Give us the background.. when and why did you decide to open a record shop?

Dash The Henge Store opened on 12th October 2022 after a whirlwind 8 weeks. 

Before that, Dash The Henge existed as a record label focused on championing outsider artists, we heard that the legendary Rat Records was closing down in the summer of 22 and decided it was our civic and cultural  duty to keep the premises open as a record store. We spoke to the landlord and lo and behold someone had beaten us to it and applied for a change of usage to turn it into a chicken shop, South London famously has more than it’s fair share of chicken shops! 

Fortunately, the change of usage was declined by the council and we were next in line. We agreed terms on 12th August, got keys on 12th September and opened with an in-store performance by the mighty Warmducher on 12th October… A proper whirlwind couple of months!

Tell us a little bit about your store? What's the vibe?

Our shop has been described as a cultural hub! We offer an eclectic selection of new and secondhand records, books, merch, guitar strings and other accessories. Plus, we have live music every Saturday at 3pm and 5pm. Other events in the evenings include release parties, poetry nights and art exhibitions. There’s always something going on down at the Henge!

We describe our store as genre-fluid, we stock anything and everything as long as it’s good! We’ve kept the Rat Records legacy going with large selection of secondhand vinyl but as supporters of outsider music and artists we have a larger selection of new and reissue vinyl. 
As has been well documented very few artists make anything from streaming so to be able to support artists by selling their physical product is central to our ethos. We also have live music performances every Saturday at 5pm where we champion existing and brand new artists, these are promotional events and tie into releases (whether physical or not) and give 100% of all product and merch sales back to the artist.
Events are integral to the soul of the store and in the short time we’ve been open we’ve hosted label launches, book launches, poetry nights and radio takeovers alongside the live performances. It wasn’t necessarily our intention but we’ve become a cultural hub in the heart of South London.
Our customers are a mix of old school Rat regulars, young people often buying their first vinyl (we’ve begun selling affordable Bluetooth connected turntables for those just starting out) established vinyl fans and everyone in between.

Can you remember the first record you sold in the shop? and the last?

The very first record we sold in the shop was a reissue of The Troggs - Wild On The Radio to a customer called Mick who wandered in before we were even officially open, our first bestseller was Brian Destiny - Brian’s Got Talent EP and rightly so as Brian Destiny is a Dash The Henge label artist!

Do you remember the first record shop you went to? And do you remember the first record you bought?

The first 7” single I ever bought was Madonna – Material Girl. I still love those early Madonna tunes to this day and looking forward to receiving the recently released, Italian’s Do It Better, a compilation of Madonna covers from the LA-based electronic label of the same name…Genius reinvention!

What is your favourite record shop (apart from your own!) and why?

I rarely leave South London but we’re spoilt for choice round these parts! With Pure Vinyl and Lion Vibes in Brixton, Lorenzo’s and Upside Down, Peckham Soul and many more!

What's the story behind your shop name?

Well, that can be traced back to the Fat White Family, who ran a campaign to get Stone Henge pebble dashed. Sadly, they didn’t succeed. But we keep that dream alive by rolling with the moniker, Dash The Henge!

What’s your most memorable record store experience?

Everyday is memorable to be fair! I love the rich mix of people that come through the shop. From the seasoned vinyl heads to the newbie’s looking to discover what the fuss is about. Teaching kids to use a turntable for the first time is always a buzz. Seeing them try to work out how that circular, spinning piece of plastic is making those wonderful sounds!

How successful has Record Store Day been for your store?

We love Record Store Day! We run an event called SXSE (South By South East). The programme includes the shop, The Old Dispensary and The Bear Camberwell with live music and DJs. We’ve run it three times now!

It’s become a real event for people to come down and shop on Record Store Day, then check out some wicked live music across a range of venues.

What's the best gig you've ever been to?

The Stone Roses, Brixton Academy 09/12/95

What's your all-time favourite book?

‘Cannery Row’ by John Steinbeck

What's your all-time favourite film?

‘Mean Streets’ (1973) – Martin Scorsese

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