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Best Record Stores in Liverpool

  • TIL Admin

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TIL Admin

The vinyl revival has been in full swing for a good few years now and Liverpool has once again become a great city to go digging through crates of records (old and new), discovering hidden gems and brand-new classics. We’re lucky in this city to have a rich musical heritage, a local live music scene that works hard and has a sense of camaraderie and record store owners and workers who truly know their stuff. Here, we take a look at the best record shops in Liverpool. 

Probe (School Lane)

The Don of Liverpool records stores, Probe has been a stalwart of the independent music scene since way back in 1971. It’s been in a few locations over the years and is now found on School Lane next to the gated entrance to the beautiful Bluecoat. With the experienced staff and the central location, Probe is definitely the first place on everyone’s list for finding that new release you’ve heard on the radio, picking up tickets for the latest up-and-coming band, or discovering that old classic record that you cherish but have never owned.

Dig Vinyl (Bold Street – Above Resurrection)

Dig finds a place in that perfect sweet spot in the city for those looking to discover old favourites or delve through the crates looking for inspiration (there are always great finds in the bargain section!). The guys are always on hand to offer their recommendations and it can send you off on a journey of discovery that make the best record stores what they are. Since moving from the basement of Soho down Bold Street to above Resurrection, Dig has gone from strength to strength.

Dig on the Dock (Albert Dock)

A pop-up store on the iconic Albert Dock that takes the essence of the Bold Street store and brings it to a wider (tourist) audience. Dig on the Dock has posters, books, prints and other merchandise related to Liverpool music, alongside the records of course!

Jacaranda Records (Slater Street)

The Jacaranda Club is famous in the city as one of the main places where The Beatles hung out and played before they were famous. It’s also been a bar that many of us have fallen in and out of over the years. It was gutting when it closed a few years ago, but the refurb and reopening has been interesting and something completely different. The ground floor is a bar, the basement is a live music space and upstairs is Jacaranda Records. It’s a little coffee shop with turntables along the windows, records that you can browse and play whilst you have a drink, and a good selection of records to buy. Well worth an afternoon spinning some tunes with your friends.

81 Renshaw Street

A breath of fresh air just a stone’s throw from the Bombed Out Church, 81 Renshaw is part café, part bar, part record store and a fantastic performance space in the back room. It really does tick all the boxes for the alternative scene in the city and continues to promote local talent in all forms of the arts. On top of that, the records are a great mix of new releases, classic second-hand vinyl and even a record-cleaning service to keep your collection in good condition.

3B Records (Slater Street)

An institution in the heart of the city, 3B specialised in dance music (especially house, disco, nu-disco, techno, electronica and everything in between) but also has a good selection of funk and soul on the shelves. The owners and staff are all experts in all things dance music and it has been the place to go to socialise, meet like-minded aficionados and any dance-music DJ you can think of who has been popular in the city will have spent time at 3B over the years, buying vinyl, buying equipment or working in the store.

The Musical Box (West Derby Road)

Tuebrook isn’t where you’d expect to find the oldest record store in Liverpool, but The Musical Box has been a pure treasure trove of audio gold since 1947. Even though it is worth the visit for the hit of nostalgia and stories that go back decades, it has some amazing stock too. Well worth the trip out of the city centre.

Defend Vinyl (395 Smithdown Road)

It had been bloody years since there was a record shop anywhere near Smithdown Road (although TiL found some classic records in the Oxfam out there over the years) before Defend Vinyl opened. It specialises in alternative music, indie, grunge, and plenty of other genres too. It has since moved over the road from its original location, and it’s a good stop off along a lively part of the city.