3 min readLove nothing more than geeking out over vinyl at a good record store? In keeping with the city's musical reputation, Bristol is home to stacks of friendly record shops, run by staff with encyclopaedic music knowledge.
Here are nine of Bristol's best record stores where you can get rummaging for rare albums, new releases and everything in between.
Longwell Records
After starting life as a car boot stall, Longwell Records opened its store in Keynsham in 2016. Dig into a collection of more than 10,000 albums and look out for gigs at the shops, organised by owner Iain Aitchison who you might recognise from a cameo in The Outlaws.
Image: Longwell Records
Idle Hands
Run by local DJ Chris Farrell, Idle Hands started out as a house and dubstep record label and originally opened its own record store in Stokes Croft back in 2011. They've since moved to a bigger home on Park Row in the city centre and are known for an excellent catalogue of 12-inch records spanning techno, house, garage, jungle and much more.
Rough Trade
Bristol's Rough Trade shop is the fifth outside London, where the iconic indie label sprang to life during the seventies punk movement. Shop for records, books and merch, hang out in the bar and cafe or catch a show in the performance area. It's one of the best places in the city for cosy, intimate gigs with class acts.
Image: Rough Trade
Special Subject Records
You have to go through another of Bristol's best-loved music venues to reach Special Subject Records. It sits above the Exchange on Old Market and, like much of the venue's programming, specialises in the heavier, underground side of rock and alternative. If you know your hardcore from your drone metal, this is the Bristol record shop for you.
Friendly Records
Genre isn't all that important at Friendly Records – if the staff think it's good, it will make the shelves. The result is a broad and eclectic collection of new and used vinyl. Pop into their North Street store in Bedminster and see what you find!
Image: Friendly Records
Plastic Wax Records
Bristol’s longest established and biggest record dealer. Located just by The Arches on Cheltenham Road, Plastic Wax Records has been around since 1978 and has the biggest collection of records in the South West, offering many types of genres and handily organised A to Z. They're also the leading stockist for Bristol Archive Records, if you fancy picking up rare finds from Bristol’s diverse local music scene. Nearby you'll also find two other record stores: Collector Cave on Cheltenham Road and Prime Cuts on Gloucester Road.
Wanted Records
Located inside St Nicholas Market, Wanted Records is a favourite for committed collectors and lovers of niche genres. Sift through an impressive collection of jazz, reggae, folk and other global genres and sub-genres, which includes many rare and obscure records. Explore the rest of Bristol's oldest market while you're there and refuel for more record shopping at the street food outlets.
Black City Records
One of the newer kidson the block, Black City Records opened its doors on Trenchard Street in the city centre in 2021, and is the South West's only dedicated Heavy Metal record shop, "run by metalheads, for metalheads".
Astro Vinyl
Based on Park Row in the city centre, Astro Vinyl is open every day and specialises in Funk, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Reggae and Soul. Apparently they do a great hot chocolate or coffee for you to enjoy while browsing!
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