VinylHub database lets you find your nearest record store

The aim of VinylHub is a simple one – and that's to let you find your nearest "physical record shop" regardless of where you are in the world. It might well seem like a pretty hefty undertaking, but that is the point at which you come in.

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The VinylHub store page of one of our nearest record shops

The VinylHub store page of one of our nearest record shops

Discogs is asking members of its online community to supply details of local and/or regional record shops, which will be added to the VinylHub database for others to find using the Explorer function – with a map showing all listed stores.

In addition to that, all stores submitted to the database will have their own dedicated VinylHub page that aims to document essential details including opening hours, contact details and photos, as well as directions if you're planning a visit.

The service is now available to all users of the Discogs community, having been subject to a private beta mode in recent weeks. At time of writing, there were nearly 2300 shops listed on VinylHub and you can find out more by clicking here.

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The introduction of VinylHub comes at a time when the UK's continuing record renaissance looks as if it will push sales past the one million mark in 2014 – the first time the milestone has been reached in a calendar year since the mid-1990s.

New figures from the Official Charts Company have found that vinyl sales have come close to hitting 800,000 during the first nine months of the year – compared with 780,674 at this point in 2013. Now all eyes are on that magical million milestone.

Lynne McDowell of the BPI said: "In an increasingly-digitised world, it appears that music fans still crave a tangible product that gives them original artwork, high audio quality, and purity of sound."

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Pete was content editor on What Hi-Fi?, overseeing production and publication of digital content. In creating and curating feature articles for web and print consumption, he provided digital and editorial expertise and support to help reposition What Hi-Fi? as a ‘digital-first’ title; reflecting the contemporary media trends. He is now a senior content strategist.