Housed within Hull’s handsome Victorian Paragon Arcade, Out of the Attic Music brings the unhurried ritual of record shopping back to the heart of the city centre.
Background / History
Out of the Attic Music opened its doors in February 2020, the culmination of a friendship and a shared obsession that began decades earlier. Founders Gary Matfin and Andy Sparrow grew up in Hull spending their dinner money on records at much-loved local institutions such as Sydney Scarborough’s and the old HMV, and roughly forty years later they turned that lifelong passion into a shop of their own. Opening just weeks before the first national lockdown might have sunk a lesser venture, yet the pair built a devoted following and have since expanded into double their original floor space, a clear sign of how warmly the shop has been received.
What You’ll Find
The racks lean towards accessible, well-loved music, with a generous run of general-interest vinyl from the 1970s and 80s sitting alongside current chart releases and fresh pressings. New and second-hand stock are kept clearly separated, so collectors rebuilding a long-lost collection and newcomers buying their first turntable staples can both find their footing quickly. Picture discs, limited pressings and special editions appear regularly, and the shelves are rounded out with music memorabilia, posters and gift-friendly finds. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours remains the runaway favourite, a fitting reminder that this is a shop built around the albums people genuinely want to take home.
Experience / Atmosphere
Behind the smart green arcade frontage is a browsing experience shaped by two owners who clearly relish talking music. The mood is relaxed and conversational, the sort of place where a quick look can easily turn into an hour of flicking through sleeves and swapping recommendations. That community spirit extends well beyond the counter through the shop’s Music Junkie Sessions, a monthly get-together that draws listeners from their late teens to their late seventies and roams happily across metal, rock, pop, punk, new wave and electronica, complete with themed evenings and the occasional quiz.
Why Visit
- A carefully kept mix of new and second-hand vinyl spanning the 1970s to today
- Regular picture discs, limited editions and Record Store Day releases
- Knowledgeable, welcoming owners with decades of collecting behind them
- Music memorabilia, posters and gifts stocked alongside the records
- A genuine community hub, home to the monthly Music Junkie Sessions
- A characterful setting within Hull’s restored Paragon Arcade
Summary
Whether you are chasing a specific pressing, rebuilding a collection or simply enjoying an afternoon among the racks, Out of the Attic Music offers the kind of personal, knowledgeable service that keeps independent record shops at the centre of local music culture. It is a warm, well-stocked and genuinely community-minded shop that rewards a proper browse and a good conversation.
