SAVE OUR RECORD SHOPS: Reform Records, Exeter
As part of our Save Our Record Shops feature, and with National Record Store Day coming up later this month, we’ve collected some info on some of the best record stores in the region…
Reform Records, City Arcade, Fore Street, Exeter
01392 435577 // www.reform-records.co.uk
Hey Maxxi, so how long has your shop been open?
Mr Nice took over in April 2003 from Jan, who had owned it since it started way back in the mid nineties. He ran the shop for seven years before taking the hard decision to sell.
Do you specialise in any particular kind of music?
Drum and bass, dubstep, hardcore and breaks and basslines.
What has been the most memorable thing that has happened in the shop over the years?
We have had quite a few special guests in. For me it was the Killa Kela instore just after the move. It was about 6pm in the evening, and I had about four different sets of neighbours moaning at me about the noise. Also the relocation party we had in Easton Buildings before we moved to Fore Street, that was pure crazy.
How have the changes in the music industry (downloading etc) affected your shop?
Downloading and the internet have of course affected us majorly, mainly in genres of music like breaks, house, trance etc. Over the years, we have built up and maintained a loyal local customer base who prefer buying records instore rather than online who have kept us going through the hard times. Thanks to them Reform Records still stands. Also a website for Reform will be up by the end of 2010.
Has your clientele or the music/products you sell changed since downloading became more popular?
Our clientele has stayed the same, but we decided to branch out and sell clothing and hats and streetwear to combat the fall in vinyl sales.
How have you tried to address the changes that you have witnessed in the industry – what are you doing that’s new?
We have tried hard to address this and think we have found our niche in drum and bass, dubstep, clothing and of course event tickets. We also put on parties and have a big involvement in the music scene in Exeter and Devon.
Where do you see things going in the next four or five years? Will you still be open as a shop?
Of course. Reform is not just a shop, it’s a part of Exeter’s music scene and culture. A lot of the local DJs and upcoming talent can use Reform as a hub for finding out more about the scene they love in their own town.
