DESTINATION: HACKNEY

Man about town Simon Berkovitch heads to East London in search of vinyl bliss and finds that heaven is a place on Mare Street

- Simon Berkovitch

We're proud to cater to all kinds of different record buyers," beams eCom manager Marvin Case of East London's Stranger Than Paradise Records. "For example, today there's been everyone from a regular who's been buying jazz and soul in the borough for decades to a five-year-old girl buying her very first record."

Welcome to tempting temple of vinyl Stranger Than Paradise, located in the beating heart of Hackney on vibrant main tributary Mare Street, well connected by two nearby London overground stations. "It's always been important to us to be the opposite of your stereotypical intimidating and unfriendly record shop - and dogs are always welcome too," Marvin adds.

It meets its anti-stereotype brief in style. Step through a spacious and stylish dining area, past the plants and under an eyepopping neon sign and emerge into a light, bright wooden-floored space with musical treats everywhere you look. Constantly rotated new and notable releases line the spotlit walls. Tees and sweatshirts float behind a counter adorned with a psychedelic swirl. And, naturally, there's a world of wax in the racks - hot new releases to covetable reissues, and even a sale section.

Cool and minimal yet supremely welcoming and laid back to the max, Stranger Than Paradise - open from 11am every day - is very much part of the great new wave of record shops of recent years.

The store was originally founded in 2018 by Noreen McShane and Phil Adams. Cult film buffs, take note: its name is taken from the 1984 Jim Jarmusch movie.

"We're a small independent record shop with a focus on sourcing the best new releases and reissues," Marvin succinctly explains. "Our neighbourhood store is within Mare Street Market - a large, 900m² multipurpose warehouse that hosts DJs, a restaurant, outdoor patio, late-night bar, deli, coffee roastery, florist and hairdresser."