Double Double Good Music Emporium is the sort of Stafford shop that rewards patience: somewhere to browse properly, follow side roads in your taste, and come away with something you did not expect to find. The business dates from 2017, with Lee and Helena Hutchinson listed as directors, and after trading from the Ancient High House on Mill Street it has since moved to 49 Greengate Street, keeping its place in the town’s independent retail life.
Background / History
There is a clear sense of a shop that has grown out of long-standing record-buying habits rather than a passing trend. The company behind Double Double Good Music Emporium was incorporated in 2017, and Lee Hutchinson is still very much part of the public face of the business. Its earlier home in Stafford’s historic Ancient High House gave it a distinctive setting, and the later move to Greengate Street places it more squarely in the town-centre flow while keeping the same independent identity.
What You’ll Find
Stock is the main draw here. The shop states that it carries more than 20,000 second-hand records, alongside new and sealed titles and a run of second-hand CDs. Genre coverage is pleasingly broad rather than narrowly niche, stretching across rock, pop, soul, indie, punk, blues, metal, reggae, folk and jazz, with formats including 7-inch singles, 12-inch records, LPs and CDs. It also buys records and larger collections, so the racks have the kind of variety that usually comes from regular intake rather than static stock. There is also an active Discogs presence for those who like a shop with both a physical and online collecting culture.
Experience / Atmosphere
What stands out is the balance between quantity and approachability. This is not a sterile collector’s room and it does not read as a shop built only for quick flips. Reviews repeatedly describe the place as friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable, with fair pricing and a strong selection of used vinyl. That matters, because a shop like this lives or dies on whether you feel comfortable asking questions, testing your luck in unfamiliar sections, or bringing in records of your own to sell. Double Double Good also appears to function as more than just a retail stop, with live music in the shop and regular fresh-arrivals posts helping it feel plugged into Stafford’s ongoing music life rather than sealed off from it.
Why Visit
- More than 20,000 second-hand records gives it real digging depth, not just a decorative wall of vinyl.
- New and sealed records sit alongside used stock and second-hand CDs, so it works for casual buyers as well as committed collectors.
- The genre spread is broad and practical, covering everything from indie and punk to soul, jazz, reggae and metal.
- It buys collections and is consistently praised for friendly, knowledgeable service, which makes the shop feel accessible rather than intimidating.
- Live music and a steady flow of new arrivals give it the feel of an active local music spot, not just a shelf-filled unit.
Summary
For anyone browsing record shops in Stafford, Double Double Good Music Emporium is worth making time for. It combines the substance serious diggers want — scale, used stock, range and buying knowledge — with the kind of warm, low-pressure atmosphere that makes a longer visit worthwhile. Whether you are after a familiar classic, an inexpensive wildcard or a shop that still feels rooted in local music culture, this one earns its place.
