Wigan had an ugly, underused shopping precinct in the mid to late 1970s. On the ground floor, alongside the escalator stood Javelin Records. The bargain rack was just to your left as you walked in. The long counter was to your left. Up the escalator, just on the left was Martins. The record section was at the back of the shop, past the newspapers and magazines with the counter on your right. Martins didn't have the biggest selection of records in the world, mainly rock and pop, although I did manage to pick up a decent recording of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto in here for about 50p. By the early 'eighties the precinct had given way to another empty complex on the same site. Comment Dave White.
Nora_Clew says: I worked in the Wigan branch for 2 years from 1974, then took over as Manager of the Bolton branch, and stayed there until around 1978,(I remeber Tilly well, once when I was on holiday, she was clocked whizzing down market street on a skateboard, by the area manager, Tom no less), moving on to the wholesale warehouse in Middleton, acting as stock co-ordinator and buyer for the shops plus the wholesale side. Made redundant around 1980 when the wholesale side was sold off to a firm called Wynd-Up records in Prestwich. Many a tale to tell, some good ones from the days in the shops, and some shady ones from the wholesale side, perhaps best kept under wraps.........