Rob's Records Nottingham

 On a recent drinking trip to the Midlands, my Nottingham based (but Stockport born) mate was trying to paint a picture of what Notts most famous record store was like. I didn't believe him. I put it down to the fact we'd had one or three, and he was exaggerating...

Fast forward, from Friday night to Saturday afternoon, and he certainly was not. Never seen anything like it. Floor to ceiling of untidily stacked boxes and bags of records. Half the shop unstoppable, a wall of vinyl. On the floor snapped pieces of unloved LPs. 

There's hardly any space to shop, COVID rules need not apply. One chap tried to find a bargain in the unsorted bags, as he dug he dislodged and was buried under unknown tunes. 

That's Rob's Records, apparently. Come for the vinyl, stay because you've been crushed to death...

And I loved it.

Plenty to flick through and bargain prices. Between us we left with Beautiful South, The Farm, Paris Angels, The Smiths, Bryan Ferry, Inspiral Carpets, Roxy Music, Simple Minds and Erasure. A Wonderland indeed.

Can't wait to go back.

Th@t North

A new shop selling old (pre-loved) gear th@t opens tomorrow. Just hope it has website, because it's in Stockport. Th@t's too far to go. Even for smashing old school labels like these...

Thrifty Beatnik

Thrifty? Yes most definitely. I love a eBay pennies pick up and sifting through mothballed clobber in charity shops. Beatnik? Not quite up on hippy ideals, although I do have a scruffy goatee on the go at the minute...

If you're the same and you enjoy your vintage one offs and your forgotten 90s labels, then Thrifty Beatnik could be for you. Based in wor very own Newcastle-upon-Tyne, they specialise in gentleman's garments unique as they are original and pieces of fine clobber that are "individual as you are". Nicely put.

Stumbled across them via fleabay and immediately checked out three inexpensive old school Chaps shirts for under a tenner. With combined postage this trio of shirtings arrived at my door for 12 of the Queen's.

They have thousands of lines and I'll certainly be sifting through them again for more thriftily priced gems maaan, and if you want to do the same visit www.thriftybeatnik.co.uk

Vintage Teapot

 
Only stumbled across Teapot Vintage after they started following me on Twitter. Thought the name was a bit strange so followed the link and came across a pretty exciting vintage clothing retailer based in Manchester. A quick root sees that it's predominantly for lasses but they got a fair few used one offs for blokes - labels like LL Bean, Barbour, Lacoste Izod and K-way making appearances at reasonable prices. Nowt much in my size at the moment but will be keeping tabs on this site from now on. They've got the mandatory blog to follow too...

Thats Entertainment

808 State. Black Grape. Blur. Ian Brown. The Charlatans. The Coral. The Enemy. The Farm. The Futureheads. Gorillaz. Happy Mondays. Housemartins. Inspiral Carpets. James. Kasabian. The La's. Madness. Manic Street Preachers. New Order. Oasis. The Seahorses. Shed Seven. Suede. Supergrass. What's this? Thats Entetainment.

That is just some of a few artists whose work I've picked up from the store that is That's Entertainment. Dealing in used CDS/DVDs and selling from 99p up, most £1.99 (or 3 for a fiver), it's enabled me to expand my CD collection dirt cheaply. Some from the list, like Kasabian, were important albums that I hadn't bought as I couldn't warrant spending a tenner on a CD brand new. So £1.99 each used? Bang on. Other artists like Blur, Mondays and Oasis I grew up with and already had several albums, but has enabled me to get 'lesser albums' (Oasis Be Here Now and Standing On...) or rarer ones (Mondays Rave On EP) rather than just the best sellers or greatest hits.

They seem to be situated in the North (Metro Centre, Newcastle, North Shields and York were about 60% of the companies stores last year) but with the likes of HMV struggling and the recession biting it wouldn't surprise me if they expand. Saying that I was gutted to visit the Metro the other day and find it closed. Was genuinely upset. I told the wife who kindly informed me that they've now branched out to on tinterweb. So had a look. Thousands of bargains there and free P&P. So Gorillaz Plastic Beach and Wonderstuff's Greatest are wending their merry way to me for £3.98.