Photo credit: Tima Miroshnichenko
Birmingham’s electronic music community has gained a new home with the opening of 3 Phase Records, an independent record store dedicated exclusively to dance music. Located in a Grade II-listed building in the city’s historic Gun Quarter, the store officially opened its doors on 4 July, offering thousands of vinyl records spanning house, techno, trance, drum ‘n’ bass, disco and other electronic genres. Alongside its extensive record selection, the two-floor space also features specialist merchandise and in-store listening stations designed to encourage crate digging and music discovery.
The shop is the latest venture from founder Tom Berry, who first established 3 Phase Records as an online vinyl retailer before expanding into a physical location. According to Berry, the move was inspired after discovering the Loveday Street premises had been sitting vacant earlier this year.
Berry and his wife transformed the building themselves over several months, renovating the space by hand, constructing record bins, installing the sound system and moving stock into what has become one of Birmingham’s newest destinations for electronic music fans.
Speaking about the motivation behind the project, Berry said that while streaming has transformed the way audiences consume music, it cannot replicate the experience of browsing records, connecting with fellow collectors and supporting independent record stores. He described those community-focused values as central to the vision for 3 Phase Records.
The venue also aims to become a hub for Birmingham’s local dance music scene beyond retail. Plans are already in place for label takeovers, community events and open-deck sessions, allowing emerging DJs to perform and connect with audiences. The store hosted one of its first events, Trance Sessions, on 18 July, featuring performances from Russell Priest, Kyle Fletcher, Paaarty Pigeon and others.
