REDDINGTON'S RARE RECORDS: Another record shop bites the dust.

I think recent vinyl sales can only be called a "resurgence" due to the fact that they became nearly non-existent at the turn of the century. In terms of the overall music sales market, a recent thread here showed the relative contribution of vinyl to music sales. I have to think one advantage the industry might see in vinyl is that it is not readily copied and endlessly "shared".

As far as online from Amazon, my purchases there have nothing to do with the cloud versions. I have probably a dozen download codes that I'll never use. Sometimes my son uses them.

In the few years I've been back into the vinyl market, a couple record shops have closed in the Seattle area, one of those I found marginal in VFM and was a rather dank hole. The larger shops seem to be holding their own. Most sell new and used vinyl, DVDs, CDs, and related maintenance gadgetry. I do think it's tough for the old school, strictly vinyl shops. I try to divide my visits among several bigger and smaller shops that I like. I tend to buy more locally now than I did initially. I like to go out and pick through vinyl, so I like to support the shops. The only downside is that it requires a 30 mile drive to get to most of these shops, so I have to plan my visits.

I have fond memories of Reddingtons,definitely part of my growing up.

Late 70's / early 80's it was my regular stop in Birmingham, less so once they eventually moved to Digbeth, but when they closed and went online in 2006 I lost track.

RRR was the place to meet and hang out, even if you couldn't swing a cat in there because it was so rammed with records. A real aladdins cave of a place.

Late 70's the band Quartz had links with RRR, maybe Taffy Taylor the lead singer worked there? I can't remember now. But Tony Iommi produced their first album. Great version of Nantucket Sleighride...

Great shop, wishing Mr Reddington all the best for the future.

Given the level of rent and business rates I'm amazed any of these stores survive these days.  Selling vinyl records is a perfect internet business - at least for as long as the likes of us forumites retain our hearing and discretionary income

The "vinyl resurgence" is a side show - impressive year on year sales growth from a very low base. Nice for the labels to have the profit in their back-pockets but it's not going to disrupt what's happening in the main market with YouTube, Pandora and Spotify.  Leaving aside the over-40's market I think there has been some interest in the "retro" format from the 20plus market.  I think the "millenniums" have little attachment to ownership of physical artefacts, or even ownership of digital downloads for that matter.

Well, at the end of September the indoor market in Watford is closing. There is an uncovered site available nearby but Pete, who runs the record stall, says he won't be moving. He's thinking of opening a small shop but is put off by the high overheads. I am hoping to keep in touch with him one way or another because he's been an excellent source of used vinyl for me over the last few years.

And here is another one. This one close to my heart as it is just down the road from me. 

http://www.thevinylfactory.com...ecord-shop-to-close/

http://www.islingtontribune.co...sex-road-store-nears

Another one I've bought LPs from recently. My son has moved to Highbury and I would have used the excuse of visiting to go to Haggle's. 

Reddingtons shop closed years ago-he was trading  via mail order/internet

Ceasing business because of ill-health

Steve

I went down to the sale day today.

The queue to get in was right round the block, must have been half a mile long by the time I got there (unsurprisingly, I guess).

Couldnt face the scrum, so I went home again!

Its only about 1/2 hour from where I live so it was no big deal, but the news that Dan Reddington was selling everything off, including rare stuff, for £1 each, had obviously gone far and wide!

Seems like the shop will be open next week also due to the huge demand, so Ill nip down there on Monday and see if there's anything left.

I wish I had known about this before the market closed! It would have been within a train journey from Milton Keynes which is a vinyl desert! Do you have any news of Pete trading elsewhere?

thanks

clive

Clive,

You have one more weekend. The market closes next Monday. 

If you contact me by email I'll keep you informed of what Pete plans for the future. Another friend Julian is moving his shop to Queens Road in Watford very soon.

Steve

Many thanks, Steve. email sent.

Clive