Grey n Pink Records: four decades of vinyl on Chester's Brook Street

Ask any serious vinyl collector in Cheshire to name their favourite record shop and there is a good chance the answer will be Grey n Pink Records. Tucked away on Chester's Brook Street, the independent store has been feeding the city's appetite for wax since 1985, and 2026 marks a remarkable milestone as the shop celebrates 40 years in Chester.

The shop was launched by Michael Moran, known to regulars simply as Mike, and its name is a clue to his own tastes. Grey n Pink takes its title from In the Land of Grey and Pink, the much-admired 1971 album by Canterbury prog rock band Caravan. Mike's main musical interests are prog rock, psych, blues, jazz fusion and rock, and that enthusiasm is part of the shop's enduring character.

Over four decades the music industry has been through cassettes, CDs, downloads and streaming, yet Grey n Pink has kept its focus firmly on vinyl. The shop specialises in collectible LPs and 7in and 12in singles, and is billed as having the largest selection of new, second-hand and collectible vinyl records in Cheshire. For collectors hunting a particular pressing, or casual browsers who simply enjoy the thrill of flicking through the racks, it is a treasure trove.

Its location is part of the appeal. Brook Street is often described as Chester's most independent and diverse shopping street, a short stroll from the city centre and the railway station, and lined with characterful, owner-run businesses. Grey n Pink, at number 57, has long been one of its anchors, drawing music lovers from across the region and visitors from further afield.

The shop's longevity is all the more impressive given how many independent record stores disappeared during the leaner years of the vinyl trade. Today's vinyl revival has brought a new generation of listeners through the door, many of them discovering the albums their parents grew up with, while long-standing customers continue to return in search of rarities to complete their collections.

Grey n Pink is also a fixture on independent record shop guides such as All Good Record Shops and the British Record Shop Archive, a sign of the regard in which it is held well beyond the city walls.

Forty years on, the formula remains refreshingly simple: a knowledgeable owner, deep racks and a genuine love of music. For anyone who still believes the best way to hear an album is to drop the needle on side one, a visit to Brook Street is well overdue.

Grey n Pink Records is at 57 Brook Street, Chester CH1 3DZ. Find out more at greynpinkrecords.com.