On the hunt for some new vinyl to spin this week? If you’re passing by London’s Denmark Street, just off Charing Cross Road, you’ll see a new addition to its line of shopfronts — Rough Trade has just opened up its latest record shop along the stretch.
The veteran independent music retailer’s seventh UK store, and its fourth in Central London, Rough Trade Denmark Street offers records, books and other musical merchandise spread across two floors.
Musical heritage
The location is a natural fit for Rough Trade — although the area’s current vibe may not immediately seem a match. Denmark Street, now dominated by Times Square-style video screens and illuminations from Outernet on the corner of Tottenham Court Road and Charing Cross Road, was once the go-to destination for the capital’s musicians.
Though their number has dwindled, the street once played host to dozens of musical instrument shops, and was a hangout for the likes of Elton John, The Rolling Stones and Sex Pistols. The ace Astoria live music venue was just a stone’s throw away, now gone in favour of shops, while The Marquee — which played host to the likes of Jimi Hendrix and The Who — was a few minutes away. It’s now a Wetherspoons.
Outernet includes a 2,000 capacity venue called HERE, but it’s yet to have attracted the performances or gained the legacy that made those now-defunct venues legendary.
In short, Rough Trade’s presence is a welcome nod to the musical traditions of the area.
“We are thrilled to bring Rough Trade to London’s iconic Denmark Street, a location that holds such a profound place in the city’s music history,” said Lawrence Montgomery, Managing Director, Rough Trade UK.
“Our new store will house an extensive selection of curated vinyl across all genres, as well as a specialist book selection and exclusive merchandise. With its rich heritage and ongoing legacy, Denmark Street is the perfect setting for our next chapter, fostering its own unique community, while also offering all the vibrancy and expertise customers have come to expect when visiting Rough Trade. We look forward to welcoming music fans to explore, discover and celebrate music and culture, continuing our tradition of being more than just a record store.”
With the opening of the new store comes a slight change to the shop in Rag and Bone on Beak Street — it gets re-branded as Rough Trade Vintage, and will focus on selling second-hand vinyl instead of new releases.