It probably goes without saying, but we love record shops. Whether they're big or small, rocking a minimalist aesthetic or packing more vinyl than you can shake a stick at into overflowing crates, 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, we pick one each month 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 - win-win!
January's Record Store of the Month: Rapture, Witney
Gary from our first winning shop of the year, Rapture in Witney, Oxfordshire, says:
"Rapture will have been open 15 years in June and our sister shop Truck Store 8 years in Feb. Although initially we sold primarily CD and DVD we have always stocked vinyl, our first sale being a Beastie Boys 12" single on the day we opened. From these humble beginnings we have seen the vinyl format grow and now stock 1000s of new titles. We are proud to haved been involved in RSD from its UK beginnings.
We opened the first floor at Rapture 4 years ago and stock over 5000 pre-owned albums ranging from 50p to £800!
Over the years we have diversified to sell turntables, amplifiers, speakers and headphones. Recognising that streaming was going to take off we became Sonos dealers in 2013.
We are proud to have worked with 100s of artists over the years with instores in both shops and are regularly to be seen at Cornbury Festival and Truck Festival.
We are still primarily a record shop and will always be excited when new releases arrive, this week being no exception with new albums by Beirut, James Blake, Deerhunter and Sharon Van Etten."
Gary and the team will be getting something tasty in the post to celebrate. Meanwhile, you can find Rapture at Unit 12 in the Woolgate Centre in Witney - don't forget your Record Tokens!
Previous Record Stores of the Month
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