Phoenix Sounds is a community-based record store that has established itself as the definitive place to buy music in Newton Abbot for over 20 years. In a market dominated by online retailers and streaming platforms, Phoenix Sounds provides a brick-and-mortar experience for customers and staff to share their appreciation of music together.
Since Roger Cox’s ownership in 2022, he has adapted the record store to suit the rapidly changing music landscape and the desire for a local music-focused community space. Roger has kept the community spirit alive by collaborating with fellow independent retailers and hosting live music and events in the store.
Roger has had plenty of experience as a business owner, which has contributed to the growing success of the shop, starting off as a chef and pub manager by trade, then supervising the cleaning divisions of various companies such as Sainsbury’s and ServiceMaster Clean. He has also assisted his wife, Marsha Cox, with the development of business consultancy Marsha Miles Consultancy Ltd. Throughout this time, they were both loyal customers of Phoenix Sounds under its previous ownership.
How did you come into the ownership of Phoenix Sounds?
One chance meeting was in the shop with my wife, since we both shopped there anyway. Jackie, who had been working at the shop for 20+ years, asked if I wanted to buy a record shop. I bought it the next day, so here I am!
It wasn’t even a dream to own a record shop; it just happened. But we love what we do, we’re passionate about music, and move mountains to get our customer base the music they want.
How has Phoenix Sounds changed under your ownership?
I’ve seen it change a lot in the last 10 years. Vinyl’s taking more walls, CDs have shrunk, and DVDs have gone from the shop in lieu of Blu-Rays.
When we bought the shop, we made it a bit more modern. We changed the logo and signage to bring it into the current century rather than the 90s, and we spent quite a lot of money on vinyl racks to make it look more professional.
We’ve also upgraded to an EPOS till, which will ready us for the new website in October. If I sell something in the shop, it comes off the inventory, whereas before, everything was manual, which meant a lot of hard work and spreadsheets. Soon, we’ll be in the 22nd century!
When you're listening to vinyl, you’ve actually got to take time to put it on the turntable and put the needle down. You’re not going to get the vacuum cleaner out or start cooking, you’re going to sit down and stop. Stopping is a good thing for the human race because no one stops these days."
How has the way we listen to music changed over the years?
People don’t appreciate the work that goes into music anymore. If you’re on Spotify and your friends are showing their music, you tend to follow their lead. They use it to add to their playlists to play their favourite songs. But there’s so much music out there that’s being released that’s not being listened to.
If a top 10 artist releases a new album, they fill the top streamed songs that week. That leaves no room for other artists to come into the system, whereas 15 years ago, we had 40 different artists in the top 40.
It’s also about money. If you’re paying £500 a ticket for a gig, it’s because artists are not seeing enough from physical products. Artists like Taylor Swift are good for business since she sells the most physical products going, but without trying, they stop other artists from having a say. Then again, the biggest artist you are, the bigger voice you have. That’s just the way it is.
I play Spotify when I’m cooking, I put CDs on when I’m in the car, but when me and my wife play some vinyl, we stop, sit down in the garden, and we talk and connect. You read the credits on the liner notes and you don’t skip tracks.
You don’t do it with any other musical format; you’ve actually got to take time to put it on the turntable and put the needle down. You’re not going to get the vacuum cleaner out or start cooking, you’re going to sit down and stop. Stopping is a good thing for the human race because no one stops these days.
How do you make Phoenix Sounds a great community hub as well as a great record store?
We’ve got a big wealth of talent out there, but unfortunately, nothing past Bristol exists as far as the music industry is concerned. Devon has its areas with the Exeter Phoenix and The Cavern, but it’s all money driven. So we’re trying to bring something different to Newton Abbot since people always say nothing ever goes on.
We’re sponsoring Abbfest’s second year running on 22nd September, and hosted a Battle of the Bands featuring the best 5 bands in the area. We also pair ourselves with independent retailers in Newton Abbot, making it a community shop.
No Limits Community Café supplied the bacon rolls for the 100+ people waiting in the queue on Record Store Day. We’ve had a gig at The Jolly Farmer, which is a pub with a huge Art Deco function room that’s brilliant for gigs. We’re going to hold events with Sharpy’s Bar just down the road, and hope to do album sales in the store which will come with a ticket to see a special gig in the bar.
We try to get people who don’t know about these places to come to their doorstep. No independent shop survives on their own, but together, we’re stronger.
We’re trying to bring something different to Newton Abbot since people always say nothing ever goes on."
What have been the difficulties of managing an independent record store in Newton Abbot?
We survive month to month and make money on Record Store Day and Christmas, but that money’s got to last us the whole year. I personally don’t pay myself much of a wage since everything goes back into the shop. I want to upgrade the till system and website, which takes time and money, so I have to be very careful with how I do this.
Every online sale with online stores like Amazon hurts us and usually we are cheaper. We really care about what we do and understand the importance of getting the customer exactly what they want, which you don’t get online.
Luckily, people have started to use us, with what’s happening in the road as well, so we have a good following.
Have you got any advice for anyone wanting to open a record store?
You’re looking at £35-45k in rent if you want to open in the city centre, which is a lot. To make it work, you need to open semi out-of-town as a community interest company. Being a CIC will allow you to get grants, pay less in taxes and rent, and you can also get other companies like a coffee shop involved to make it a community space.
What are your music recommendations?
I was stuck in the 80s when I bought the shop, so I’m into The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, blues, even bands like Radiohead. But whatever music you listen to that makes you feel happy or sad is a good thing. So I recommend listening to all music and making your own choice, and I can help you find what you need at the best price.
Whatever music you listen to that makes you feel happy or sad is a good thing."