Music is good for the soul. And your local record shops are here to help see you through these trying times. Whilst many have closed their doors temporarily, they are still working hard to get the records you love to you.
Dealing with the Covid-19 virus is the biggest challenge the independent retail sector, let alone local record shops, has faced – and that at a time when the high street was already on its knees.
Record Store Day (RSDUK) 2020 has been postponed by two months until Saturday June 20 because of the outbreak of Coronavirus. So if you ‘Love Record Shops’, here are five ways in which RSDUK says you can make a difference and support them:
1. Order online: Nearly all shops are operating online or have Discogs/Amazon/eBay platforms. Now’s the time to buy that record you’ve always wanted or stock up on new releases you can’t wait to hear. Not sure what to get? The staff will be full of exciting recommendations.
2. Buy gift vouchers: If there’s nothing you want right now, you can ask your record shop about buying a gift voucher or record token. You can always use it at a later date but the cash in the till in the meantime will make a huge difference to keep things ticking along.
3. Gift a record: Now more than ever is a time for a gesture. If you have friends, relatives and colleagues who are struggling, sending them a record in the post is a wonderful way to let them know you are thinking of them and a great way to brighten up someone’s day.
4. Follow, subscribe, like: We know not everyone is in a position to spend, but a simple hello, follow, retweet or like will go a long way to reminding hard working staff you’re still there. You could even tag friends and family to help share this message far and wide.
5. Keep it local: With all the above, we urge you to reach out to the shops in your community. There are over 200 record shops across the UK and we want to keep it that way. If you don’t know already, use the Record Store Day UK store locator to find out who’s local to you.
For the latest news on Record Store Day UK follow @RSDUK on Twitter