The Best Record Shops in Felixstowe
Felixstowe, on the Suffolk coast, is a charming seaside town 'on the up'. Whilst it is not currently as famous or as 'chic' as other Suffolk coastal towns like Aldeburgh or Southwold, it has a lot to offer. For me, it is one of my favourite places to visit for the seaside, great dinners, and record shopping.
Unlike many British towns, Felixstowe still has dedicated, independent record shops, plus a number of other options for a spot of crate digging. As a regular visitor and record shopper in the town, I am pleased to share my personal list of the best record shops in Felixstowe.
Independent Record Shops
Felixstowe has two independent record shops situated right next door to each other. Located on Orwell Road, not far from the main high street, these two shops cater for completely different audiences and genres of music.
Grooveyard Records – Felixstowe's Premier Used Record Shop
Grooveyard Records is my favourite, and, in my opinion, the absolute best record shop in Felixstowe. Run by Garry O'Malley, the record shop grew quickly from a small space at the back of a bookshop to taking over the entire premises.
Focusing purely on used vinyl, Grooveyard has a wide selection of genres and record qualities. There are dedicated sections for folk, rock, and electronic music, along with a wide selection of miscellaneous records that will keep you crate digging for hours. All of the vinyl pricing is fair and the quality is great. There are usually a few 'bargain' crates if you are looking for cheap deals, but equally, Garry will usually have a number of high-end, rare pressings on offer. He's also great at sourcing hard-to-find records if you ask him.
With new collections coming in frequently, you can easily spend a few hours in here looking through the vinyl bins. You could stumble across an early Linda Ronstadt record, or a lost 80s classic! Most of my own recent purchases—including One of These Nights, Desperado, and a first pressing of Abbey Road—have come from Garry.
Onion Vinyl – New & Reissue Record Shop in Felixstowe
Next door is Onion Vinyl which, in my opinion, serves a younger crowd. They offer mostly new and reissued pressings both on vinyl and CD.
The large shop has a wide selection of music ranging from Elton John to Taylor Swift. This is a great place to shop for newer items, like David Gilmour's Luck and Strange, and other fun music-themed bits like Rocksaw jigsaw puzzles. I think they may also have some posters if you want to keep your music room properly old-school!
Collectible Vinyl and Record Auctions in Felixstowe
Nick Barber Auctions – Rare Records & Music Memorabilia
If you are in town, it is well worth checking in on Nick Barber Auctions on Hamilton Road. This local auctioneer of music memorabilia and collectibles frequently has rare vinyl records up for sale. Depending on their auction calendar, you could easily spot some vintage Pink Floyd concert programmes, rare pressings, or classic rock memorabilia.
Charity Shop Vinyl & Crate Digging in Felixstowe
Like any UK high street, Felixstowe has its share of charity shops that can often be a brilliant source for casual crate digging. Whilst most charity shop record collections consist of Mantovani, Grieg, and those terrible sixties compilations, you can sometimes spot a genuine winner. I once picked up a copy of Al Stewart's Year of the Cat which was in almost mint condition, so you never know.
A wander up Hamilton Road (the main high street) will present you with no shortage of charity shops to explore, including EACH (East Anglian Children's Hospice), Red Cross, RSPCA, and Cancer Research.
However, for the best charity shop record selection, I suggest you head straight to Emmaus, next to the Co-op (and a large car park). They often have an excellent, dedicated selection of contemporary vinyl that is well-catalogued and very fairly priced. Last time I was in, they had a copy of the Reader's Digest Sensational Seventies boxset, which is getting increasingly hard to find.
Felixstowe Record Fairs & Pop-Up Vinyl Markets
There is a decent, community-run record fair held about every two months, located in the Trinity Hall, opposite Onion Vinyl and Grooveyard Records.
There is usually a modest 50p entry fee to raise money for charity, and you can expect a lot of mostly new vinyl and CDs to browse. I have personally never found it to be rich pickings for the specific collector's items I hunt for, but it makes a useful 'trinity' of record shopping stops if you happen to be visiting Felixstowe on the day.
Recap: Quick Guide to the Best Record Shops in Felixstowe
For your next vinyl pilgrimage, here is a quick reference directory of the key record shops and music hunting spots in Felixstowe:
Grooveyard Records – 19 Orwell Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 7EP (Specialist used vinyl record shop)
Onion Vinyl – 17 Orwell Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 7EP (New releases & reissue record shop)
Nick Barber Auctions – 154 Hamilton Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 7DS (Rare vinyl auctions & music memorabilia)
Emmaus Suffolk – 10-12 Great Eastern Square, Felixstowe, IP11 7DY (Charity shop record hunting)
Felixstowe Record Fairs – Trinity Methodist Church, 26 Hamilton Rd, Felixstowe, IP11 7AN (Bi-monthly vinyl fair)
Explore More Regional Record Shops
Suffolk is excellent territory for vinyl collectors. Ipswich serves as a perfect starting point, especially if you plan to link your visit with other nearby coastal towns. For your next stop, we highly recommend checking out our dedicated guide to the independent record shops in Ipswich.
At The Vinyl Historian, we are constantly on the road mapping out the finest spots for a proper vinyl pilgrimage. If you are planning to expand your journey across East Anglia, keep an eye out for our upcoming regional guides.
Felixstowe for Music Lovers
In addition to the great record shops, Felixstowe has a lot to offer the general music lover. You can dig around for music books and biographies at Treasurechest Books (61 Cobbold Rd, Felixstowe IP11 7BH) or pick up some CD bargains at the local CeX (67 Hamilton Rd, Felixstowe IP11 7BE).
For live music lovers, the Felixstowe Spa Pavilion is the place to go for cover bands and the odd 'oldie' tour. I was the youngest audience member (by some margin) to see the Manfreds a few years back! Acts like the Illegal Eagles and George Michael tributes are always good fun, and cheaper than seeing the originals if they are still touring.
There's a whole programme of wider music events in Felixstowe which may tickle your eardrums—just give their local tourism website a moment to load!