Sunderland, UK | I had queues down the street as I opened my new record shop in Sunderland: Sunderland has a new record shop and it certainly had people in a spin on opening weekend, with queues down the street and more than 300 records sold in two days. Roker Records has been brought to the city by long-time vinyl collector Iain Wakefield who’s taken his passion for the format to the next level with the new shop in Fulwell Road. It’s only the second independent record shop in the city, after Hot Rats in Waterloo Place, and is the only one north of the river after opening in the unit which was most recently occupied by Pied. It’s small in size, but Iain has managed to fill the shop with thousands of LPs covering all manner of genres, from Taylor Swift’s new The Life of a Showgirl to vintage The Stranglers.
Perth, AU | Perth’s Shari-Vari Records announces closure: Owners of the Boorloo shop said they’re “likely to wrap things up end of November.” Perth (Boorloo)’s Shari-Vari Records is closing. The team behind the shop, which is located in the city’s CBD, broke the news on Instagram today, October 27th, revealing that it “feels like the right time to call it a day,” and thanking those who have supported the venture over the years. “Not planning anymore deliveries between now and close,” the post read. “Likely to wrap things up end of November, with the web store running for a short while once the shop closes.” Launched in 2021, Shari-Vari Records is an import record store specialising in dance music, soul, jazz, reggae, ambient and leftfield sounds. It’s located in the basement of the State Buildings.
London, UK | Alan’s Record Shop: The ‘If you know, you know’ of Record Shops amongst World Renowned Artists and Collectors. Despite being situated in the suburbs of North London, globally renowned artists from the likes of “Tyler, the Creator”, “Ray Davies from the Kinks” and “Jarvis Cocker from Pulp” have travelled to visit and rummage through the invaluable range Alan’s Records houses. Possessing over “75,000” records that are in continuous rotation in the shop, this cult-following garnered over “31 years” since Alan first opened his business was almost guaranteed. Having been offered the back room of the shop in 1994, Alan initially planned to begin a temporary record shop business as a solution to his prior redundancy. However over three decades later, Alan’s Records has flourished into a community staple, both in the musical world and locally.
San Francisco, CA | People We Meet: Bullet LaVolta member is now a vinyl expert: Chris Guttmacher, ex-drummer, brings The Plastic Pancake to the Mission. Record store owner Chris Guttmacher grew up on music, but not the kind that predominates in his colorful shop, The Plastic Pancake, which opened in September on Valencia Street. “My parents were both classical musicians,” he said. “It sort of ruined it for me.” They weren’t performers—his father was a psychiatrist and his mother worked at home—but the 59-year-old small business owner got sick of the classical music they constantly played in their home in Brookline, Massachusetts. His tastes swerved in a different direction after a babysitter introduced him to Country Joe and the Fish and the Beatles. He took up drums and guitar and played for a time in Boston-area rock bands Bullet LaVolta and Cul de Sac. Guttmacher brings plenty of experience with him in the walls of The Plastic Pancake.
Wilmington, NC | Schoolkids Records Expands, Brings More Vinyl Vibes To Downtown Wilmington: Steve Levine likes the vibe of the downtown space he leased as a second Wilmington location for Schoolkids Records. By “vibe,” he means “the feeling you get down here, the warmth of the people, the fast acceptance,” Levine said, vibing inside the 300-square-foot Schoolkids shop he and his partners recently opened at 3 S. Second St. The flagship Schoolkids Records location in Wilmington is in a larger building at 1001A S. Kerr Ave., not far from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Schoolkids in Wilmington—not affiliated with other record stores of the same name in the state—sells new and used vinyl records, CDs and cassette tapes. It also buys collections of all types. Duane Ingram opened the original Wilmington Schoolkids Records in 1978.
Broadwindsor, UK | The Record Vault Broadwindsor to celebrate anniversary: The owner of a business described as the ‘most rural record shop in the UK’ has been overwhelmed by the success of the venture as he is soon to celebrate one year in Broadwindsor. Ian Picken has been a lover of records since he worked in record shops as a teenager. Last year, he took a chance making his dream of owning a record shop come true after he was knocked off his feet in 2020. Previously, Mr Picken ran an events company in wellbeing and education in Berkshire but sadly lost his business during the Covid-19 pandemic. …He said: “Covid took the rug from my feet and [the business] closed overnight essentially.” Following a change in career, the music lover—who now lives in Beaminster—opened the Record Vault at Redlands Yard last November, and since then, people from all over the country have come to visit.
York, UK | York Record Fair returns to York Racecourse in November: A popular record fair is returning to York next month—with thousands of records available to customers under one roof. York Record Fair is now one of the UK’s biggest record fairs returns to York Racecourse on Saturday, November 1. Taking place from 10am to 5pm, fair organiser, John Cox, said: “There’ll be a huge selection of quality vinyl records with more than 50 top sellers with 150 tables—that’s about 150,000 records—rock ‘n’ roll, soul, punk, prog, indie, reggae, metal, electronic, jazz, classical and much more. “Whether you stay for seven hours or pop in for 30 minutes, there is sure to be something for every music enthusiast. “And it’s not just vinyl records—a great selection of memorabilia can be found, including 40 original posters, photographs and books featuring New Order, Electronic, Joy Division and others.
Chilliwack, BC | Take a spin at the 3rd annual vinyl-record fair in Chilliwack: Two record-loving guys in Chilliwack are dropping the needle once again on an annual vinyl-record fair. The Fraser Valley Record Fair returns to the Princess Armouries building in Chilliwack on Nov. 9. Organizers Ryan Wugalter and Evan McDowell, both local teachers with a background working in record shops, launched the event in 2023. Leading up to the inaugural event, Wugalter called it the “best record store in town for one day only.” This year there will be 50 vendors selling vinyl records, CDs, DVDs, tapes and music memorabilia. People can expect plenty of discount records and CDs for $5 and under. It’ll be a mix of individuals and brick-and-mortar stores selling their items. “Some folks travel from as far as Kamloops and Vancouver Island, but we also feature local shops like Chilliwax Records. Both Ryan and myself hand-pick the sellers to make sure that there’s a great variety,” McDowell said.
Stalybridge, UK | Stalybridge set for vinyl countdown amid all things vintage: Record collectors and lovers of all things vintage have the chance to get in a spin and turn back the clock at a new Stalybridge event. The town’s Civic Hall will play host to the So Retro Vintage and Vinyl Fair on Sunday, November 2. More than 25 specialist traders will allow shoppers to browse a handpicked selection of vintage and retro homeware, furniture, clothing, jewellery, accessories and, of course, vinyl records. There will also be stalls selling sweet treats and coffee. There will also be a vintage bar. “We’re thrilled to bring this eclectic mix of vintage shopping to Stalybridge”, Michelle Barratt, founder of So Retro Events, said. “The building is incredible, and I can’t wait to see it filled with vintage stalls.”
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