Rough Trade (shops)

Rough Trade (shops)

Rough Trade are two independent record shops based in London, UK.

The first Rough Trade shop was opened in 1976 by Geoff Travis in the Ladbroke Grove district of west London. In 1978 the shop spawned the famous Rough Trade Records, which was to go on to be home to bands from The Smiths to The Libertines. In 1982 the two separated and the shop remains an independent entity from the label, although links between the two are strong. At the same time the shop moved from its original location on Kensington Park Road round the corner to Talbot Road. In 1988 a shop opened in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden. At various times there were also shops in San Francisco (on Grant St., then Sixth Street, then Haight Street), Tokyo and Paris. They were eventually closed following the rise of music sales on the internet. Rough Trade replaced these stores with an online music store. In 2007 they also opened in Dray Walk, Brick Lane in east London.

In 1990, Nirvana played a gig at Rough Trade Records in San Francisco with Tad, sampling songs soon to be on their album Nevermind.