7 beloved record shops no longer on Shropshire's high streets
Record stores were once the epicentre of Shropshire high streets for music lovers, but with the onset of downloads and streaming services, many of the have since closed their doors for good.
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However, an online archive is ensuring that many of these “remarkable emporiums that sold us the music we love” may be gone but are not forgotten.
The British Record Shop Archive is an online database of all those high street record shops that have since shut.
The online archive is a collaborative effort, with various individuals contributing their memories, photographs, and other materials to build the online resource.
“From shellac shops through vinyl dealers to CD megastores and back to vinyl, we aim to document as many record shops as possible over the 20th and 21st Century – the legendary, the lost, the infamous and your forgotten favourites,” The British Record Shop Archive (BRSA) said. “The BRSA is a labour of love that, since first going online almost a decade ago, has proven a remarkable source of information and shared memories.”
And among the hundreds of closed record shops in the archive are five that many Shropshire music lovers will remember fondly, with some comments from some of the shop's former customers as well as some images of the shop and the unique bags that records were sold in.
Musicraft, Bridgnorth
The shop used to be located on the corner of Cartway in the town. It closed in April 2015, but Dave Harwood, who posted it to the archive said: “I found this in the 'Bridgnorth Journal' dated 2nd March 2001: Onward - in our trawl around town. THIS week we continue with our trawl around High Town as it was back in 1974 - which has sparked off some reminiscences among readers! We are now at the corner of Cartway and a peek around it reveals ‘Musicraft’ selling up-tempo ware for the budding local rock stars of the town.'
Langland Records, Wellington
Langland Records was in Bell Street opposite the Music Shop and only closed a couple of years ago.
Charles Petty remembers the shop. He wrote on the archive: “I went there loads buying and selling my LPs. It would be nice, as vinyls are back in fashion and record decks, if he could open up again.” Paul Woodcock added: “started to go to the record shop with Ian in our school lunch break in the late 1960s. It was owned by Mr and Mrs Lowndes. They also sold hi-fi equipment upstairs and, yes, I recall listening booths. Ian worked there at weekends and (I think) took over when they retired.
“The shop was in a couple of different premises all very close to each other. One was what later became Shropshire Produce. There were two entrances at one time, one opposite the music shop and the other opposite the White Lion.
“I think internet sales were the reason for its demise.”
Oldies Unlimited, Telford
The owners of the Stafford Shop also had a branch in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton, but both businesses closed in November 2021.
One former customer wrote: “My first recollection of Oldies Unlimited would be picking up and flicking eagerly through the pages of their catalogue at Tom Hawkins Music Services in Oxley (another frequently visited establishment) or visiting the Oldies Unlimited shop (always rammed with vinyl) in Worcester Street. They were essentially a mail order franchise business back then based in nearby Telford and I remember ordering not a few ELO and related records in my early collecting days.”
Soulscene, St Georges
Another shop that closed in 2021 was Soulscene in St Georges, which was memorable for music lovers due to its memorable bags listing the recent releases.
Kendalls, Dawley
Dawley's Kendalls closed a lot earlier than many other record shops, but a reference to it can be found in the 'Wellington Journal' dated as far back as December 9, 1950:“Radio and Radiograms from stock. Call or Ring Kendalls, 20, High Street, Dawley, Phone. 367.”The shop later went on to sell singles and albums.
Durrant Record Centre, Shrewsbury
A popular huant for music lovers in the 70s and 80s, Durrant in Wyle Cop closed in the mid-90s.
Dez Hatton remembers it fondly. He said: “Used to love my bus journey from Jackfield near Ironbridge where I grew up to Shrewsbury just to come to this record shop from around 85.I bought so many albums here Killing Joke, The Cult, Sisters of Mercy NMA ,lots of different hard rock albums later in my teens and punk albums The Clash Combat Rock and all of my Dammed and some if my Misfits albums were purchased from this fantastic record shop. Used to visit the Zoo alternative clothes shop in Shrewsbury at the same time. Great memories.”
The Record Centre, Oswestry
There may be a handful of people in Oswestry who may remember M Roberts's The Record Centre in New Street. The store dated back as far as 1905 but closed sometime before the end of the 20th century.
You can find the British Record Shop Archive here: https://britishrecordshoparchive.org/shops/kendalls/
