Selman's

Late 1960s, i remember Selman's being open on a Sunday morning - I bought my 1st single there, 'I Want You Back' by Jackson 5.
Great shop - the records could be played so you could listen to them before buying.

I can remember that they ran a record club, I think it was a shilling or 9p a week, I cannot remember how it worked, but when it was your turn you you could buy records up to the monies that you paid. My aunt Flo used to collect the cash, my first record that I had was a Pinky & Perky single, at the cost of 6 shillings & 7d (35p). I must have been 5 or 6 years of age.

I also remember Melody Man also in Barking road, opposite Croyden Road, That opened early seventy's. There was also another one at the Abbey Arms near the old Natwest bank, cannot remember the name. another senior moment

I worked in Selmans in the late 50s to early 60s and loved every minute playing all the latest records and chatting to everyone.

The Selmans at 245 Barking Road were my grandparents.

Selman's was my grandparents' shop. They couldn't play the records on a Sunday as it was illegal to sell them that day. Half of the shop was a tobacconist so they could open on Sundays for that part of the shop. However, they still sold records if a customer wanted to buy one.
I had a Saturday job there when I was 13, to help my grandmother, after my grandfather died.