NEWLY-OPENED music store TNT Records will be bringing the international Record Store Day event to Barrow for the first time in its history.
The independent shop in Duke Street has been a huge hit since launching just before Christmas, and is now gearing up for the biggest day in the record-buying calendar, on Saturday April 13.
Record Store Day started in the US back in 2008 with the aim of bringing new customers into their local record shops, and helping to instigate a revival of vinyl sales. Now a worldwide phenomenon, with exclusive releases by the world’s biggest bands and artists, the event has never made it to Furness until now.
In just four months, TNT Records has established itself as one of the North West’s leading vinyl record outlets, registered unprecedented sales, and has been confirmed as a host venue for the prestigious Record Store Day 2019 celebrations.
The reception from music fans in Cumbria and further afield has been far beyond what owner and manager Dave Turner could ever have expected.
“Obviously I thought there was a market for a quality record shop in this part of the world, but the reaction has been phenomenal,” he says.
“Before we opened in December, people from the Barrow area would have to make a three-hour round trip to visit a record store – it’s fair to say that locals have taken us to heart. Our distributors have told us that we are ordering around 10 times as many records that most new stores do, and that’s simply to keep up with demand.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t quite realise just how passionate the music-buying public is about vinyl records.”
The impressive sales racked up by TNT already made the organisers of the world renowned Record Store Day 2019 sit up and take note. Where it usually takes around three years to become eligible to host the event, TNT Records has done it in less than three months.
On April 13, 2019, the shop will welcome record hunters from far and wide hoping to get their hands on rare releases from acts such as Queen, David Bowie, Pearl Jam and Weezer, when the international event takes place at independent stores across the world. It is the first time ever that it has visited this part of the country.
Mr Turner continues: “It’s absolutely massive for us to be included as a venue for Record Store Day 2019 – it’s by far the biggest event in the calendar for record shops, and it well and truly puts us on the map.
“We’re asking our loyal customers which records they would like us to order from the list, and we’re expecting to see plenty of new faces on April 13. We’ll be opening until late, providing drinks and refreshments, and entertaining the crowds with DJ sets and live performances throughout the day.
“I’ve been excited about Record Store Day since we opened, and hopefully this will be the first of many at TNT.”
TNT Records is situated at 86 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1RD.
