WH Smith to sell vinyl in high street stores for first time in over 30 years
WH Smith is bringing back vinyl in 80 of its stores as as it looks to expand its appeal to more shoppers on the high street.
With shops including Canterbury, Chester, Edinburgh Gyle and York stocking a selection of chart hits and classic albums, the move will mark the first time in 30 years that WH Smith has sold records in its stores. The retailer first began stocking vinyl albums in the 1950s.
According to data from the British Phonographic Industry, vinyl LP sales grew for the 16th consecutive year in 2023, with nearly six million units sold. The growth has been driven by events like Record Store Day and new releases on vinyl from artists such as Taylor Swift, and re-issues of classic albums including Oasis’ The Masterplan.
Emma Smyth, commercial director at WH Smith High Street, said: “After thirty years vinyl is back at WH Smith. I’m sure there are many customers out there who remember spending hours in record shops browsing the latest vinyl LPs and the artistic record covers.
“To me it’s no surprise that vinyl is growing in popularity again, and we are very excited to be bringing back record selections to more than 80 different stores across the UK for both seasoned fans and new listeners alike.”
Last month, WH Smith announced that it was extending its partnership with Toys“R”Us with a further 37 new shop-in-shops opening by Christmas to take the total to 76 across UK high streets.
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