Recordjunkie

I don't why people are complaining about haggle vinyl, i went there the other day and the owner seems really nice. Like the owner said - original mint rock records are really hard to find these days unlike 5 years ago when they could cost around £10 so don't expect them to be cheap. The only criticism i would give them would be that the some of the records could be cleaned first so the dust and grime doesn't lower the true grading of the records, and also his assistant could be more professional if she didn't eat at the shop counter while handling the records!

Written by anon at 2011-11-26 16:02:09

for me haggle is a free stand up comic show. just like what that female bus driver accidentally does in south park tv-series. i mean very good+!

Written by standing at the edge at 2011-11-17 14:50:57

I don't find the staff particularly friendly at either at Haggle Vinyl or at Flashback just up the road, but i've bought records at both. At least the staff at Flashback leave you to your own devices, and don't try to engage you in borderline offensive conversation.

The proprietor of Haggle Vinyl is most definitely a strange character.......recently he made an off the cuff remark when I was in the shop, and when I tried to quip back he came back with a rather curt 'How the f**k should I know'. I put down the record I was perusing and politely walked out.

The records are definitely in better condition at Flashback too, and they have two listening posts.


I don't think I'll be back at Haggle - flashback has an overall better stock, in better condition, in better surroundings and at better prices.

Written by tenmenben at 2011-10-11 23:27:40

Basically, if you go into Haggle with a really humble your-such-a-cool-guy attitude, and want to speak about an type of music the owner is interested in then the guy can be nice to you.

If you can't be arsed the guys a complete pr*ck, the records are poorly stored & optimistically priced.

For certain genres the selection is excellent, for others it is p*ss poor. Worth a visit, but don't hold your breath. Actually do, it smells a bit in there.

Written by Big Bill Broozy at 2011-09-05 18:19:35

Just been speaking to the owner, joker and tells good stories, top bloke and excellent customer service....

Written by Philip at 2011-08-16 15:35:41

No record shop is getting in mint condition collection from the public , those day's have gone, so Danny before you talk next , think first and do not just blab what you decide are the facts.

Written by boss at haggle at 2011-06-15 14:19:53

There are decent records to be had in Haggle (if you have the time) but from my experience grading is at best optimistic, so check records very, very carefully before handing over money. Good for an authentic eccentric record shop owner experience to regale your mates with but buying a record just shouldn't be this much work.

Written by Danny at 2011-06-14 13:52:26

jamie wamie ,does your ole grannie still empty yor botty potty from under your beddy beddy ?

Written by lynn alexander at 2011-05-04 14:35:13

In there today, he was having some weird argument with a bloke over a watch.

When I tried to knock him down on one of the overpriced records he gave me all the spiel of how he isnt making any money etc... (Though he isnt probably to be fair)

Have to agree with the abnove comment re: rare records stuffed into shelves, to their detriment

I would have dug for HOURS but he has this annoying habit of packing the records on the floor with another load on top, making digging beyond the first few records impossible.

I actually tried taking the pile off the top, going through it seperately then going through the bottom pile. This nearly caused about 400 records to spill, owing to the way the records are stacked

if he just didnt pack these records with more on top (kept the excess out back or something) and churned regularly, it would be fine, but hes been like this for years.

Very depressing.

Written by james at 2011-04-24 20:03:55

Would it be construde as slander also, if i say here that Paypal has 'curious style' when handing back money to buyers who claim for refunds within the unique Paypal rules. Some day i might get closer to home and shop with the behaviour of a few slippery types . Hagglvinyl of Day v Lately national TV advert

Written by boss@ hagglevinyl at 2011-03-31 16:46:33

Doesn't anyone police this site? Slanderous comments don't exactly offer balanced opinion. I bought over the internet and my LP didn't arive. It was a one-off and rare. However the owner gave me a refund. No real problems, although I had to insist. Politeness goes a long way.

Written by Sue de Nym at 2011-02-07 02:12:21

the guy is brilliant, and if you see the funny side and put up with him he's a nice bloke (i.e letting me and my friend grab a few records for free) and if you don't he, i quote the man himself here, "I'll call you a cunt" if you want a boring visit to pick up a few LPs by all means get the bus down to flashback but if you're looking for a shopping trip with a bit of chracter he's your guy

Written by at 2010-12-26 20:41:10

Bloke is a rude tosser. Better shops to be found in London than this.

