As you’ve no doubt worked out by now, we love record shops. Whether big or small, rocking a minimalist aesthetic or packing enough vinyl into their overflowing crates to wear down several lifetime’s worth of needles, we love how each and every one has something special in store for its customers. From the quirkiest locals to the big, gig-hosting powerhouses, every thirty-odd days we pick one to be our Record Store of the Month. They get a tasty gift from the Record Tokens team, and you get to discover the best independent record shops this country has to offer – it’s a win-win!
May's Record Store of the Month: Raves from the Grave, Frome, Somerset
This month's winning shop – the Frome-based Raves From The Grave – sells new release vinyl, represses, second-hand vinyl, current and chart CDs plus rare and deleted items. They also offer a worldwide search and ordering service, so if they don’t have what you want in-store they’ll do their very best to track it down for you. We love ALL THE GENRES they stock, from reggae to metal, and we’re big fans of their active social media presence, too – especially their weekly new release tweets.
Richard from the store says: "I started Raves From The Grave in 1997 after working for a national chain for 20 years, and decided I wanted to try my hand at my own business – I’ve always been a record collector, so a record shop seemed like the way to go!
Raves has now been in 5 different locations in Frome over the years, with our most recent (and hopefully final) move last year, plus we have another branch 6 miles down the road in Warminster.
We now carry a huge range of CDs, vinyl, and DVDs.
We were keen to be involved in the Record Tokens scheme as we feel in unites the indies into a stronger unit, plus they're the best tokens money can buy!"
Congratulations to the Raves team – we hope you celebrate accordingly with your luxury wine and food hamper!
You can find Raves from the Grave at 2-3 King Street, Frome, Somerset. They’re reopening their doors to the public on 15th June, so if you're round their neck of the woods pop in and give them a visit (but only if it's safe for you to do so). And don't forget your Record Tokens!
Previous Record Stores of the Month
April 2020 - Red House Records, Swindon
March 2020 - The Rock Box Record Store, Camberley, Surrey
February 2020 - Tasty Records, Altrincham, Greater Manchester
January 2020 - The Record Café, Bradford
December 2019 - Sister Ray, London
November 2019 - Phase 1, Liverpool
October 2019 - Empire Records, St Albans
September 2019 - Record Collector, Sheffield
August 2019 - Black Circle Records, Leighton Buzzard
July 2019 - Beyond Vinyl, Newcastle
June 2019 - The Orpington, Bromley
May 2019 - Vinyl Fiction, Manchester
April 2019 - Spiller's Records, Cardiff
March 2019 - David's Music, Hertfordshire
February 2019 - Winyl, Manningtree
January 2019 - Rapture Witney, Oxfordshire
December 2018 - Crash Records, Leeds
November 2018 - Pebble Records, Eastbourne
October 2018 - Spinning Discs, Sheffield
September 2018 - Reflex Records, Newcastle
August 2018 - Banquet Records, Kingston
July 2018 - Hundred Records, Hampshire