Rumbelows was an electrical appliance shop in Welwyn Garden City. It had a wire carousel rack of lps, a limited stock of easy listening and pop records presumably for the benefit of those who'd just bought a hi-fi kit from the same shop. This would be mid to late sixties and as teenager record fans we'd browse anything, anywhere. We'd chat up the girl sales assistant and get here to order things she'd never heard of folk and blues records,and prog.rock. Gradually their stock built up and, through us, it became more eclectic. More space was given up to it, though it remained primarily an electrical retailer. Disappeared decades ago. Will Vine (sound of the world)
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My first ever record came from there: Hot Love by T.Rex.
You may remember that they had a purpose-built system to hold 45s behind the counter whereby the #1 record was nearest to the customers (side-on) and it worked its way away from the counter as the numbers got higher. This was particularly great when T.Rex had their own striking house bag (red/blue) and it poked out by a couple of inches from their little boxes - you could always tell that T.Rex were high in the charts.
Name
Martin Barden
(2020)
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I too bought my first record here, a Beach Boys greatest hits LP.
Happy days!
Name
Mike Whittall
(2021)
Comments
Gallery
… and this advert in the 'Hertford Mercury & Reformer' dated 10th January 1958: “Buy your records at our SELF-SERVICE RECORD BAR. We have a large selection of standard and long-playing records, and gramophone sundries. Sydney Rumbelow 49 HIGH STREET, HODDESDON : Telephone 3901.”
… and this classified advert in the 12th December 1958 edition: “RADIO and Television Service Engineer for our Hoddesdon branch. Must be able to drive.—Apply, Sydney Rumbelow, 3 Park Street, Hatfield; or 49 High Street, Hoddesdon.”
… and this advert in the 19th December 1958 edition: “CHRISTMAS gifts. - Radio, Record Reproducers, Television, Electrical Goods, Musical Instruments, Musical Toys, Records, etc. Hire purchase terms arranged with pleasure. — Sydney Rumbelow, Hatfield, Stevenage, Hitchin, Hoddesdon, Boreham Wood, Royston.”
… and you can read more about Sydney Rumbelow at this link:
https://www.ourhatfield.org.uk/content/topics/shops-trades/shops_and_shopping/sydney-rumbelow
… where there are lots of photos and period adverts.