Our current research takes us back to 1932, where we find The Gramophone Depot, although we do expect to find it floating around much earlier too. As with all Gramophone dealers of the time, you would have expected to find vinyl on sale. What is different about this shop is we note their inclusion to the Birmingham Trades listings as ‘Gramophone Depot (The) (records), 29 City Arcade – suggesting it may have been just records on sale and not the means to play them.

It is then in 1941 that they move location to 59-61 Corporation Street B2 c/o Scotchers Ltd. We understand that to be a record shop within a Gramophone shop under different names. That won’t be the last time we see that happen, but was it the first? Remember WWII is in full swing at this time.

1943 sees yet another change to their listing. ‘Gramophone Depot (The), gramophones, records & radio specialists c/o Scotchers Ltd.

1944 the Gramophone Depot name disappears altogether with Scotchers remaining. So was the record shop dissolved into Scotchers? It does seem highly likely.

Well here is a strange one. We can’t find any evidence of this outside of the album sleeves. Chances are it was a store of sorts that also sold records. Does anyone remember?

We first discover Dale Forty & Co. Ltd. in 1947, with evidence of three businesses open until 1952 but nothing showing in 1967 (we currently have a gap in our research).

80-84 New Street B2
Pinfold Street B2
Offices & Works 48 Broad Street B1

Well this is a bit of a mystery. Smack bang in the city centre on Union Street. Any ideas?

There has been a few record shops over the years on Alum Rock Road. Cowers (1967-1969), J. Hawtin (1967-1974) and Turn-On-Record (1973-1974) were all situated along the same stretch. We are guessing Jacobs was during the 30s.