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

I’d been with my previous employer – working in audio and video conferencing – for well over a decade when they decided to move my role overseas. Rather than looking for a new role in the company, I decided to take the money and start a fresh doing something which was a passion of mine….vinyl recordsl!

Tell us about your store – what’s the vibe

I’m a pop girlie through and through! It’s what I specialise in. There’s such a big market for contemporary pop which wasn’t being catered for, and a lot of collectors have connected with what I’ve done and my passion for the ladies of pop…

My store aesthetic definitely reflects my personality, and Taylor, Kylie, Lana, etc, feature heavily. But never let my pop girl atheistic fool you! I stock a variety of artists and had a great education in classic rock and heavy metal from my older brothers growing up.

Can You Remember The First Record You Sold In The Shop? And The Last?

The first was Lady GaGa’s 'The Fame' on white vinyl.

The last was Arctic Monkeys’ 'Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not'.

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

I distinctly remember buying my first record. It was an ex-jukebox 7” of Transvision Vamp Baby I Don’t Care from Pricebusters under Blackpool Tower. My mom wasn’t keen on me buying it for some reason, but my Dad said “let her have it.” And there started my collecting addiction!

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

JM Records in Exeter. (They share my same passion for pop music!)

What’s your most memorable record store experience?

Has to be this year’s (2024) Record Store Day - as it was my first one in my shop! I’ll never forget the messages from regulars to let me know I had a good queue forming and then coming round the corner to see it stretching up the highstreet – the whole town was buzzing, hadn’t seen anything like it before!

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

So hard!!

I’ve just been to see Taylor Swifts: The Eras Tour which made me feel like a child. I was so excited! Other great ones were Fleetwood Mac with the fab five, Prince at a random festival in Kent and Kylie Minogue - my childhood heroine.

What's your all-time favourite book?

‘High Fidelity’ by Nick Hornby. (Even if it horrifies me to find there is a bit of Barry in all of us!)

What's your all-time favourite film?

‘Grease’ -1978

(Of course I have the soundtrack on pink vinyl!)

What would make up your desert island discs?

'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac (as I can hear this on loop and never get bored.)

'Red (Taylors Version)' by Taylor Swift (I would get my money’s worth out of those 4 discs.)

And then it would have to be…

'Spinning Around' by Kylie Minogue (for obvious reasons!)

Who would form your all-time festival line-up? (past & present)

Headliner: Taylor Swift

Legends slot: Kylie Minogue

Opener: Early Madonna

Acts:

Chappel Roan (I’m desperate to do the Hot To Go (H-O-T-T-O-G-O) dance in the crowd, like all those viral TikToks!)

Avril Lavigne (on the main stage, of course!)

What's your all-time favourite record?

'Rumours' – Fleetwood Mac. Its’ just timeless and I never grow bored of it!

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