SMALL BUSINESS INTERVIEW THE VINYL FRONTIER

By Grace King and Hannah Sewell

As a record shop, this café has a 90s indie energy to it. It’s perfect for music lovers to browse the newest releases and shop for used vinyl whilst drinking coffee. It welcomes people who want to work with laptops as long as they buy a drink or some food to eat.

Location: On Grove Road, so practically on the College's doorstep. Drinks: There is a wide range of drinks and they are vegan-friendly. There is a choice of milk and syrups in hot drinks as well as options for chilled drinks, such as coke or sprite. Food: Good for snacks with a good range of crisps flavours. Both meat and vegan sausage rolls, which are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, are offered.

We interviewed Chris from the Vinyl Frontier What is your business?

-I run The Vinyl Frontier, which is located on Grove Road. It is a café, bar and record shop.

Who are your target customers?

-To be honest, it’s literally everyone from teenagers to pensioners We believe we have something that appeals to the entire spectrum of ages We cater to a wide range of musical tastes and are sometimes able to order specific requests I would recommend trying our coffee, sausage rolls and toasties while generally enjoying the cool ambience. We also welcome anyone who wants to work, so feel free to bring in a laptop and order a coffee.

Why did you decide to start your business? What inspired you?

-I have always loved music I’d been collecting vinyl for over 40 years and had vaguely toyed with the idea of a small record emporium for a while when coincidentally there happened to be an empty shop unit on Crown Street which was two minutes from my house, so I opened The Vinyl Frontier in July 2012

What changes have you made over the years?

-Originally, it was specifically a small record shop but we moved to larger premises on Grove Road in 2015 and expanded the business to include a café-bar and more live events. Record Store Day, which happens annually in April, was always popular During the covid lockdowns, we refurbished, adding a new bar selling a range of Welsh beers and quality drinks We refitted the storeroom downstairs which now houses our secondhand records, plus additional seating and table football!

Where do you see your business in ten years?

-We will probably look to sell the business in the next ten years and retire, but in the meantime, we will keep listening to and responding to our customers. The future isn’t clear, but we may even look to expand further

Describe your working day.

-I get to work at 830 am The café bar opens at 10 am and remains open until late We sell records online, so I primarily deal with the orders and send them out. I also add more records to our online marketplace, as well as making sure to order new vinyl Some days, I have someone coming in and assisting me with putting records online. I assist customers looking for specific artists, record players etc On the café bar side, we re-order stock and serve customers. Staff are busy making coffee all day.

What challenges face small businesses these days?

-There are many in the modern climate We have been impacted by Brexit, the pandemic, energy prices and the cost of living crisis Rents and business rates are high. It is hard to make a profit, particularly in the post-Christmas period until Easter

What previous work experience do you have?

-I worked in the music industry as a Press Officer for independent record labels and then was a freelance music journalist for many years I wrote for magazines and newspapers, including The Times, NME and more.

What advice do you have for people starting their businesses?

-It is important to start small and try not to overstretch yourself financially Hold on to your vision even if it doesn’t materialise instantly. Believe in yourself.