Oxford Record Shops

I'm in Oxford one day this coming week and have a few hours to kill, so any record shop recommendations from Pink Fishers who know the area please ?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

There is but one, Truck in Cowley is it.

HMV might still be in the centre, I haven't checked for many years since Avid and Massive shut down there.

DS

 

Sign of the times I suppose. Thought Oxford would still have a few worth seeking out with its' large student population - suppose they all download now ?

 

If by 'records' you mean vinyl then Truck Store on Cowley Road (10 min walk from the centre of town) is the only real option in Oxford for new vinyl. They also sell some secondhand vinyl plus CDs and DVDs.

HMV still exists in the centre of town, small CD section in the basement plus a handful of vinyl albums. Focuses mostly on DVDs and computer games.

Oxfam, in Broad Street, in the centre of town, sells secondhand vinyl in their basement as does the Oxfam in Summertown (upstairs). As elsewhere around the country though the price is relatively high for the condition of the stock.

For classical CDs, Blackwells' Music Shop in Broad Street has a good selection.

Thats it apart from charity shops.

If you are passing Wantage on you way to or from Oxford there is a secondhand record shop (vinyl) there which has a small, interesting selection of new stuff.

regards

Kevin

 

Truck is worth a visit - becoming a mini Rough Trade - decent range of newish and classic vinyl, good coffee, top RSCs who love to chat.

It's about 20 minutes walk from the centre which was cited in Crap Towns a few years back. It has the Uni but apart from that it's really a small provincial town, especially as far as records and music are concerned - Kevinrt has it nailed. Book shopping, on the other hand, can easily kill a few hours.

That said, the new Ashmolean museum is a great bit of Architecture and a pretty fine museum and has a good display of old violins if such things ring your bell.

Kevin

 

Thanks all.

 

Anyone remember a records shop just off the Cowley Road which had 'Hedgehog' or similar in its name? It is nagging away just of of reach in the head is it.

DS

 

There was a small shop on Bullingdon Road (about 5-10 yds off Cowley Road) which is long gone now. I think it was called Manic Hedgehog (Radiohead named a song or something after it, or maybe the shop was named after the song).

regards

Kevin

 

Well I spent a few hours in Oxford yesterday, and all I found was HMV and Truck, I recall going to Oxford in 1980 and spending all day wandering around the record shops, how times have changed (for the worse.)

I see my two local HMV stores in Gloucester and Cheltenham are the latest to announce that they are closing, at least Cheltenham has two good independents and a couple of excellent s/h vinyl shops as well.

 

Dead good it was too, brilliant dub selection. It's not an exaggeration to say the whole course of my life changed because of a visit to that shop-nothing to do with music/vinyl though.

 

If you ever happen to be in Chippenham, Wiltshire there is a good s/h record shop on the top floor of "Magpie" antique shop off the market square next to the church at the top of town. Lots of cd's, dvd's, books and memorabilia too.

 

I think the future belongs to independents, which in my part of the West Midlands all seem to be doing well. Wish the same could be said for books!

Nic P

 

Suppose we should start a thread saying "Good Independent Record (and CD) Shops" ?

In Cheltenham we have Rise and Badlands, plus Vinyl Vault and The Record Shop, so I can consider myself lucky. Haven't been to Gloucester for a while so don't know what is there. Stroud has Kane Records and The Trading Post.

 

I think you'll find there's already a rather large one...

Record shopping is after all DSS' full time job.