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Local historyYou are in: Nottingham > History > Local history > My Selectadisc  My SelectadiscJim Cooke worked for the Nottingham independent record store for most of its existence and recalls the highs and lows. For nearly half a century Selectadisc was part and parcel of Nottingham. From its origins in 1966 it became a haven for music lovers. For one man in particular it became a way of life. Jim Cooke is 53. He worked for Selectadisc for 30 years. He bought records from the first market stall back in the 60s. Now he's the man who could keep the name alive.  Racks of CDs in Selectadisc Selectadisc - the originsIn 1966 the first Selectadisc store opened. Actually, it wasn't a store but a stall in Mansfield market run by Brian Selby. Three years later he'd relocated to premises in Arkwright Street in Nottingham. That's when Jim Cooke first came across the shop that would come to dominate his life. "It was absolutely tiny," says Jim of that first shop. "There was enough room for about three racks of records. Even though I used to shop there I never realised there was a cellar that specialised in soul music." Plenty of others did, including a young Pete Waterman who used to travel from Coventry to pick up his soul records.
Help playing audio/video Getting involvedWhen Jim finished college in 1977 he didn't follow his friends into well paid professions but approached Brian Selby about getting a job in the shop. "I realised I wasn't going to make a lot of money. I'd got a degree in economics and my friends had gone off to be bank managers. But that's not for me. They've all retired now with nice country houses and I'm still working but I've no gripes about it. I've enjoyed every minute of it."
Help playing audio/video  Selectadisc in Market Street, March 2009 Goodbye vinyl, hello CDSelectadisc has always prided itself on being ahead of the game when it came to music but it hasn't always been quick to grasp the nettle. When CDs emerged the management thought it was a passing fad. While the compact disc was being demonstrated to the music big-wigs, Brian and Jim rejected their invitation in favour of picking up some vinyl bargains. "We got into it over time," says Jim Cooke. "It took us ages to sell our first CD. We all did a jig around the counter when we sold it. It was Dire Straits. We thought it was so funny but then it gradually took over." However, it was the emergence of the CD that led to a golden age for Selectadisc. Between the late 80s and early 90s the shop continually hit the right note. But by the new millennium a new threat was emerging, a threat the store's owners were again slow to appreciate.
Help playing audio/video  Browsing in Selectadisc DownloadsAs the Internet began to take off so people's shopping habits changed. Music was freely available on the net. Those at Selectadisc thought they'd be immune but the signs were clear that for younger music lovers, the thrill of flicking through racks of CDs or vinyl was outweighed by the use of a search engine and the click of a "download" button. Nottingham's independent record shops were disappearing. Way Ahead and Arcade closed in quick succession. By 2005 Selectadisc had sold its London shop. It tried to embrace the new technology by developing a website but Jim Cooke says it was too little too late. "It's just changed totally the way people purchase their music." That's seen in the amount of product Selectadisc used to order. When Frankie Goes to Hollywood released their first album in the mid-80s they ordered 1000 vinyl and 500 cassettes and quickly sold out. When Morrissey released Years of Refusal in 2009 they ordered just 30 CDs and 15 LPs.
The futureJim Cooke hopes to ensure the name Selectadisc remains, even if it means going back to basics. The store might lose its home in Market Street but Jim's hoping to relocate to Victoria Market and take a stall there. It'll be back to basics for Selectadisc. "I feel really sorry for our regular customers who've stuck with us because I don't know what they're going to do. I don't know where they're going to go now."
Help playing audio/video Re-bornAt the end of April 2009 it was reported that Selectadisc was to be reopened by music industry professionals Dave Bulmer and John Cooper. It would stay in its Market Street location. However, Jim Cooke would not be involved in its re-birth. He said he was going to concentrate on selling music by the internet. last updated: 30/04/2009 at 12:08 Have Your SayWhat are your memories of Selectadisc?
Horace Jim Gager
Iain Richardson
john taylor
fiona and colin
neil widdison
Craig Strong
Rob Crocker
Dave Elson
Jacqui Poole
tony clancy
Doug
Matt - 大象传媒 Sport
Stephen Jeffery
martin weselby
James Spackman
Trevor Welsh
jim cooke
Andrew Saxton
jp
Chris Edwards
ady hibbert
Rosie
jason blackwell SEE ALSOYou are in: Nottingham > History > Local history > My Selectadisc Selectadisc timeline1966 - Brian Selby opens the first Selectadisc as a stall in Mansfield market. 1969 - Selectadisc relocates, moving to Arkwright Street, The Meadows, Nottingham. 1970s - The store relocates to the centre of town on the site of the current Royal Centre. 1980 - Selectadisc moves to its current location in Market Street. 2009 - The store announces it's to close at the end of March.  |
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