It’s been 10 years since Aberdeen Vinyl Records first opened its doors.
Since then, thousands of customers have visited the Union Street shop, including some famous faces.
For owner Bob Smith it’s been an enjoyable decade and he has continued to see his business flourish despite some challenges.
The 60-year-old has amassed nearly 5,000 records for customers to browse, with something for everyone.
Bob, who has been interested in vinyl since 1971, admits he fell into the trade of record selling by accident.
Stock built up over years
He said: “A friend of mine said he had a bunch of records he wanted to sell. We had premises doing various things so we put them in to help him out.
“They flew off the shelves. I asked if he had anymore and he was a bit of a dealer, so he managed to get some bits and pieces more.
“But, eventually, he ran out so we started advertising in The Press and Journal for people with record collections.
“That’s where it all came from. People started coming into the shop and bringing us records.”
Bob started off at a unit on Union Street before moving to Aberdeen Market in 2014.
When the market closed in 2020 he moved back to Union Street.
Union Street ‘great location’
The dad-of-three said: “The market is where we really made our name. Everyone started to know about us and bring their records.
“We travelled all over the country for record collections. The vinyl boom was just beginning to start in 2013 and 2014.
“But it was pure coincidence on our part. We had no idea. It wasn’t like we saw it coming.”
“The timing was fortuitous.
“Union Street is a great location for us.”
Famous records and faces
Bob’s records over the years have ranged in price from £1 to £1,400 due to what he describes as “holy grails”.
His most expensive record sold was the Led Zepplin One LP, with turquoise writing, which was bought for £1,400.
Bob, who is married to Angela, said: “Over 10 years we’ve had every rare record you can think of through our hands.
“The one with the turquoise writing is worth £1,400 but the one with orange writing only £10. Everyone knows it’s a holy grail.
“The other one is the Beatles Please Please Me on the gold Parlophone label. That one sold for £700.”
Over the years there’s been some famous faces walk through the doors.
Paul Weller and Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock paid a surprise visit in May 2021.
Other visitors include Yoko Ono’s PR man, Murray Chalmers and Mark Millar, formerly a head writer at Marvel comics and the creator of Kick Ass and Kingsmen films.
‘Friendly ghost’
Bob also revealed he believes his shop could be home to a “friendly ghost” due to strange goings on over the years.
He said: “There was a time when I’d brought in hundreds of seven-inch singles from my car and was sitting at my desk pricing them. A customer of ours, Murray, was watching and said: ‘Thank goodness I don’t collect seven-inch singles,’ adding, “there’s only one seven-inch single I’ve been searching for, because it was never released as a 12-inch single.
“I was still flicking through the singles, holding each one to assess condition, when I asked Murray which one. He said: “Oh, you won’t have it. It’s I’m In Love With A German Film Star by The Passions.
“Before he’d finished the sentence, I held up one (a single) in my hand and it was I’m In Love With A German Film Star.
“The spooky bit is that when I’d been taking the singles out of my car the bag burst and they fell all over the boot. So, I just grabbed as many as I could as I was late.
“Just before I closed the boot, I saw one within reach, with a picture cover. I nearly didn’t pick it up but I did. And that was I’m In Love With A German Film Star.”
Bob is currently writing the Vinyl Frontier, a collection of stories about the shop. It comes out next year.
As well as Aberdeen Vinyl Records the shop is also home to Aberdeen Gift and Tourist shop – owned by Angela.