Behind a blue frontage and a green-and-white fascia at 161 Dawes Road, On Broadway has been quietly feeding the habits of west London collectors for more than four decades. It is a shop built around the thrill of the find, where rare pressings, curious one-offs and promotional copies sit side by side in long rows of wooden browsers.
Background / History
The first On Broadway opened on Fulham Road in 1982, and the shop made the short move to its current home on Dawes Road in 1988, where it has stayed ever since. It is very much a collectors’ shop run by collectors, and its roots go back well before the doors first opened. Stock has always been sourced from both sides of the Atlantic, a habit that began in the 1960s with mail-order purchases from Ernie’s Record Mart, the celebrated Nashville rhythm and blues outlet. That long view of American and British records still shapes what turns up in the racks today.
What You’ll Find
Rarities, oddities and promos are the backbone of the stock. Formats run the full range, from 7-inch singles and 12-inch records to albums and CDs, with a handful of cassettes and even a few 8-tracks for those who like their music on something more unusual. Soul, rhythm and blues, jazz and sixties sounds are well represented, with clearly labelled sections and a strong presence of vintage vinyl throughout. The walls are part of the attraction too, lined with framed picture sleeves, rows of singles and posters and flyers for soul club nights, which gives a good sense of where the shop’s heart lies.
Experience / Atmosphere
Stepping inside feels like entering a well-kept personal archive that happens to be open to the public. Curved wooden browsers run the length of the room, a vintage Murphy Radio sign hangs from the ceiling, and almost every inch of wall space carries record sleeves or memorabilia. This is a place that rewards patience: a slow flick through the racks is the best way to approach it, and conversation about records comes naturally when the people behind the counter share the same obsession as the customers. It has long been a fixture for Fulham’s crate diggers and a useful stop for anyone exploring record shops in south-west London.
Why Visit
- Trading in Fulham since 1982, with more than 35 years at its Dawes Road address
- A genuine specialism in rarities, oddities and promotional copies
- Every format covered, from singles and 12-inches to albums, CDs, cassettes and 8-tracks
- Strong soul, rhythm and blues, jazz and sixties sections drawn from UK and US sources
- Within easy walking distance of Parsons Green and Fulham Broadway stations
Summary
On Broadway is a proper collectors’ haunt, shaped by decades of buying records on both sides of the Atlantic and still run with that same enthusiasm. With its walls of sleeves, deep racks and focus on the rare and unusual, it is well worth planning a weekend visit around. Opening hours are Thursday to Sunday afternoons, so check before you travel and leave yourself plenty of time to dig.
