Featured Store: Dig Vinyl

Graham Jones recently checked out Dig Vinyl who have two branches one in Liverpool and the second shop which is taking part in RSD based in West Kirby. He caught up with Carl and the team and asked about the history of the shop

Dig Vinyl has been at the heart of Liverpool’s music scene since we opened on Bold Street back in 2014. After over a decade of trading in the city, we were keen to expand into a new part of Merseyside and opened our West Kirby shop in November 2023. The area has such a buzzing independent retail & food scene, so we knew it was going to be a great fit for us. Much like Bold Street, our West Kirby shop is packed with an ever-growing & rotating selection of records – from fresh new releases to classic reissues, secondhand gems and rare imports… we never want you to leave empty handed! We’ve also made it easier for people on the Wirral to sell or trade their collections with us, as our buyers are available in-store most opening days for valuations.

Opening day in West Kirby was one to remember… We were determined to get the doors open in time for Christmas, so those final few days before our launch were a blur of last-minute prep! Shauna had just started with us, and her first few shifts were a bit chaotic as she joined Elliot and I on our hectic stock prep assembly line – cleaning, sleeving, and labelling as many records as humanly possible to make sure we had a solid stock selection for opening day! Shauna was a total trooper and we knew straight away she was going to be a great addition to the Dig team. We wanted to ensure that we opened with the same variety that we’re known for at our Liverpool shop, and it’s something we’ve been really conscious of maintaining since. It was lovely that first day to meet so many fresh faces, especially all the families and young vinyl collectors who came by for a dig! After a brilliant first day of trading, we kept the celebrations going with a launch party at the Wild Inn, a local pub just down the road. Our resident Dig Vinyl DJs, along with some friends of the shop, were spinning vinyl all night, and we celebrated all our hard work with a few beers and some great tunes – it was the perfect end to the day!

One of the highlights of our first year in West Kirby was celebrating our first Record Store Day last April. It was a lovely sunny day and we were so excited to arrive to a queue down the road! Our neighbours at Hector’s Cafe kept the early risers fuelled up in the queue with coffees and baps and everyone was so excited – it was just an amazing, buzzing atmosphere! We’re already gearing up for this year’s Record Store Day and looking forward to building on last year’s success with even more stock… so be sure to get your wishlists to us soon.

What Proper RSD Releases we’re looking forward to this year?
Shauna – BADBADNOTGOOD/VARIOUS ARTISTS – Brazil 45 Boxset Vol.6
It’s not RSD without a Mr Bongo Brazil 45s boxset! I’m especially looking forward to this year’s release as it’s curated by Canadian contemporary jazz legends BADBADNOTGOOD. The best thing about these boxsets is the eclectic selections, from much-loved classics to obscure gems and more contemporary cuts, you can definitely hear the influence of some of these tracks in BBNG’s music.

Yvonne – Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra – Black Sun (J.Claussell Remixes)
This one features José Roberto Bertrami and Alex Malheiros, and we’re big Azymuth fans at Dig! Our Elliot was the support DJ at their Manchester gig at Band On The Wall back in 2019 and a bunch of us went over for the gig – their set was incredible (as was Elliot’s!) and we got to spend some time with the band afterwards… it was such a fun night with some truly lovely people! Plus, I love a good disco edit, so I’m sure this one will end up becoming a staple in my own DJ bag.

The Vinyl Revival and the Shops That Made It Happen

Graham Jones is the author of ‘The Vinyl Revival and the Shops That Made It Happen’ which has features on over 200 independent record shops that he has visited. The book was made in to a film titled ‘The Vinyl Revival’ available on DVD. Both can be ordered from Proper, independent record shops, Amazon and other online retailers.

Read about the book, film and vinyl soundtrack here