Record shop closure.

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 05:37 PM

Alt vinyl in Newcastle closed yesterday.

Old hitz (also in Newcastle) has gone bankrupt, and will close next week at some point. Pity their stock is utter shit as they've got a half price sale on.

**enrico chiesa** · 25-06-2010, 07:57 PM

alt vinyl was serving a fairly niche market - 90% of their stuff was kind of ''limited to 100 pressings vinyl of a man sawing a piece of wood with a death metal band jamming behind him''... I did like going in there for neo-psych stuff though, but you'd be looking at £18 a pop... they were selling modern made cassette recordings of hissy synth stuff for like £35 a go, so not really the kind of stuff the average joe would go in and buy... Plus (I realise it's how shops work) it was a right pisser picking up a £18 vinyl LP and they'd write the price they bought them in for underneath - usually a fiver...

Sad news to hear about Oldhitz if thats true, only spoke to John last week and he didn't mention owt? Will have to get in to get my dansette record player back off them either way as its sat in storage for months now... I only have good things to say about their stock over the years, they did have lots of cheap tat £1 albums etc obviously but in there alone I've scored original 1st pressing Velvets, Who, Stooges, Small Faces, Yardbirds, Troggs, Floyd all kinds for really decent prices... to be fair to John when a 'big hitter' comes in he tends to keep it for his regulars in his little black book, so if you weren't a regular caller he knew perhaps the upstairs shop floor stock didn't look that great, I can understand that...

**robert murt** · 25-06-2010, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

to be fair to John when a 'big hitter' comes in he tends to keep it for his regulars in his little black book, so if you weren't a regular caller he knew perhaps the upstairs shop floor stock didn't look that great, I can understand that...

Here's a very good reason for a shop to close

privilege = always the same 10 customers

**Imperial_Mao** · 25-06-2010, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by mr sayers

Alt vinyl in Newcastle closed yesterday.

Old hitz (also in Newcastle) has gone bankrupt, and will close next week at some point. Pity their stock is utter shit as they've got a half price sale on.

Don't worry about it mate, it's much better shopping online !

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

to be fair to John when a 'big hitter' comes in he tends to keep it for his regulars in his little black book, so if you weren't a regular caller he knew perhaps the upstairs shop floor stock didn't look that great, I can understand that...

A fair point I guess James mate, but my problem with that is there was never any decent stuff out in the shop for you to buy to build up that relationship with him, and become a regular.

Plus when ever i was in there he seemed a right miserable so, and so.

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by robert murt

Here's a very good reason for a shop to close

privilege = always the same 10 customers

Couldn't agree more mate, all your eggs are in one basket!

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Imperial_Mao

Don't worry about it mate, it's much better shopping online !

Not when you get buggers who can't even grade records properly Sten mate!

I like buying on line for some stuff, but I much prefer real world record buying.

**enrico chiesa** · 25-06-2010, 08:56 PM

I realise it may sound a bit 'cliquey' or something, but what I meant was if he knew what you were after your name/a few ideas of wants would go in his book and he or Geoff would ring (usually when I was skint but sometimes I hit lucky!) around the regulars... He did have stuff like mint Beatles White albums etc. tucked away in the basement figuring that stuff like that would get battered being in the racks etc...

Fair play about him being miserable at times... I don't know what was going on but at one stage he was actually sleeping (and drinking/getting stoned loads) in the basement of the shop - and the amount of times he'd hand me a bottle of vodka or just tell me to take stuff as freebie's cos he was fucked was unreal... haha

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

Fair play about him being miserable at times... I don't know what was going on but at one stage he was actually sleeping (and drinking/getting stoned loads) in the basement of the shop - and the amount of times he'd hand me a bottle of vodka or just tell me to take stuff as freebie's cos he was fucked was unreal... haha

I know he's got issues with getting hammerd and stuff. The only guy I get on with in there is the youngish dutch guy Bart, I scored some good libraries when he was in fairly recently which is the only time Ive really ever got anything in there.

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 09:13 PM

And while we're on a mini Newcastle update, Steel wheels is moving round the corner (Saint Mary's place).

**DiggerBarnes** · 25-06-2010, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by mr sayers

Alt vinyl in Newcastle closed yesterday.

Old hitz (also in Newcastle) has gone bankrupt, and will close next week at some point. Pity their stock is utter shit as they've got a half price sale on.

Is that the one with a coffee shop in it? Nice vibe in there but did'nt part with any coin.

**mr sayers** · 25-06-2010, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by DiggerBarnes

Is that the one with a coffee shop in it? Nice vibe in there but did'nt part with any coin.

Thats the one mate. I liked in there too, shame I never really bought anything in there.

**enrico chiesa** · 26-06-2010, 07:51 AM

Originally Posted by mr sayers

I know he's got issues with getting hammerd and stuff. The only guy I get on with in there is the youngish dutch guy Bart, I scored some good libraries when he was in fairly recently which is the only time Ive really ever got anything in there.

Aye mate, John has had my box record player for about seven months and aint even looked at it yet to fix it - I got a bit lazy and didn't pick it back up or chase him up yet but I'm going to pop in today to see whats happening..

Bart is always very apologetic to me over the record player haha, seems a canny bloke as well...