Written by Dan at 2010-11-28 15:53:31

worked in there today, funny fella people who get insulted by him need to lighten up, a funny bloke with some funny lines

Written by russell at 2010-11-19 18:58:35

I went there in the late 90s when it opened, the guy is an imbecile who knows nothing about music. I remember he had a girl working there once, he was teaching her how to price records (looking in the price guide really), she was looking up The last Waltz by the Band, and she, rightly, looked up the Band in the book, he told her the name of the band was the Last Waltz. What an idiot.

Written by rev at 2010-11-18 14:38:08

I was just looking for Haggles tel no and came across this sad nonsense... If you don't like what you get there just walk out and go to HMV... Why blog and b**ch here like .............!

Written by Mlr at 2010-10-22 12:39:28

not bad,

Written by katrapa@sapo.pt at 2010-10-07 03:13:22

Haggle Vinyl rocks!

Written by BehnkeBuch@aol.com at 2010-10-07 03:12:36

But i do know who the idiot is.

Written by Boss@haggle at 2010-09-18 11:50:19

the owner of this shop is an idiot , as displayed on the remarks he makes at people who leave negative feedback
on the musicstack website
these comments tell you everything you need to know about this jerk
flashback , up the road , is a much better shop , the staff are knowledgeable unlike
mr potato head in haggle and they don ' t have halitosis either
avoid
the layout of the shop - really rare record sleeves all crushed up in racks - shows contempt for customers and vinyl collectors
the pits
I bet he couldn ' t tell you what the rarest
ever Beatles LP is - I went in once and he didn ' t even know who The Fool were
richard

Written by richard kimble at 2010-09-09 11:30:24

A real secondhand record shop.. in fact a great record shop with cool staff... I agree with some of the other comments, don't go there if you are ego trippin or a spoilt snob expecting to be treated like someone special because you spent a tenner... the manager gave me a 25% discount both times I visited, and the boss gave more laughs and sincerity than I've recieved in other secondhand record shops in over 30 years of shopping... much better than Flashback just up the road which seems to be staffed by your typical miserable zombies student types like those regularly employed at places like record and tape exchange exchange... yeah the grading could be improved slightly but hey that applies to all second hand recaw stows... as with all business transactions caveat Emptor 'Let The Buyer Beware' OK BYE.

Written by Karl at 2010-08-27 16:42:06

Is B Winkle your real name

Written by boss @haggle at 2010-08-03 15:07:50

Pay extreme attention to condition in this store. They don't offer refunds and lighting is not the best. Bought a Deviants LP, which looked fine in the shop until I realised it had been skimmed when I got it home.

Written by Billy Winkle at 2010-07-27 00:21:57

The owner is a funny guy, a real character. People shouldn't take his insults literally or seriously. Although he is a blatant curmudgeon, ultimately he's trying to shift some records. If you are offended by him, my advice is to buy whatever you want, don't hang around for a chat, just get out.

Don't expect too much courtesy when your visiting Islington.

Written by Jay at 2010-06-02 18:48:12

not a nice man....i heard him telling someone he would shit on their cock...very nice!

Written by frunobulax at 2010-05-29 19:02:19

total knobhead

Written by joe at 2010-03-14 14:40:42

my god I wanted to have a look at that shop and now I feel rather worried - bemused- even sick by the negative comments

Written by fabio at 2010-03-10 18:06:29

Sounds like all the customers are *****

Written by Piere at 2010-02-17 10:11:25

I disagree with these posts dismissing Haggle. Simply the best record shop in London in my opinion, and prices are completely reasonable - often I go through netsounds to find records, and very often the cheapest price of a given record is from Haggle - in which case I always swing by and buy it in the shop rather than order online. For every record that costs £40 upwards (usually filed under collectables), there's usually a cheaper one from a different run and/or on a different label somewhere on the shelves. The owner will help you find them if you ask. If you want a record shop with a faux feel of independence, in a sanitised and safe environment, with absolutely no surprises on the racks, go to Rough Trade East, whose interior design costs alone have rendered their stock unaffordable to all but Japanese tourists. For a cheaper version, try Fopp! Or rent 'High Fidelity'. Major cities tend to have literally one shop like this left these days (Paris and New York have one or two, Berlin maybe one or two more), and this is London's. Flashback down the road is very good, but D.O.C. Records and Haggle are about the only two record shops whose owners are in it for the love of it. So accept the owner's idiosyncrasies and enjoy it while it's still standing.

