A new record store has opened in Limerick, Ireland. See below for more details.
Downbeat Records opened in the centre of Limerick City last weekend (3 August). Founded by Frankie O’Mahoney, former head buyer of used records at Rough Trade, the record store is mainly dance-focused but offers an eclectic mix of vinyl including jungle reissues, reggae, rock, jazz and work by local artists and producers.
In conversation with Hot pressO’Mahoney said the record store was intended as a space for “the local music scene.”
“We hope to welcome anyone with an interest in records and music to come along, hang out, talk about music, buy music and meet other people who are interested in all kinds of sounds,” he continued.
Downbeat Records also has a listening deck in the store Wednesday through Sunday to assist customers while shopping.
The news follows an uptick in vinyl sales this year, which has seen a handful of new record stores open. Earlier this week, Grub Records, a new record store and music venue in Sheffield, opened with the hope of becoming a “worthy addition to the city’s wonderful scene”. The campaign has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £2,500 to “get going”.
In January, Rubber Ducky Records, the record shop on a canal boat in Manchester, reopened after its demise last year, while classic record store chain Our Price reopened this year after two decades. HMV also reopened its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street last year.
In July, it was reported that physical music sales are on track to record their first increase in two decades, marking the first time the sector has seen an increase since 2004, when the transition to digital music consumption and streaming began.
Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” made the biggest contribution to the increase in sales: 254,241 copies were sold in the first six months of 2024.
Other records in the top five with the most physical sales were Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” which sold 45,434 copies, The Last Dinner Party’s debut album “Prelude To Ecstasy” (42,352 copies) and Liam Gallagher and John Squire’s album of the same name (46,982 copies). Rod Stewart and Jools Holland came in second after Swift, selling 48,540 copies of their joint album “Swing Fever.”
In April, vinyl sales recorded their highest weekly total in three decades, thanks to Record Store Day and the release of “The Tortured Poets Department” in the same week. Data from the Official Charts Company revealed that 269,134 vinyl albums and 37,656 vinyl singles were sold at the two events – a total of 306,791 units.
