One of the best things about being the birthplace of The Beatles is there will never be a shortage of committed music lovers visiting the city. And therefore never a shortage of record shops catering to all their gatefold, rare press, mint condition needs.
But while every Liverpool record shop in our guide has a shelf or two devoted to the Fab Four, there’s a lot more to them than Mersey Beat. This city combines a strong pop heritage with an always-evolving, ever-thriving music scene – and these stores reflect that.
Here we’ve listed some of the best record shops in Liverpool city centre (we’ll extend it to cover the rest of the city soon). In the meantime, here’s a ready-made vinyl hunting itinerary for you, all within about 15 minutes walk of each other.
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Ropewalks81 Renshaw
More detailsThere’s quite a history to 81 Renshaw Street – the address and the record shop that now lives here. Upstairs was once the base for Mersey Beat, the 1960s music magazine with very close links to the Beatles. It published early writings by John Lennon (he went to the same art school as the owner) and covered the band at the very start of their career.
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RopewalksDead Air Records
More detailsOne of the newest additions to Liverpool’s vinyl scene is neighbourhood record store Dead Air Records on Suffolk Street. It’s a little bit off the main drag but is well worth seeking out for its affordable secondhand vinyl and friendly vibe.
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RopewalksDig Vinyl
More detailsUpstairs at Resurrection on Bold Street you’ll find record store Dig Vinyl. It sells secondhand and new vinyl (mainly secondhand) from across the musical spectrum including pop, metal, and hip hop. It’s all the genres you’d expect and then some.
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RopewalksThe Jacaranda
More detailsSerious Beatles fans will know all about The Jacaranda. This bar and gig venue was opened by their first manager Allan Williams in 1958, and was used as a rehearsal space by the band when John Lennon was a student at the Liverpool College of Art.
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Baltic TriangleRed Brick Market
More detailsIf you love thrifting, vintage clothes, handmade jewellery, secondhand vinyl, charming curios, retro homeware, old comics, and the like, you will love Red Brick Market. It’s a huge warehouse carved up into 200+ intriguing little shops, all independently owned, and selling all manner of beguiling and beautiful items.
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RopewalksRough Trade Liverpool
More detailsAny self-respecting indie kid will know the Rough Trade name; a trip to the Covent Garden shop used to be a musical pilgrimage back in the pre-internet days. Now we’re in the age of Spotify and next-day-delivery, you forget how exciting record shopping once was. Rough Trade Liverpool is doing its best to bring that feeling back by mixing browsing with social events, album launches, and live music, all in the same place.
