The record store chain recently opened its largest UK store in Liverpool this year Rough Trade is reportedly “assessing opportunities” to build more stores following a huge rise in vinyl and CD sales. READ MORE: The CD revival? It might become the punkest music format out there Managing director Lawrence Montgomery told Music Week in a new interview that the chain – which currently has six shops in the UK and one in the US – was looking to open more stores, particularly in London. “We always keep an eye on opportunities in the UK but we are respectful to the great indie stores around the country, so we are very specific when looking at opportunities,” Montgomery said.
He also added that the chain were “assessing a couple opportunities in London, where we have a strong team and operational set-up.” It follows a huge resurgence in the vinyl industry, in which the number of independent vinyl stores hit a 10-year high in March this year and vinyl outsold CD for the first time in 35 years in 2023. “We are selling more than double the number of records and CDs so far in 2024 than we did five years ago,” Montgomery told Music Week .
“As long as labels and artists continue to value the role independent record shops like ourselves offer, we believe this growth can continue.” Recently, Rough Trade opened their largest UK store in Liverpool last January, with Montgomery calling the initial reaction towards the store “extremely positive”. “Every time we open.