Bristol’s top record shops

Vinyl is back. Sales of the once near-extinct and forgotten format are on the rise for 12th year running. More and more people than ever are picking up their first turntable or dusting off an old one and taking it for a spin with a fresh record. The vinyl market is no longer confined to the realms of hipster novelty and with this in mind, let’s take a trip around the top independent record shops in Bristol – and see what they have to offer for the budding wax-spinning enthusiast.

Idle Hands
32a City Road, St Pauls, Bristol, BS2 8TP
www.idlehandsbristol.com
Idle Hands is a Bristol record shop and label set up by Chris Farrell in 2009. Specialising in dance music, it’s the place to go to cop a new 12” from dubstep, techno, grime, reggae and much more. At the start of last year, the shop moved from its original location on Stokes Croft to its new base on City Road in St Pauls, and is now larger with more space for the stock to develop, diversify and grow.

Rough Trade
3 New Bridewell, Nelson Street, Bristol, BS1 2QD
www.roughtrade.com/gb/stores
Rough Trade has a lot to offer. Hosting regular close-up gigs and events, this store provides the opportunity to meet likeminded music lovers – boasting an adjacent bar, cafe and a live performance area. On top of this there are books, vinyls, merch and much more, so make the trip down for hottest releases and big names in music.

Plastic Wax Records
222 Cheltenham Road, Bristol, BS6 5QU
www.plasticwaxrecords.com
Located on the bend just off Gloucester Road, Plastic Wax serves as the oldest record shop on the list, opening its doors in 1978. They’re all about classic records here, with a wide range of genres being represented – handily organised from A-Z. If you ask behind the counter you can see some prized rarities, like first pressings and limited editions. The shop also serves as a buy/sell base, so it’s a great place to unload unwanted records from your collection should you want to part with them.

PK Music Exchange
51 Gloucester Road, Bristol, BS7 8AD
www.pk-music.co.uk
With everything from band gear and DJ equipment to speakers and rigs and over 30,000 vinyl records, PK has it all. For those budding disc jockeys willing to dig through the multitude of boxes and racks, the reward comes in the form of some solid set material. Upstairs there’s also some vintage vinyl from the 50s and 60s upwards, which is worth checking out if you’re that way inclined. Granted, the selection isn’t as varied as some of the others on the list, but if you’re in the area it’s definitely worth a browse.

Wanted Records
1 St Nicholas Market, Bristol, BS1 1JQ
www.wantedrecords.co.uk
A collectors paradise, Wanted Records harbours some of the most obscure and rare records to suit every niche. Situated in St Nick’s market, its one of the more vibrant and decorated vinyl hotspots out there – with vinyl and record paraphernalia covering the narrow confines of the shop. Wanted hosts a meticulously crafted selection and is run by some real vinyl nerds, so if you want something a little different than the norm then this is the place for you. Expect world music and all manners of sub-genres to be represented here.