RECORD STORE DAY 2025: The Record Cafe, Bradford
In celebration of Record Store Day Click Roll Boom chatted to some local record shops about what the event means to them and their plans for the day!
First up Keith William from The Record Cafe in Bradford. 45-47 North Parade, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 3JH
Founded in 2014, The Record Café is a unique independent spot combining a vinyl record shop, beer café, and charcuterie. Offering an eclectic mix of new vinyl releases, top-quality local and international beers, and a selection of Spanish charcuterie and cheese, it has become a standout destination. Its excellence has been recognised multiple times, earning the title of Bradford CAMRA Pub of the Year in 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2022.
Photo credit: https://therecordcafe.co.uk
What inspired you to participate in Record Store Day, and what does it mean for your store to be part of such a global celebration of vinyl and music culture?
Record Store Day was one of the reasons we opened in the first place back in 2014. It reignited my passion for vinyl, and made me realise there were people out there who wanted to buy records again, after years of downloads. It’s great to be involved in it. And it was great to bring a global event to Bradford for the first time, and we’ve taken part every year since 2015.
How does Record Store Day help strengthen your relationship with your customers and the local music community?
It works well in that people from the surrounding areas who may not have know about us call in for the first time, and it’s something that regular customers look forward to every year.
What can visitors expect when they walk into your store on Record Store Day? Do you have any traditions or events that make the day special?
As we’re already a beer café as well as a record shop it works well for us. We have had bands and DJs before, but customers tend to like to sit and have a beer or a coffee, a chat and some food after their purchases.
Record Store Day celebrates not only vinyl but also the spirit of independent music retail. What do you think makes independent record stores like yours an essential part of the music ecosystem?
Independent record shops are crucial to the local music scene. They’re places people can go to find out about local bands who may have an album out. And of course anyone buying music is contributing to the future of these bands. It’s not always about the international stadium bands or decades established bands. It’s about helping the bands of the future getting there. And if they’re local it’s even better to have been there at the start to help!
