A North Staffordshire music fan who opened a record shop six months ago has already expanded to a third location.
Mike Stanier opened Blue Collar Record Shop in Butt Lane in April, followed just two weeks later by a concession in Congleton’s Victoria Mill Antique Centre. And he has now launched a third outlet inside new Longton coffee shop The Sound of Coffee.
All Mike’s stock comes into his flagship Butt Lane store before being distributed to the three sites. Around 1,000 albums will be available to browse and buy in the Market Street independent coffee shop.
Mike, who also runs Kidsgrove bar The Tap Room, said: “My customers are everyone from 60-year-old men coming in to buy The Smiths to a younger audience discovering great music. The best part of this for me is talking to the customers and seeing a teenager come in and buy an 80s banger – that gives me the most joy.
It started off as a hobby but it has gone well past that stage now. It was always my intention to expand but I didn’t expect it to happen this soon.
“I have got that much stock I could easily fill another place. It’s just a passion and I love it. It has taken over my life.”
