Record stores Revo Records and Loafers tell the Courier how they have been preparing for this year’s Record Store Day.

The annual Record Store Day is a global event held to support independent record stores, and gives customers a chance to get their hands on exclusive, limited-edition vinyl releases, and special pressings.

Taking place this Saturday (April 18), the Westgate Arcade’s Revo Records and The Piece Hall’s Loafers are expecting hundreds to queue from the early hours of the morning in a bid to get hold of much coveted records, which are sold on a first come, first served basis.

Loafers owner Mark Richardson said this year — the store’s ninth Record Store Day — the store has ordered “lots of great stuff”, with music from artists including The Who, The Doors, Olivia Dean, and Paul Weller.

Customers are expected to queue from the early hours to get their hands on limited-edition records. Picture: Mark Richardson

placeholder image — Customers are expected to queue from the early hours to get their hands on limited-edition records. Picture: Mark Richardson

He added that predicting what to order from distributors is “kind of a fine art”, with this year being the store’s biggest outlay on stock.

Loafers will begin trading from 8am on Saturday, however the East Gate at the Piece Hall will open from 6am, and customers will be served coffee under the heaters while they wait for staff to bag their orders up.

Mark said after the 8am opening, he expects it will get busy again from around 10am.

Also around 10am, a DJ is set to perform outside the store.

Revo Records owner Dave Forshaw pictured outside the Westgate Arcade shop. The store has participated in Record Store Day for 18 years. Picture: Dave Forshaw

Once the Record Store Day business has finished, the store will resume normal trading for the rest of the day.

Speaking about the day, Mark said: “It’s brilliant, and where better to spend the sunrise than the Piece Hall?”

At the Westgate Arcade, Revo Records will also begin trading from 8am, but expects many customers to queue from much earlier.

The store has participated in Record Store Day for 18 years, and owner Dave Forshaw said it has grown in the last couple of years.

The store received ‘wish lists’ from customers around February/March, which Dave said “helps us decide what we should actually order off the distributors.”

He added that nearly all of the store’s orders have now arrived, and the staff are preparing by getting the orders ready by organising them and putting them in alphabetical order.