Written by Tim at 2010-02-09 15:48:25

Pretty much the biggest asshole you're likely to meet. Shit records at high prices. I'm for independent record stores on every street corner but record shops like this don't deserve to survive. I wouldn't touch any record that had been through this mans hands, whatever the price.

Written by James at 2009-12-23 14:57:28

Haggle is a brilliant shop and the owner is a national treasure! If you go in there stuck up your own backside he will swiftly and deftly cut you down to size, if you go in there with an open mind and a sense of humour to match you'll be able to haggle over some great vinyl and share some great banter, and if you are selling records then do a bit of homework for yourself because no one's gonna pay you top dollar if they don't have to, after all it is a business he's trying to run. People need to get real, lighten up, and stop taking themselves too seriously.

Written by walthamstow007 at 2009-12-23 00:37:10

The personality of the owner shouldn't really affect whether you go to this shop or not. You can get rude/belligerent staff in Tesco - but there are millions of Tesco's and very few record shops. So why not make the unusual owner part of the experience. WE NEED MORE CHARACTERS IN THE WORLD. well, don't we? The shop has loads and loads of great records (maybe some a bit too pricey) but I always "Haggle" and it's one of the few record stores that caters for all kinds of tastes. Let's support independent second hand record stores, otherwise the only place left to get our music will be via downloads and Tesco. PS - I have nothing against Tesco. Great Two for One Offers.

Written by Mr Claypole at 2009-12-02 10:51:22

had a problem n lynn sorted it out, loved the shop, visitd from ausralia, recomend to anyone

Written by at 2009-10-16 19:50:16

Hardly any turnover of new records and yeah, the dude is a fuckwit.

Written by Johnny dildohands at 2009-08-27 13:28:23

i agree with the guy who goes in, grabs what he wants and scarpers. if the owner is in a chatty mood then he's great to hang with for a sec; otherwise don't bother arguing with him... re calling him a crook - please try to remember that he's not in it to make loads of cash, and that its about love of music and records; i'm sure he didn't intend any disrespect to your dad, and that he's not getting rich from this. hopefully haggle will stay open for many years to come - the place has loads of great records tucked away. also worth having a browse round is flashback, 200m down towards angel tube, who've been getting some great stuff in recently. they are less prickly in there no question...
happy digging.

Written by dan at 2009-08-15 13:33:39

Been going to Haggle for years, and as long as don't get arsey it's great. The piles and piles of vinyl mean there's always something new to find! Got some great stuff here and have found loads of bargains hiding under those browsers from time to time.

Written by artvandelay1 at 2008-10-09 23:22:55

The owner of Haggle Vinyl is a con artist, opportunist, crook, Beware !! Recently my father died of cancer recently. He had a large record collection which I needed to sell. I called his shop and he arrived to take a look at my fathers collection. He quickly browsed through the collection and said to me " there is nothing of any value here, but said I will take a few off your hands and give you £20 quid. He proceeded to take approx 15 LP's. Two albums were quite valuable so I found out later, they were " In The Hollies Style" worth about £40.00 and " This is the Ivy League" also worth around £40.00. So much for nothing of any value. God knows what the rest of the albums were worth, I cant remember them all now. He could have at least been honest and told me that a few of them were worth something and given me a bit more money. My father must be turning in his grave. I have now given the rest of the collection to a cancer hospice so they can raise money for cancer sufferers. I hope the owner rots in hell and has bad luck for the rest off his life, the rotten bastard.

Written by at 2008-09-29 10:59:48

Boss of Haggle speaking, people that i have thrown out or asked to leave this store have included the chap who spoke about me on the bbc, gilles peterson who had a thing or two to say about me. I recall the incident I thought he was about to smash the shop up as he left. One or other of Pete Doherty's managers who stormed out of here and hurled a box of cd's the full length of the shop, whichever manager that was, i don't know his name, was stoned out of his head. Others thrown out in particular are thieves suspected beyond reasonable doubt.

