Karen Lloyd and Charli Blighton have created this wonderful piece about the current remaining independent record shops in Birmingham talking to the owners about why and how they keep their shops open in the face of the recession and more people buying either online or opting for MP3’s instead of physical artefacts. The owners also fondly reminisce and recall their record buying days in Birmingham when there were plentiful shops to purchase your vinyl treasures.
Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History
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Does anyone remember Reg Vincent’s record shop in a passageway the other side of New Street from Burlington Arcade? Sixties? It was all vinyl those days.
Yes I bought many records from Vincent’s over the years. A real little gold mine. Many fond memories.
Do you mean Vincents of Needless Alley,which sold mostly classical records? I used it from the early 1970’s and well into the 80’s before it closed. Always a good place for a chat. The staff included John and Brian Humphries.
does anyone remember a record shop around 1995 at the base of the multistorey carpark in digbeth opposite-ish the leather shop/St. Martins church? Can’t find any mention of it anywhere!!
Fond memories of Vincents in Needless Alley. They used to stock one copy of every Lyrita Recorded Edition LP and you were only unlucky if someone had just purchased the one you wanted but it would already be on order for next week. I also remember the heavy DGG records – superb quality but effectively very expensive because sometimes each side would play for only 20 minutes or so (for example two short Beethoven Sonatas played by Kempff) It reminds me that Mr.Vincent occasionally sponsered recitals at the Town Hall one of which was Wilhelm Kempff
Keith Porteous
My father was delighted when he discovered Vincent’s and used to shop there from time to time when he was able. On one occasion, he came home to tell us how, at his visit earlier that day, he had opened the conversation with the lady behind the counter by saying, “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Know the name?” Without hesitation, she replied, “Oh, I’m delighted to meet you, Herr Mozart. I’ve heard so much about you.”