couldnt remember the name, so I looked up fish records in the yellow pages.

The one I was thinking of is in the square in Wolverton, so perhaps ''Phat Trax'' is the one I meant. It seems very likely in fact.

Thanks for putting me straight.

Hippy - I saw a vinyl seller in the market at MK, but the prices seemed very high - I dont know if its the same bloke. Everything was around a tenner. Could be a different market trader.

nb Hows life in Great Yarmouth? I was there a few weeks ago with work, great fish and chips!

 

bob was dirt cheap,most of the stuff was new or very good condition second hand,his reguler spot was under the road way, 1 stall down from thedoors to the main mall.

i was there on sunday,charritee gig mate,im based just down the road in lowerstufed,if your up here again give us a shout and i'll introduce you to decent fish+chips

 

Where?

Chris