This additional blurb of mine will I hope encourage more talk on this page by the good the bad and the ugly.

Written by at 2008-09-18 18:00:11

Haggle Vinyl rocks!
It's one of the only shops left in the oh-so-sanitized Islington that still has some quirks and personality. And shed loads of really good records.

Written by caroline at 2008-09-16 14:21:17

this man is a fool - every time I go in , he refuses to accept a credit card payment because he ' s always just on his way out to buy a record collection , he has a reptilian smile as he says this
the record shop itself is a complete mess and the staff are almost as rude and dismissive as they used to be in reckless records , like they think they know more about music than you just because they work in a record shop
steer clear and go to flashback instead , its just up the road

Written by dr richard kimble at 2008-09-11 18:49:27

Me thinks the nameless author backing the owner could well have been his very own mouth(piece), ...since when did one enter a shop with a degree of humility, one enters a shop with a sense of adventure when its a vinyl store unless that is you're going to this store, best steel yourself ...done it and got trampled on by owner once, have been to the shop several times now and have learnt its kinda hit & miss, more miss though with this owner. Sometimes he's okay but okay on his terms other times he plain can't be bothered, he's a bit like a world weary traveller and like Sol I've found it hard to get pass his unique brand of sullen-n-sarky remarks & I'm pretty much an open guy so when I buy I get what I want, pay up & go, really pointless engaging in any talk if the owner's going to get sarky, if he ain't interested in selling records and being pleasant to people then get the hell out of the business of having to deal with people beautiful or otherwise & perhaps he could learn a few things from his nameless author...primarily show a bit of humility towards those that are about to line your pocket with their hard earned money & lastly lets get one thing straight corporations gave us vinyl, cd and the rest so nuff of the lame corporate hating stuff it's soooooo boring! I would say steer clear but deep down its still an adventure going there but you've been warned though.

Written by Simeone at 2008-09-10 18:41:46

I have known the owner for a few years now, and I strongly disagree with you. He certainly likes people, more so than most shop proprietors in London. However working in a shop which attracts a wide variety of human kind means he has had to put up with a lot over the years. Some strangers to the shop will find his methods coarse however this is due to countless people wasting time listening to records and degrading their condition. Every time a record is removed from the racks this heightens the chance of a loss in its value, something an independent shop in this day and age can't afford. Take some time to get to know him and after a few visits you'll enjoy some very oddball banter, not just over music... The record player does in fact work fine it’s only the headphones that aren't in great shape; I just bring my own and plug in. Customers are welcome to haggle over prices; within reason, of course, and you have to be spending a fair few quid to validate a price reduction. I’ve walked away with a few bargains over the years... Aggressive, arrogant, or smug behavior is met with distaste. Enter the shop with a degree of humility, don't take yourself too seriously, and you'll learn to love the sheer vastness of records and the seemingly chaotic order of it all. Haggle Vinyl is a welcome sight in this increasingly corporate/big business run world, where shops and streets have to fight to maintain any sort of distinctive character. I urge people to support Haggle, and other shops like it.

Written by at 2008-08-03 15:53:54

you are not a beautifull human being and that is why you felt out of place in my shop.
i wish you well . all the best lynn alexander

Written by boss of hagglevinyl at 2008-08-03 13:24:38

the guy is one of the most miserable people you would want to meet in a record shop. unfortunately he runs the place - dont know why - he does not like people. the guy should run an internet business only- he only has one record player in the shop and its broken ( one channel works only with a sign up saying if if breaks anymore you will be charged £30 to fix it ) and he wont let you listen to record unless you buy it. - but you cant even listen to it properly - great shop for people who know exactly what they want - dont even go near if you are searching for new records to buy. the fella has so many records that have just been sitting their for years... this guy could shift loads if he relaxed his attitude. his shop is a dusty bin - loads of records everywhere. its like he hoards them without care and guards them like a rabid dog. its called haggle vinyl but if you try to haggle. he will snarl at you with cheshire grin smile. and twitch out some sarcky comment. -- haggle vinyl .. is run by a male old hag. stay clear

Written by sol at 2008-07-20 14:55:21