Record shop life and update
It’s been a while since a blog. We have been riding the coronavirus storm. We still are really.
As you may or may not know we are a four “man” team.
Dad Gareth who runs the the shop Tuesday to Saturday, buys in vintage vinyl and turntables etc. Behind the scenes during lockdown he has been sorting and cleaning the shop. Selling on a well know auction site, hand delivering vinyl locally and buying and collecting Technics turntables.
Mum Kerry who looks after the web, some of the socials. Buys in and sources the new vinyl. This is not my (I’m writing this....) full time job. I’ve been on furlough since March, this has come in handy as I’ve been able to look after our two children and home school the eldest.
Then we have two little people (7 and 3) who you sometimes may see in the shop, and occasionally we comment about them on the socials. Suffice to say it is those two little people who have got us through lockdown. Made us focus our thoughts, and instead of bunkering down and waiting it out, made us push forward. Invest in new stock, invest in our website and re-assess our well being and mental health. Getting them out of the house for walks and fresh air. Exploring the local area. For who are we really living for.....but our future genes. It is those two little people who we are really investing in.
So what next? Well we had a really fun and successful LRSD, which confused the heck out of a lot of people! It’s not RSD it’s LRSD! Online only exclusive limited edition vinyl day - Love Record Stores Day. And you did love us that day, and we thank you for this. It was a risk we took. Buying in the stock on firm sale. Not knowing if it would sell. But you came, and you bought, despite not being able to satisfy all orders as the stock was VERY limited.
RSD - Record Store Day. This is next! It’s an event for physical record shops. We have access to over 300 limited edition vinyl. Some are on colour vinyl, some have never been released before. Either way it’s an EXCITING day. It brings together people from all over the country, has them queuing outside their chosen shop in the cold and dark from 6am so secure THE record or records that their collection has been yearning for all these years. It’s a BUZZ!! It’s being part of an exclusive members club where you are one of only 300 people to own THAT record. And then you get to show it off on the socials.
Will August happen....hell yeah! We are collating wish lists this week. We go through the numbers order as per the wish lists and add a few more for luck. Then we think to ourselves....hang on...we know Dave loves the quo but hasn’t given us a wish list. So we add a few Quo to the list, cos we are good like that! Should we get a localised lockdown what will happen? We will have to sell them online from 6. We will keep you updated whatever happens.
Then what? We are aiming to go plastic free. Get in more totes, T-shirt’s mugs etc. We already have our amazing own brand logo slip mats in.
Our shop is going green! Literally, our planted wall is going crazy and some more plants have been brought in recently.
Thanks to everyone who has and is supporting us through these weird COVID times. We cannot raise ourselves and our lovely little people without you.