AN INDEPENDENT record store owner is selling his store and hopes someone will take on his well established and popular business.

It was with a heavy heart that Will Webster of Phoenix Sound listed his much-loved record store on the market as the industry veteran is set for retirement.

‘I have listed my beautiful shop for sale as it’s time to move on,’ he said.

Located along Queen Street, Newton Abbot, Phoenix Sound is renowned across Teignbridge and further afield for its great and varied selection of reasonably priced CDs and vinyl.

The independently owned record store has been built up over the past 20 years by Will who got his start in the industry some 40 years ago in Bristol working as a sales assistant at Virgin Records.

Thanks to Will’s efforts, as well as those of his dedicated staff, Phoenix Sound is positively thriving and is often the first port of call for many a music lover in the market for either classic or contemporary records.

Successful pre the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, Phoenix Sound expectedly took a financial hit following the UK Government’s decision to impose restrictions upon businesses which saw the record store close its doors albeit temporarily.

It was in early 2020, therefore, that Will took it upon himself to build a website for Phoenix Sound, allowing the business to trade online and thus generate some means of revenue.

‘It was roughly two years ago, I had just finished reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and it was following this that I spent the next couple of weeks building a website for Phoenix Sound,’ Will explained.

Over the years the record store has seen many a rare and unique item pass through its storeroom and onto its shelves such as a David Bowiepicture disk set of the aforementioned singer’s 1982 compilation album ‘Fashions’ which saw one would-be customer offer £500.

Will is a big Bowie fan, having seen the legend live at Torquay Town Hall in 1972 a week after Ziggy Stardust was released,

Perhaps the rarest item, however, was an original pressing of The Beatles’ 1970 LP ‘Let it Be’ which was released as a limited box-set consisting of the LP and a 164-page paperback book packaged within a less than robust card box – procuring a complete set in good, presentable and, ultimately, sellable condition is no easy task.

So what’s next for Will?

The 64-year-old, whose favourite genre of music is sixties soul music said: ‘I think it’s time to read the complete works of Charles Dickens and spend time with the grandchildren of which I have four and so I’ll be kept busy!’ Will said.

‘I would so love the store to go to one, or more, of our amazing customers.’