Records, The Smiths, The Strokes, The Libertines, Arcade Fire, Portishead, The Clash
1976
On February 23, 1976, former drama teacher Geoff Travis opened Rough Trade on Kensington Park Road in Ladbroke Grove, inspired by San Francisco's City Lights Bookstore, with the idea that a record store could be a place of community, not commerce. The name came from a Canadian punk band he admired. In 1982, three employees bought the inventory for £7,000 and moved it here to Talbot Road, where it remains today. In 1978, the store spawned Rough Trade Records, which released The Smiths, The Strokes, The Libertines, Arcade Fire, and Portishead. It is the smallest of the London stores, with 280 sq m and a curated selection focused on indie, punk, post-punk, and alternative music. It is London's oldest continuously operating independent record store.
130 Talbot Rd, London W11 1JA, United Kingdom
London, United Kingdom