You ever met that mad Greek bloke who hires a van and comes over every year and clears the shop out of classic UK rock albums and stuff? He always spends a good few grand buying fairly obvious stuff for his shop back home in Greece as he said his punters can't get enough of it!!

**mr sayers** · 26-06-2010, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

You ever met that mad Greek bloke who hires a van and comes over every year and clears the shop out of classic UK rock albums and stuff? He always spends a good few grand buying fairly obvious stuff for his shop back home in Greece as he said his punters can't get enough of it!!

Ive never met him, but Ive seen him down Chester market doing the same thing much to the delight of the dealers!

**Sam** · 27-06-2010, 11:04 PM

Newcastle has done so well to hang on to as many record shops as it has, that it's not surprising there are a few casualties on the way.

I thought alt.vinyl had closed a while back, so I was surprised when I wandered past last time I was home and found it open. As you say, though, it's all limited-edition stuff and nothing really exciting - I left empty-handed.

I haven't been into Oldhitz for years. I was a regular when I first started collecting (late 90s), before it moved to its current location, because it was one of the few places locally that had a good stock of 7" singles. But the last few times I've been in, the singles have been grotty and I didn't like the backchat I got while browsing through them.

**enrico chiesa** · 28-06-2010, 06:54 AM

I think the initial closure of alt.vinyl was rescued by a cash loan coming from somewhere and being put into the business to keep it open... But bearing in mind their specialist music and the fact they started up their own little in house record label (making 8'' square record lathes of weird outsider music) they took quite a few bold steps and clearly couldn't sustain themselves.

**mr sayers** · 28-06-2010, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

I think the initial closure of alt.vinyl was rescued by a cash loan coming from somewhere and being put into the business to keep it open... But bearing in mind their specialist music and the fact they started up their own little in house record label (making 8'' square record lathes of weird outsider music) they took quite a few bold steps and clearly couldn't sustain themselves.

I think it was saved by the fact that it down sized, and the cafe next door helped with the rent.

I know the lease was up in June, and it was running at a loss, thats what Ben told me anyway.

**mr sayers** · 28-06-2010, 09:21 AM

Also the dance music shop 'Force 10' next to beatdown at the bottom of town closed last week too. Not that it really effects any ones record hunting on here, but it's another record store down the drain.

**Sam** · 28-06-2010, 10:19 AM

What's left for vinyl now in Newcastle, then? Steel Wheels (old and new) and Reflex (new release, excellent for singles) spring to mind.

**mr sayers** · 28-06-2010, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by Sam

What's left for vinyl now in Newcastle, then? Steel Wheels (old and new) and Reflex (new release, excellent for singles) spring to mind.

RPM, which has moved, and down sized. There's two Beatdowns, and Reflex. You also have windows that still sells records.

Every since there was a small documentary a couple of months ago, saying Newcastle was one of the few places in the country with several indie records many have closed -
Roots
Force 10
Old hitz
Alt vinyl
And I don't think it would take much to take any of remainder over the edge!

**Daddy Ya Ya** · 28-06-2010, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Sam

What's left for vinyl now in Newcastle, then? Steel Wheels (old and new) and Reflex (new release, excellent for singles) spring to mind.

Do Spin still have a shop ?

**enrico chiesa** · 28-06-2010, 12:18 PM

Nah Spin closed a year and a half/two year back as a physical shop I think...? Mail order only since then...

John the former Pet Sounds owner (also shut a few year back) has started trying to get some mini record fairs off the ground but they are intimate affairs... It's all gradually dying a death and we'll be down to boot fairs/weekend markets soon probably...

**mr sayers** · 28-06-2010, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

nah spin closed a year and a half/two year back as a physical shop i think...? Mail order only since then...

John the former pet sounds owner (also shut a few year back) has started trying to get some mini record fairs off the ground but they are shit affairs... It's all gradually dying a death and we'll be down to boot fairs/weekend markets soon probably...

:d

**Aggie** · 28-06-2010, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by enrico chiesa

You ever met that mad Greek bloke who hires a van and comes over every year and clears the shop out of classic UK rock albums and stuff? He always spends a good few grand buying fairly obvious stuff for his shop back home in Greece as he said his punters can't get enough of it!!

Does this bloke have a name or at least can we have a description?

Some of us here would be interested

**son of stan** · 28-06-2010, 09:35 PM

I thought this was going to be a thread about reaching a psychological conclusion to a traumatic vinyl purchasing event....

**kestrel blazer** · 28-06-2010, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by mr sayers

I think it was saved by the fact that it down sized, and the cafe next door helped with the rent.

I know the lease was up in June, and it was running at a loss, thats what Ben told me anyway.

Alt. Vinyl stocked some unusual stuff. Ben was always trying to interest you in some Wolf Eyes offshoot etched laserdisc (limited edition of 30) that would sound like outakes from 'Escape from New York!' You could always rely on him to point you in the direction of some great new artists. You could also spend too much time playing records at the wrong speed. And they did a decent scheme where you had a card marked, and once you had ten purchases you got the next free.

As for Steel Wheels, Rob was close to getting the whole of the old antiques centre (where it was based), but a late bid of around £2 million put an end to that. I think it is going to be a bar complex. He was offering rent on his upstairs rooms (£60 per week including internet access/free telephone) but no one seemed interested. Pretty sad for a large space in the centre of Newcastle.