"It's not just a transaction, it's a conversation" – how vinyl record shops are thriving in the digital age

Jon Clifford, owner of Dreamhouse Records in London, in his store surrounded by shelves of vinyl records.

Here's reason to celebrate: UK vinyl sales have reached an 18-year high. But not only is the format thriving, the shops selling it are, too – bricks and mortar stores have increased their share of vinyl sales by nearly a third since 2021, now accounting for 41.2 per cent of all purchases.

So when the UK high street is struggling, just how are record shops bucking the trend? As part of our Vinyl Week 2026 event, we went in search of answers.