Plant & Deck gives Leeds something genuinely distinctive: a record shop built around underground electronic music, softened by houseplants and now settled on the top floor of The Doghouse on Kirkgate. First opened in 2022 and later relocated from The Imaginarium, it has kept its original character while finding a new city-centre home.
Background / History
The shop was founded by Phil Warner and began life inside The Imaginarium on Church Walk, where it formed part of a wider creative setting tied to Leeds’ independent music and arts scene. Plant & Deck opened in October 2022, and in 2025 it moved to The Doghouse after The Imaginarium’s closure, carrying the project forward rather than changing direction. That continuity matters: this still feels like a specialist shop shaped by people who are deeply involved in the city’s electronic culture, not a generic lifestyle retail idea with a few records on the side.
What You’ll Find
Vinyl is the main draw, with the selection centred on left-field and underground electronic sounds. House, techno, electro, ambient and wider electronica all feature strongly, with a mix of brand-new and pre-owned records for DJs, serious collectors and anyone building a more thoughtful shelf at home. Alongside the music, the shop also carries houseplants, art, and a small clothing offer that currently includes new and vintage pieces. Stock turns over regularly, and Saturdays are given extra life by later opening and in-store DJs every other week.
Experience / Atmosphere
What makes Plant & Deck memorable is the way it balances specialist knowledge with an easy, open feel. It has long presented itself as warm, welcoming and inclusive, and that comes through in how the shop is described and used: somewhere for crate-diggers, bedroom DJs, touring professionals and curious passers-by alike. Even before the move, it was framed as part shop, part social space, and that spirit still suits its new home above a music-led bar. Rather than rushing people through the door, Plant & Deck gives browsing room to breathe, which is exactly what you want from a shop built on discovery.
Why Visit
- A strong electronic focus, with stock spanning ambient, house, techno, electro and broader electronica rather than a little bit of everything.
- New and pre-owned vinyl, making it useful whether you are chasing fresh releases or digging for second-hand finds.
- A genuinely distinctive blend of records, houseplants, art and clothing.
- Strong ties to Leeds’ underground music culture, including in-store DJs, showcases and Record Store Day activity.
Summary
Plant & Deck is well worth seeking out for anyone whose idea of record shopping leans towards discovery, conversation and a properly defined musical identity. The plant-and-vinyl combination gives it instant personality, but the real reason to visit is the quality of its electronic focus and its rooted place in Leeds’ independent scene. It is open Wednesday to Saturday, with the current Doghouse base keeping it firmly in the city’s musical orbit.
