Eastern Bloc

As the only specialist record shop in Manchester’s ‘Vinyl Valley’, Eastern Bloc Records mainly stocks techno, drum & bass, house and electronic records. Eastern Bloc’s rich history started in 1985 on the ground floor of Affleck’s Palace, where they supported some of Manchester’s most famous acts by helping to launch the careers of the likes of The Inspiral Carpets as well as holding in-store signings with The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays. The shop then moved onto Oldham Street and now resides in Stevenson Square, primarily focusing on the underground scene and specialising in labels that solely release music on vinyl.

As one of the only shops in the UK to import dance records from around when it first opened in 1985, Eastern Bloc is responsible for kickstarting the popularity of the dance scene, and still proves popular with world famous DJs.

The shop also doubles up as a cafe, serving coffee, homemade cakes, soups and sandwiches during the day, and now boasts its own fully licensed bar and a new sound system for late night sets from resident and guest DJs, label showcases and more - having already cemented a firm reputation through appearances from the likes of A Guy Called Gerald and Roni Size. 

Better still, their outdoor seating is a total suntrap, and is perfect for an afternoon beer or, at weekends, an evening of al fresco drinking to the sounds of some of the city's favourite DJs. [Charlotte Davies]