The Music Exchange - Portland Street

Situated on the corner of Oxford Road and Portland Street, the Music Exchange stocked sheet music for those muso's who could read.

Me? I can remember buying Tommy Quickly's "Walk the streets at night". Why? It was reduced.

Later situated in St. Peter's Square. Wasn't there another similar shop in Boot's Arcade?

The Music Exchange. Spent many, many hours in that old shop looking through boxes of bargain sheet music. Little light classical pieces which I used to then play on piano to my ballet teacher aunt, Joan Bates in Stockport, for her to weave her magic with. Late 60s / early 70s.

I forget the name of the family but do remember us doing a kids party entertainment for the younger generation years later in the 1980s around Bramhall area. What I remember in particular was the owner, - a gent of advancing years, used to stand on a balcony looking down at everyone in the packed out shop on a Saturday afternoon, probably making sure nothing ever got nicked. To the best of my knowledge no other Branch. The one in an Arcade was Wright Greaves I think.

Yeah, to readers like myself that shop was pure gold. They had all the latest pop covers on the main counter at about 5 shillings or 6 shillings and sixpence each. 

Tony Gayle - 1/12/13