Question What's your favorite shop for hi-fi equipment?

[SHaines]

Greetings audiophiles!

With so many folks around the world staying inside these days, it got me thinking about the days when you used to have to go into a specialty store to get the real info on good hi-fi gear.

What are your favorite shops of all time? These can be big chain stores, if that was the place you first discovered your love for quality audio equipment, or a local shop owned by your town's resident audio expert. Every story will likely be different, so let's hear them!

For me, it was Gemco. This place was so bizarre to me since it had a grocery store in the back and a department store up front. In the back, before the grocery area there was the electronics department where you could crank up the display equipment. I used to bring mix tapes I made myself and would put them into the display units to have my favorite songs playing while my parents did their shopping.

 

[Clarkey_71]

I'm from Cambridge. 25+ years ago Cambridge was served by the excellent Cam Audio and Steve Boxshall. The latter replaced by the Audiofile.
These are all long since gone. Cambridge does have a Richer Sounds where my nephew brought his first turntable based system last year. Sevenoaks also has a store.
However, my favourite by far is Criterion Audio. I've got to know the team really well over the last 3 or 4 years. They couldn't be more helpful. They have just recently opened their new demo rooms and the whole shop just oozes class. You can always rely on a warm welcome and I've had the opportunity to listen to some insane systems over the years here. A proper shop.

 

[MeanandGreen]

My local Richer Sounds has always provided good service and is the only HiFi shop which still survives locally.

Most of my equipment came from there during the past 20+ years.

 

[simonali]

Bought my first CDs in Lasky's, Slough in 1985. I bought Manifesto by Roxy Music, Singles 81-85 by Depeche Mode and Exorcising Ghosts by Japan. I took the Roxy one back because it looked like someone had been using it as an air hockey puck. It still played, though!

 

[Gray]

I'm from Cambridge. 25+ years ago Cambridge was served by the excellent Cam Audio and Steve Boxshall. The latter replaced by the Audiofile.
These are all long since gone. Cambridge does have a Richer Sounds where my nephew brought his first turntable based system last year. Sevenoaks also has a store.
However, my favourite by far is Criterion Audio. I've got to know the team really well over the last 3 or 4 years. They couldn't be more helpful. They have just recently opened their new demo rooms and the whole shop just oozes class. You can always rely on a warm welcome and I've had the opportunity to listen to some insane systems over the years here. A proper shop.

It looks like it Paul. I recently read a 'dealer visit' featuring Criterion in a rival magazine (pages 88 -91, April 2020 issue 461). Three systems featured ranging from around £7 - £128k.
My nearest is Rayleigh Hi-fi, which I seem to recall being described as 'one of the top 20 hi-fi dealers in the world' - not by me though - I much preferred Audio T Brentwood, which has sadly now closed, permanently, B.V. (before virus).

 

[Al ears]

Long gone unfortunately. Luckily any advancements on my amplification comes directly from the manufacturer, Mr. Tom Evans, whose establishment is not a million miles away from me.......