W I N T E R 2 02 1
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Pop Recs 2 is here! A driving force behind Sunderland’s burgeoning culture scene, Pop Recs has become a beacon of light for creatives around the region. Matthew Thomas popped in to learn more about Pop Recs 2 - the cultural institution run by the people, for the people… Having established a well-loved hub on Stockton Road nearly 10 years ago, Pop Recs have been painstakingly restoring 170-173 High Street West to transform a 217-year-old, dilapidated shell into a vibrant community hub for the people. Originally built in 1804, 170-173 High Street West began life as a three-storey townhouse that was home to sailors and tradesmen working along the harbour of the River Wear. The building’s purpose took on a totally different meaning during the 1840s, as a household name chain department store, Binns, took over residency selling everything from bicycles to confectionary 18
in which it earned the nickname, ‘Harrods of the North East’. It’s been some journey for Michael. Guitarist for Frankie & The Heartstrings, he and other band members opened Pop Recs in 2013 in an abandoned tourist office on Fawcett Street in what was intended to be a makeshift pop-up store to support the launch of their album. It organically became more than just a pop-up store for the city. Soon, art exhibitions began springing up, more people arrived for good coffee and the
likes of James Bay, The Vaccines, Edwyn Collins, Franz Ferdinand and The Charlatans all took to the stage as Sunderland began embracing Pop Recs. Fast-forward to 2021 and this historic spot is enjoying a new chapter of history with the opening of Pop Recs 2. Following a meticulous restoration process by Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust, Michael McKnight, Jo Gordon - training and development manager at Pop Recs - and Dan Shannon - the genius behind Midnight Pizza Crü, have teamed up to breathe a
WHAT WAS ONCE A DERELICT SHELL ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE, THE SPACE HAS BEEN ENTIRELY TRANSFORMED INTO AN OPEN, AIRY SPACE THAT FEATURES SUBTLE NODS TO THE BUILDING PAST TENANTS.
