New record shop opens in South London, Upside Down Records

Upside Down Records, a pre-loved vinyl and CD store, has just opened in Deptford, South London.

"Born from the ashes of Rat Records", a beloved record store in Camberwell that closed in 2022, Upside Down Records sits on 203 Deptford High Street, SE8 3NT.

The new outlet will be fronted by Philippe Giron, who managed the aforementioned Rat Records for its final 15 years.

Read this next: A new book celebrates London's best-loved record stores

Originally from France, born in Provence and raised in the French Alps, Giron moved to London in 1997 and began working as a DJ and small events promoter a couple of years later.

Giron played on bills that included Andrew Weatherall, A Guy Called Gerald and other acid house luminaries. His extensive knowledge and burning passion for music, coupled with the desire to settle down after 10 years of playing bars and clubs to get by, led him to Rat Records.

A decade and a half into Giron's management of the spot, owner Tom Fisher decided to retire and close the shop, but celebrated "the final and greatest manager of Rat Records" as "the perfect man for the job" with a depth of musical knowledge that "veers from ragtime blues all the way to techno via post rock, indie and electronica, reggae and jazz."

Following Rat Records' closure, Giron spent close to a year operating his online record shop via the Upside Down Records Instagram, Discogs and eBay whilst offering the opportunity for customers to visit his home and browse through his collection, with the likes of Earful of Wax, Softi and Warlock all paying a visit.

Read this next: Hackney record store Vinyl Pimp is offering customers the chance to stay overnight

This operation was ongoing whilst Giron searched for a premises for his new shop, with a venue secured on Deptford High Street in June. Since then, what was a building site has now become a fully fledged record shop, with the space up and running after opening on November 18.

Upside Down Records is open every day until December 24, Monday to Saturday 10:30–18:00 and Sunday 12:00–17:00.

Tibor Heskett is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow him on Twitter