Beanos was a second-hand record shop, once the largest in Europe[1], located in the South London suburb of Croydon. It was founded by David Lashmar in 1975 (a former member of the short-lived British musical group Dead Sea Fruit) and continued to expand through three increasingly larger shops ending up in an old printing works in Middle Street during the 1990s.
After over thirty years of trading, Beanos faced the threat of closure in 2006, although the immediate threat was averted by concentrating the store's focus on rare vinyl records rather than Compact Discs which were being undercut by large music chains and supermarkets.[2] However, in November 2008 Lashmar posted a notice on the website stating the store would have to close after Christmas of that year as sales had not picked up. The shop finally closed in the Autumn of 2009.
In January 2010 David Lashmar reopened Beanos as STUFF marketplace. STUFF marketplace officially closed on 30th April 2010 due to too little business. Lashmar is currently looking for someone to buy the building to run as STUFF.
In December 2010 David Lashmar and Beanos featured in the BBC television series Turn Back Time - The High Street. Lashmar appeared as a 1970s record shop owner trying to sell vinyl records to the public in Shepton Mallet, Somerset.
Beanos was almost like the mecca of second hand vinyl! I used to visit the Middle Street shop in the 90's and was always overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choice. Perhaps for this reason I did not buy as much stuff from the shop as you might expect. With a whole FLOOR of 12" and 7", bags of vinyl Lp's downstairs and rows and rows of used CD's (downstairs) it was always difficult to decide on what to buy and what to leave. Some of the prices in store were I felt a bit steep but I did not mind paying £20 for a Cheap Trick promo CD I found which included an exclusive demo recording!
I have to say also that watching David Lashmar lock up his shop for the last time on the Turn Back Time programme actually made me cry. I'm not ashamed to admit that because, like David in the film, I also knew that when he turned the key in that lock for the last time he was turning the key on a way of life and all of the social benefits that went with it. God bless you David! Comment: Tony May
(Aug 20, 2013) d said:Dougie! Miss your company and those times gone by. Without you we would all be carrying our vinyl in paper bags. e me: you can find me with a search. d
(Mar 1, 2013) Dougie p said:I knew David really well and used to supply him with his printed Carrier bags, also supplied many other independant record shops in Croydon and surrounding areas with their bags.
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First visited Beanos in the mid 80s.
In the shop of Surry street. Great place to pick up unusual albums. Most of my collection is curtesy of this mecca.
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Paul Hedger
(2019)
Paul Heaton (Housemartins) shopped here for Blue Beat and Ska records.
"That was its claim, painted on the wall, and I've never had any reason to question it. In the early eighties, Beano's was where I learned almost everything I knew about music. I also subscribed to Record Collector, read every pop history book I could find – Nik Cohn's Awopbopaloobop, Tom Hibbert's Rare Records – and listened to Jimmy Saville's Old Record Club on Radio One every Sunday lunchtime. But Beano's was where I saw records on the wall, learned to admire the aesthetics of labels like Coral and Cameo Parkway, and got to read the writing and production credits. Knowledge was all in the detail." Bob Stamley (2020) (Click on link for more on Beano's).
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Hey there! Does any one remember the mural on the original Surrey Street store? Does anyone have a photo of it? I need to travel down that particular stretch of memory lane.
Thanks
Amelia
(2022)
Music Week 1986
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The colour photos on this page are of the building at 1 Bell Hill, Croydon where Bell Hill Cassettes started in 1975 – you can still see the signs for ‘Bell Hill’ above the door where it has been overpainted with ‘Lashmar’s Bargain Music Store’ as well as ‘Cassettes’ in the doorway recess. The photos are of a slightly later date when it had changed to it’s final name of Beanos and moved to Surrey Street, Croydon (as the sign under the arched window tells prospective customers)Name
Dave Harwood (2022)
Back then they were in the narrow Surrey St store. The guy upstairs who ran the singles dept was the most extraordinarily knowledgeable, greasy haired hippy of a man, but a man of few words lol until he sussed you out.
I bought all my Rolling Stones and Beatles original UK 7", and Eps from him, I loved it when he slid the correct wooden box holding all the treasure down on to the counter and let me go through it. Then at some point they moved to the big shop which mustve been early 90s.
The big BIG store was extraordinary. On the ground floor it had clearance boxes with the poorer quality vinyl in, and via these I completed my original UK Beatles vinyl collection. I was never bothered by the odd crack or pop, it was part of the life of a piece of vinyl, not like the hipster snobs now! I also got all the original Stones UK albums here too including the lenticular sleeve of Their Satanic Majesties, and they were ALL under £20.
My strongest and unforgettable memory, is when i took all my Queen CD's in to trade to vinyl. Now in those days I was doing the opposite of most people, so the prices were pretty much evenly matched. I couldn't get the price I wanted from the guys at the counter however, so I walked away - but then a guy in the shop mustve overheard me and said come outside I'll buy them. As we were doing the dirty deal outside the Surrey St store, David flew outside and went fucking daft at the guy for stealing business off him out of his shop. David was understanding with me, but it scared the shite out of me lol
It needn't have mattered as I walked back into the shop and got most of the 70s Queen output on vinyl including a beautiful gatefold of Queen II.
In 2004 during the vinyl slump, i sold the lot for about £400. I'm pretty sure now I could retire on what I bought in Beanos. Great, carefree days, when the music still mattered more than the 'heavyweight 180g vinyl' its printed on.