Our Story.

Our Story: From Charity Shop to Record Shop

When we first stepped inside 12 Birmingham Road in Cowes, it was still the home of the RSPCA charity shop. The space had good bones, but it needed a complete rethink to become the warm, music-filled record shop and coffee spot we had in mind.

What followed was several months of hands-on work - stripping things back, solving problems as they appeared, and gradually shaping the shop you see today. It was equal parts exciting, exhausting, and full of unexpected moments.

The Transformation

We started from a fairly blank canvas and tackled everything ourselves:

Ripping up the old floors and laying new flooring throughout the entire premises
Plumbing in a brand-new toilet, converting what had been an outside room
Discovering a hidden extra room behind old plyboards that wasn’t even marked on the original floor plan - a brilliant surprise that gave us much-needed extra space
Completely rewiring the electrics from top to bottom for safety and reliability
Plus countless other jobs: painting, fitting out the counter area, building display racks, and making the space feel inviting and practical for both records and coffee

Every decision was driven by one clear goal - to create a proper independent record shop where people could linger, browse properly, and feel at home. We wanted a place that felt lived-in and loved, not polished and corporate.

There were plenty of long days, dusty evenings, and the occasional “what have we done?” moment. But seeing the first records hit the racks and the coffee machine finally in place made every bit of effort worth it.

Why We Did It

We believe physical record shops still matter. In a world of instant digital streaming, there’s something special about flicking through racks, finding that unexpected gem, chatting with fellow music fans, and pairing it all with a great coffee. We wanted to bring that experience to Cowes and the Isle of Wight.

Opening in 2022 marked the end of the building work and the real beginning of the shop’s story - one we’re still writing every day with every customer who walks through the door.