Featured Store: Record Vault

Graham Jones travelled around the country lanes of Dorset being held up behind herds of cows and tractors to visit this wonderful record shop located in Redlands Yard, Broadwindsor. If visiting the county do make the effort to pay a visit and pop next door for an excellent coffee too.

Jones asked owner Ian Picken why he opened a record shop in such an unusual location?

Here is his story.

I spent so much time in the early 80s hanging out in Simons Records, my local record shop in Yateley, Hampshire either waiting for the latest Adam and the Ants, Toyah or Ultravox release to be delivered on release day or listening to all the latest music while playing the new-fangled arcade machine they had in the shop. I became such a part of the furniture that I eventually got offered a job there at weekends and in the school holidays. My passion for music was inflamed and I began in earnest my journey of collecting whatever music I could find. I learned to love and respect the media of vinyl and what it contained in its sacred grooves. To this day, I still think that a tiny needle, in a tiny groove that produces an intricate, complex and full range of distinguishable and individual sounds, instruments and voices is proof indeed of the existence of magic!

Concerts were another big part of my life in the 80’s and I was forever on the LondonLink bus to Hammersmith Odeon to see the big and small rock bands of the day. And as soon as I was able to ride a motorbike, I’d be up there with a couple of LPs inside my jacket and waiting outside the stage door to meet my heroes and get their autographs on the records or my cut off denim jacket, which I still have to this day!

The Nineties led to what was deemed a ‘proper’ job and a few years later I packed a backpack and left the UK for a year traveling. The record collection went in my parent’s attic and a new adventure began. A year turned into seven with stints as a SCUBA instructor in Australia, Canada and Jamaica, and as an Overland Expedition Leader around most of South America.

I met my now wife in Rio (although she’s from Worcestershire!) and when we returned to the UK she bought me a record player and suggested I get my records back from my parents. I think she expected a few dozen so was surprised when I came back with an estate car full!

After seeing an ad on Facebook, I bought the most amazing collection of LPs which contained hundreds of absolute classics! I started selling online and after over a decade building a customer base, it made a lot of sense to bring it into the real world. A unit became vacant at Redlands Yard, Broadwindsor (Between Bridport and Crewkerne, Dorset) a lovely community of shops and a restaurant/coffee shop with on-site parking, and my wife and I decided to go for it. With a huge amount of help from friends and family, the doors to the Record Vault opened on the 23rd November 2024.

Whilst with much trepidation, it was such a thrill to walk in the door that morning and look around at what really had been a dream since 1984! It was a busy day with people coming from far and wide to visit the shop and I received (and continue to receive) so much positive feedback that I’ve been on a high ever since!

Our goal, that I believe we are achieving, is to create an inviting space to come and browse a good selection of quality vinyl at great prices, and to chat generally about vinyl and music. The proof is that after just 5 months, familiar faces return on a regular basis to see newly arrived vinyl or just drop in to talk rock ‘n roll!

And it’s not just the ‘vinyl generation’ that come in, it’s been great seeing and talking to so many younger people, learning from them about their tastes, and about how vinyl represents a tangible and authentic connection to their favourite artists – whether or not they actually play it!

We stock thousands of LPs, 12” and 7” singles from all genres in the shop, including many rare, collectable and sought-after editions. We also carry CDs, cassettes, books, posters accessories and an ever-expanding new vinyl section. Our services including dinking, cleaning, personalised presentation gifts, vinyl gift boxes, want list finding, worldwide shipping and more.

A couple of releases I’m particularly excited about at the moment include one from a long-time favourite of mine, Sparks and their new release: ‘MAD’. From Indie stores only, and for a limited time, MAD comes with a free poster! So get down and get yours on pre-order now! I’m also looking forward to guitar legend Joe Bonamassa’s ‘Breakthrough’ and the remaster of Gong’s classic, ‘You’!

It has been wonderful to see the support we’ve had at Record Vault’s monthly Record Club meetings. We’ve already discussed Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Radiohead and the Beatles at what is predominantly a social event for music lovers and a great community get together!

So, a lifetime’s ambition and dream has come true. And what a joy to be helping others rediscover lost albums, discover new (and old) music, and relive the experience of pouring over the artwork & credits, delicately removing the vinyl hearing, watching the needle drop, and hearing the feathery crackle as the magic begins.

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