Music / Get To Know
Get To Know: Collector Cave
Its true that vinyl is still an alive and kicking musical medium. Whether you’re a casual listener or a DJ, chances are that you or someone you know simply can’t get enough of those black waxy 12 inch discs. Yet, somehow, record stores themselves aren’t having the best luck of late.
When Collector Cave was forced to close its doors in the Vintage Market at the bottom of Stokes Croft last year, it was a massive blow for the vinyl community. Easily one of Bristol’s top digging spots, you could guarantee with almost 100% certainty that you could go in there with a tenner and, with a keen ear, come out with two or three scorchers.
However, all was not lost. The start of a new year brings with it new beginnings for the cave, as they open their new store, just a touch further up from the previous stomping ground, on Cheltenham Road, next to the Cloak and Dagger.
is needed now More than ever
I managed to grab them for a chat as they enter their first full month of business in the new gaff. We reminisced on the old store, looked into the future, and talked ice cream flavours.
Hello! How the devil are you?
We are both well and looking forward to getting stuck into 2023 after a very busy few months that have been rewarding yet exhausting.
What is Collector Cave, and is there anything in particular that you would say is your speciality?
Its run by old friends Guy & Ben. Our new store is a one stop shop for vinyl records, CDs, DJ gear and HiFi. We also sell a much wider range of collectables and other items online. We specialise in dance music vinyl and we have started a new service offering sales old used Technic 1210 rebuilds, mods and servicing.
What’s the story of the beginning of the store?
Since 2003 Guy had a hobby buying and selling at car boot sales and on eBay. Over the years it developed into a desire to do it full time. By 2014, with redundancy looming, it seemed a no brainer to take the leap. Joined by long time friend Ben initially helping out, we ran a couple of market stalls on East St Bedminster, then Corn St, before setting up a make-shift shop in an old warehouse before finally arriving at the late Vintage Market when Ben joined full time.
Originally we sold a lot of collectable 70s & 80s toys, antiques, furniture, electronics, instruments, DVDs, books and some vinyl. Over time toys became harder to find, DVDs died, whilst vinyl and HiFi was still easy to acquire and our combined love of records, particularly dance music, meant it snowballed from there. The business evolved until we ended up with essentially a record & HiFi shop.
The original Collector Cave store in the Stokes Croft Vintage Market – photo: Collector Cave
Soap – bar or bottle?
I like it out the bottle as I find bars a bit chewy, I hear Ben loves a good Old Spice Soap on a rope
You were based in the now closed Vintage Market on the bottom of Stokes Croft for a number of years. What happened there?
The Vintage Market building had been in redevelopment stasis for many years, and lay empty. In 2014 a local charity set up shop selling second hand goods to the local community and provided much needed retail pop up space. In 2016 we took a three month lease knowing redevelopment work would commence in the autumn, but for unknown reasons nothing happened for six years. In July 2022, we left for the last time after work finally commenced on a new brewery and restaurant.
Producers and DJs frequently drop by the store to drop off their latest releases – photo: Collector Cave
Obviously, you sell a lot of vinyl. Have you noticed a change in the amount of vinyl making its way through the shop over the years? Is it getting more or less popular, from your point of view?
Its definitely more popular than ever, this is for a number of reasons, most notably because so many record labels and artists are reissuing old material, and previously unreleased gems, not to mention the new found love of the format by DJs and producers who are pumping out releases across all genres, its feels like it did in the 90s all over again.
Favourite ice cream flavour?
Raspberry ripple all the way.
What are some of the top genres selling in the shop right now?
UK Garage is definitely the most requested right now. Drum & Bass / Jungle, Hip Hop, Deep House, Techno, Dub Step & Reggae all sell regularly.
How did you wind up at your new location on Cheltenham Road, right before the arches?
When word of the Market closing spread, we were contacted by the Cloak & Dagger who we already had good dealings with and they asked us if we would like to base ourselves there.
I believe I would be correct in saying that your new store is significantly cosier than the old store in the Vintage Market. How have you found this adjustment?
The Market was falling apart, had no heating, no hot water, plenty of leaks, roosting pigeons and many many creatures that lived there, all in all, happy to say our new home is a definite upgrade. Cosy sums up the new place perfectly, however the trade off is a much smaller, but more focussed footprint.
The new Collector Cave store, next to the Cloak & Dagger on Cheltenham Road – photo: Collector Cave
You find yourself in the finals of the world Mario Kart championship. Which character are you picking?
Yoshi & Bowser.
How has business been since the reopening?
Got to say we have been blown away by the support we have received, we couldn’t be happier.
A little birdie told me that you guys might not be so lonely in your store in the near future – are there any talks taking place for the store to have a friendly partnership with a certain music platform? (Tell me if I’m talking absolute waffle)
Lets just say we are working on a number of exciting projects which we hope to be able to elaborate on soon.
Can you see yourself remaining at the Cheltenham Road store for the foreseeable future?
The space has exceeded expectations in many ways and we are very happy with the location and our new partners at Cloak & Dagger have made us very welcome. We have big plans for the future. In a nutshell we think the future is bright.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cmwq9KRJbh8/
Thoughts on marmite?
It sticks to stuff far more than I would like, and Ben says its a nightmare to get off of LP covers, but it is quite tasty.
What are your hopes for the next year with the store and with Collector Cave itself?
We have very clear plans for the future and want to expand the range of new releases we offer, focussing on the Electronic genres that we are known for, whilst increasing our stock levels of quality used vinyl and HiFi.
We also have some great people that we are looking to work with more closely to help us run the shop and online side of the business more efficiently.
What are you listening to right now?
Duo Infernale – Playing Games (Seba + Paradox Remix)
Main Photo: Guy & Ben, Collector Cave
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