Record Shops: Manchester
Beatin Rhythm
42 Tib Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester
M4 1LA
+44 (0)161 834 7783
http://www.beatinrhythm.com/
This shop is truly amazing - particularly if you're mad about 45s. LPs and CDs are also sold but it's the hundreds of boxes of old 7" records spanning soul, rock'n'roll, pop reissues, funk, doo-wop, girl group, rare soul, northern soul, surf, psych, rhythm'n'blues – not to mention the expertise and approachability of resident vinyl gurus Tom, Carl and Derek – that makes this one of the finest specialist vinyl shops in the country. Fat City records and Vinyl Exchange are a hop-skip and a jump away on Oldham Street, and Vinyl Revival on Hilton Street is just round the corner, making one block in Manchester's Northern Quarter a vinyl-vulture's paradise.
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Fat City shop
20 Oldham Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester
M1 1JN
+44 (0)161 237 1181
http://www.fatcity.co.uk/
The guys at Fat City have been spreading much musical niceness around with their knowledge and upfront enthusiasm for new and old music alike for well over a decade. Every Fat City compilation (I've grabbed each one) has been a hugely influential and valuable addition to my record collection and the 'recommended' lists on their online shop is worth checking every week. If these guys describe something as a party cut, you'd better believe it – they have a most reliable ear for recommending reggae, dancehall, hip hop, soul and funk tracks that will rock any party. Talking of parties, the Fat City crew have been putting on their excellent Friends & Family night for years - in Manchester and down in London too. I can't speak highly enough of these guys.
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Vinyl Revival
5 Hilton Street
Manchester
M4 1LP
+44 (0)161 661 6393
http://www.vinylrevivalmcr.com/
Spotted this shop this weekend and popped in. It's small but there's lots to look at: T-shirts, posters, CDs and records galore spanning electro, hip hop, northern soul, reggae, disco, funk, psych and soundtracks. I headed straight for the 45s boxes on the counter and picked up a practically mint copy of Chubby Checker's Lose-Your-Inhibitions Twist in label bag for the princely sum of £2. I look forward to further digging on my next visit to Manchester!