Friday nights at Fopps with Ray Charles, Traffic, Sherly Crow, The Penguin Café Orche

[Neil McCauley]

Fopps, Covent Garden (actually Shaftesbury Avenue, London) is not only one of the few remaining CD retailers but the only one open until 11.00pm on a Friday night. A short walk from Leicester Square underground (Covent Garden Underground is nearer but far too rammed on a Friday night) it’s surprising unpredictable in the user comfort stakes.

On March 11 at 10.30 pm is was comparatively quite. On other Fridays is seems full of inconsiderate idiots with rucksacks the size of wardrobes where one incautious move on their part can nudge one or more hapless browsers face-first into the CD racks. Anyway, even so it’s great place to unload a few quid.

The staff couldn’t me more helpful. The choice of music on the floors always appeals to me. They might stock hip-hop and rap but they have the decency not to play it. What you might get is music which although attractive is unfamiliar and yet you can’t easily shift it out of your conscience. More often than not it’s some obscure new music from Europe that initially people like me would dismiss as ‘superficial’ but actually isn’t.

Read more here > http://bit.ly/fbXaWl

[Alex_UK]

:interesting: - shame this sort of thing only happens in London, though - unless anyone knows different? (Nearest Fopp for me is Cambridge, I think about 65 miles and more of a P.I.T.A. to get to than London!)

Rather amazed in this day and age that they let you get a full credit on a CD up to 28 days without quibble! :eek:

http://www.currybet.net/images/blog2007/20070204_home-taping.jpg

;)

[colinB]

Fopps, Covent Garden (actually Shaftesbury Avenue, London) is not only one of the few remaining CD retailers but the only one open until 11.00pm on a Friday night. A short walk from Leicester Square underground (Covent Garden Underground is nearer but far too rammed on a Friday night) it’s surprising unpredictable in the user comfort stakes.

On March 11 at 10.30 pm is was comparatively quite. On other Fridays is seems full of inconsiderate idiots with rucksacks the size of wardrobes where one incautious move on their part can nudge one or more hapless browsers face-first into the CD racks. Anyway, even so it’s great place to unload a few quid.

The staff couldn’t me more helpful. The choice of music on the floors always appeals to me. They might stock hip-hop and rap but they have the decency not to play it. What you might get is music which although attractive is unfamiliar and yet you can’t easily shift it out of your conscience. More often than not it’s some obscure new music from Europe that initially people like me would dismiss as ‘superficial’ but actually isn’t.

Read more here > http://bit.ly/fbXaWl


Great store 10 mins from me. Good vinyl to allthough they need to store it better. Bought a few warped from there.

[Spectral Morn]

Love Fopp always visit when I am in Scotland. However it is a pale shadow of how it used to be but what we have now is better than nothing.


Regards D S D L

[Neil McCauley]

Love Fopp always visit when I am in Scotland. However it is a pale shadow of how it used to be but what we have now is better than nothing.


Regards D S D L

If I had the money I'd buy the chain from HMV. It wouldn't be a big money maker but I'd sure have a big grin on my face. You just have to look at their customers to see that it's a goer.

[Barry]

Dislike Fopp for exactly the reverse of reasons why I dislike HMV: Fopp are staffed by knowlegable but haughtily dismisive (to the point of arrogant rudeness) assistants; HMV are staffed by friendly but totally ignorant assistants. A roughly similar parallel exists with HMV's book shops: Waterstones are staffed by friendly but not particularly knowledgable staff; Ottakars are staffed by friendly and very knowledgable staff.

Just my opinion of course - I have only experience of Fopp's in London. Was not impressed.

I wish Tower Records were still in Piccadilly. Now that was a good record shop.

Regards

[Neil McCauley]

Dislike Fopp for exactly the reverse of reasons why I dislike HMV: Fopp are staffed by knowlegable but haughtily dismisive (to the point of arrogant rudeness) assistants; HMV are staffed by friendly but totally ignorant assistants. A roughly similar parallel exists with HMV's book shops: Waterstones are staffed by friendly but not particularly knowledgable staff; Ottakars are staffed by friendly and very knowledgable staff.

Just my opinion of course - I have only experience of Fopp's in London. Was not impressed.

I wish Tower Records were still in Piccadilly. Now that was a good record shop.

Regards

This might be merely serendipity of course. My guess is that my experiences of Fopp staff, in London at least, might not necessarily be fully representative And possibly this might apply to your own? Might be that the late-shift is formed by staff with a different attitude.

I agree with you 100% re your comments re HMV and Ottakers.

And yes, I agree with you re Tower. For me they had a particularly good Folk section and a very reasonable Blues section. The Jazz section (not really my type of music) looked very comprehensive indeed. Yes, quite a loss. Meanwhile the now defunct Virgin Megastore in Tottenham Court Road had, what was for me, a wonderful oasis hidden away on the top floor for Blues, Jazz, Folk, Folk-Rock and much more. It truly was a haven. I spent too much time and too much money there. And I really miss it.

[Spectral Morn]

Dislike Fopp for exactly the reverse of reasons why I dislike HMV: Fopp are staffed by knowlegable but haughtily dismisive (to the point of arrogant rudeness) assistants; HMV are staffed by friendly but totally ignorant assistants. A roughly similar parallel exists with HMV's book shops: Waterstones are staffed by friendly but not particularly knowledgable staff; Ottakars are staffed by friendly and very knowledgable staff.

Just my opinion of course - I have only experience of Fopp's in London. Was not impressed.

I wish Tower Records were still in Piccadilly. Now that was a good record shop.

Regards

Never my experience but yet again the Scots are more friendly as shop staff than has been my experience further south :sofa:(there are exceptions to those negative experiences though.....

I agree with the other observations though.

Addition .....as an aside I used to go into a good new second hand record shop (sadly now closed) and I really didn't want to talk to its owner. I dreaded his surly grumpy manner.but one day we got talking and his passion for music and knowledge swayed me and we are now fairly friendly with each other. His manner had put me off but I think we must look beyond and not jump to conclusions too easily on first meeting someone. However in saying that... first impressions are important and it is way too easy to blow it if your not on form. This is particularly important in service industries and retailing.


Regards D S D L