It was established in 1995[2] by Paul Hawkins. Having opened as an LP mail order department, "a time when vinyl was in its darkest days".[3] Hawkins has described being (at the time) one of the only South Wales record stores with a wide enough range of vinyl records, with only Spillers Records in Cardiff (the oldest surviving store in the world) serving for regional competition.
During the period, similar businesses including Rough Trade Records faced closure, with the growth of CD and later digital audio rendering vinyl recordings expensive and inefficient.
Modern era
In 2002, the store started its independent record label, Diverse Records, which has gone on to release over 50 records, including the first vinyl printing of an Alison Krauss record, as well as popular bands including Idlewild and modern names like Laura Marling.[4]
In recent years, the store has enjoyed a revival, along with the 2000s vinyl revival. The store and others has been particularly helped by the establishment of Record Store Day, which has brought attention, business, and events to local record stores across the UK.
In April 2019, the business re-launched its website, which has served as one of the largest online retailers of LPs.
