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Elephant Music, in Harmer Street, Gravesend, opening vinyl store hoping to be a mini Camden Lock

09:56, 12 June 2023

updated: 06:40, 14 June 2023

A town’s only music shop is opening its own vinyl store – which will be the first in the area.

Elephant Music, in Gravesend, is hoping to make it more accessible for people to get into music by diversifying their stock to create a “mini Camden Lock”.

From left: Owner Rob Sherwood, DJ Jeff Barker, owner Johnny Jukebox, manager Robbie Smithers-Halberg and owner Lindsey Halberg
From left: Owner Rob Sherwood, DJ Jeff Barker, owner Johnny Jukebox, manager Robbie Smithers-Halberg and owner Lindsey Halberg

Co-owner Rob Sherwood said: “We really just wanted to do something a little bit different and bring a different crowd in too.

“Vinyl is coming back in a big way so we are trying to incorporate that into the business.

“We want to create a mini Camden Lock without the water.”

Manager Robbie Smithers-Halberg has taken over the reins from his dad Dennis Halberg who passed away last year from cancer.

It will also be running a service where it will buy secondhand records
It will also be running a service where it will buy secondhand records

He added: “I wanted to give the store a new lease of life.”

Elephant Music, in Harmer Street, has been a music store since 1995 but was taken over eight years ago by owners Rob Sherwood, Lindsey Halberg, Johnny Jukebox and Ross Williams.

It currently sells musical instruments but will now also be stocking a range of records from new, old and local artists, artwork and secondhand vinyl.

Rob added: “We want to attract to people that just love music and want to listen to music.

It will be stocking old, new and local artists
It will be stocking old, new and local artists

“There is not anywhere where people can come and buy vinyl without heading to a big store. It compliments what we are already doing.”

DJ Jeff Barker, who also works at the shop, added: “We want to bring something new to the high street and tempt people away from the big chain stores that sell records.

“We are looking to cater to everyone. You name it, we have got it.

The store will be officially launching on Saturday, June 17
The store will be officially launching on Saturday, June 17

“Vinyl never really left but more and more people are looking to get back into it.

“We are trying to make that more accessible for people. We are significantly cheaper than elsewhere.”

The record store, inside the current shop, will be officially launching on Saturday (June 17) with live DJ sets and special offers.

Search Elephant Music Gravesend on Facebook to find out more.

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