Fopp Byres Road

It’s been threatened with extinction on more than one occasion, but thankfully Fopp – which was founded as a one-man stall in Glasgow in 1981 – rocks on. This small national chain – presently operating as an independent part of the HMV Group – doesn’t possess anything like the power it once did, when it had over 100 branches UK-wide (now there are just eight), but then nor do most record shops in the post-download era.

With two outlets left in Glasgow – one near the top of Byres Road in the West End and one near the foot of Union Street in the City Centre – Fopp remains one of the best places to shop for physical music in the city. Not to mention books, DVDs and other entertainment products, sometimes at bargain basement prices.

Vinyl records are developing a growing presence in Fopp and the racks seem to have expanded a little every time you return. They’re filled with new LPs, both brand new releases and reissues, at generally reasonable prices, with the odd bargain. There’s loads of CD along the same lines too. The DVD selection ranges from all the latest box-sets and blockbusters to a healthy choice of classic and foreign-language films. Books-wise, expect a tidy choice of paperback classic novels and modern favourites, for sometimes as little as a couple of quid or less.

The clientele is pretty diverse – from proper record buffs to students, or simply people looking for gifts for friends and family among stock that also includes T-shirts, headphones, mugs and much else (you can do a fair whack of your Christmas shopping in one go). There are always good discount deals on, and Fopp’s Suck it and See policy – if you don’t enjoy what you buy, then you can bring it back – encourages inquisitive purchases.