Bernard's Record Shop

Comments

Name: David Shoben.
Comment: Bernard was my uncle and was brother-in-law to Paul (see Paul For Music).

Paul started in the music business after the war by selling in the market at Club Row, off Petticoat Lane. From small beginnings he opened shops and market stalls.

Bernard and then his brother Ronnie also opened shops in later years. Other relatives also followed suit - namely Derek Fox of Derek's Records and Nat Fox, his brother (see Nat's Records). An extended family of record sellers! All are now deceased, except for Derek.

Name: Jim Clay
Comment: When I started work aged 16 in Southwark Street in December 1961 (I was there until April 1964), Bernard's Ludgate Circus shop was one of my regular lunchtime haunts. Bought many a classic record there - recall buying Buddy Holly's Reminiscing on release. Bernard's opened a branch in the late unlamented St Christopher House in Southwark Street around 1963/64.
(24 April 2015)

Name: Trevor Fleisig
Comment: I used to buy all my Big Band LPs from Bernard. A really lovely shop for browsing.
(18 April 2017)

Name: Lorraine Klein
Comment: Wow, this is so amazing to see. Bernard was my dad, I loved that shop. I spent every moment that I could there. So many celebrities used to visit mainly due to my dad's incredible personality. Such a happy family business, would love to hear from anyone who remembers Bernard and has a story, he was such a character. I'm sure all his regular customers would have something funny to say.
(2018)

Name: Lorraine Klein
Comment: Wow, this is amazing to see. Bernard's record shop full of warmth and personality. That's why people came from miles to buy from Bernie. You would always see The Hollies, Millie, Jack Wild, Anita Harris, and so many big names visiting. Bernie was invited to Paul McCartney, Elton John, and all the celebs' parties as he was such a massive character. He left us far too early. Any memories or funny stories of Bernie please do message me.
(2019)

Name: Keith Myers
Comment: I remember Bernard's record shop located at Ludgate Circus. It was just around the corner from where I worked in the mid-sixties. Bernard, on request, would play a record for you to listen to on headphones before you bought the record. When did this shop close?
(2021)

David Hobbs

24 May 2024 at 12:35

Bernard was one of the greatest influences on the development of my musical tastes in the early 1960s. I was at school at Blackfriars, so Bernard’s Record Shop was my regular haunt on the way to, or from, school. Bernard’s knowledge and advice was second to none. He had a complete and encyclopaedic knowledge that would point you to originality. I bought (and still own and play) the likes of ‘Shop Around’ by The Miracles (instead of Georgie Fame’s version), ‘Don't Make Me Over’ by Dionne Warwick (instead of The Swinging Blue Jeans), and the album, ‘Soul Ballads’ by Otis Redding which introduced me to Otis as the greatest soul man of all time. So interesting to see the other comments, underlining Bernard’s influential status as a 1960s ‘influencer’!

Paul Adams

01 Jul 2024 at 02:51

I shopped at Bernards many times lovely man, there was an older man who was in there too, not sure if he was related to Bernard I used to buy a lot of singles and he gave me a discount ah the good old days I presume he's no longer with us?

Lorraine

29 Oct 2025 at 08:24

Hi Paul, I haven’t been on this site for many years, but so lovely to see the comments. Bernard was my dad, and the older gentleman you are referring to was my grandad, the greatest man that ever lived. My mum worked in the shop, and I tried to pull as many sick days as possible off school so I could go to the shop and see all the celebs 😂 Thank you for all the lovely memories

Mike Osey

26 Nov 2025 at 12:44

Secondhand record collecting is fascinating for what it throws up.
I brought The Art of Chris Farlowe (vintage 1966) in Oxfam in Hythe (New Forest), it came in an old outer sleeve which because of its condition I was about to discard - then I turned it over & found it was originally brought from Bernard's Record Shop in London.
This has now lead me to finding out more about this shop & some of it's history - which is fascinating.
Do we know when the shop closed - assuming that is the case?

Cass

06 Jan 2026 at 05:44

My dad always told stories about his younger days of when he went over the City of London to go to Bernie's record shop and get the latest records. Dad always said that Bernie would introduce him to new bands, that my dad would like and dad always bought them. Just one of the many stories my dad had always told us.