Soul, Funk & Rare Groove Record Shops in London
Specialists, curators and 45s: where to dig for the groove in London
Soul and funk in London don't live in one shop, or even one postcode. They live across a handful of addresses that have built deep catalogues and sharp taste over decades — and in one word, *rare groove*, which in London isn't a genre so much as a way of digging. This guide points you to the right counter depending on what you're after: the encyclopaedic catalogue, the curated wall, or the 45 that moves a floor.
Soul, funk and the birth of rare groove
"Rare groove" is a phrase that took hold in 1980s London — across warehouse parties and pirate radio, popularised by DJs like Norman Jay — for the obscure, expensive American soul and funk of the 1970s that selectors pulled back onto the dancefloor. It's a label coined in this city, and it captures the London relationship with the genre better than any other: not the hit, but the record few people own, played loud.
So London buys soul and funk three different ways. There's the specialist with a bottomless catalogue, where you ask and you get. There's the curator, choosing little and well. And there's the 45 shop, where the unit isn't the album but the seven-inch single. Knowing which of the three you need is half the job.
"Rare groove" is a phrase that took hold in 1980s London — across warehouse parties and pirate radio, popularised by DJs like Norman Jay — for the obscure, expensive American soul and funk of the 1970s that selectors pulled back onto the dancefloor. It's a label coined in this city, and it captures the London relationship with the genre better than any other: not the hit, but the record few people own, played loud.
So London buys soul and funk three different ways. There's the specialist with a bottomless catalogue, where you ask and you get. There's the curator, choosing little and well. And there's the 45 shop, where the unit isn't the album but the seven-inch single. Knowing which of the three you need is half the job.
The deep-catalogue specialists
Soul Brother Records (1 Keswick Road, East Putney) has been the reference point since 1991: soul, funk and jazz in depth, well over ten thousand titles, staff who know the catalogue cold, and a reserve of rare 12-inches that justifies the trip out west on its own. Closed Sundays — check the hours before you cross town. This is where you go when you know exactly what you want, or when you want someone to tell you what to want.
Honest Jon's (278 Portobello Road, Notting Hill) works from wider roots: soul and funk spilling into reggae, Afro and world, inside one of Portobello's lasting institutions. It's also a label with a serious catalogue, and that ear shows on the shop floor. Saturday morning, early, before the market fills up, is the moment.
Soul Brother Records (1 Keswick Road, East Putney) has been the reference point since 1991: soul, funk and jazz in depth, well over ten thousand titles, staff who know the catalogue cold, and a reserve of rare 12-inches that justifies the trip out west on its own. Closed Sundays — check the hours before you cross town. This is where you go when you know exactly what you want, or when you want someone to tell you what to want.
Honest Jon's (278 Portobello Road, Notting Hill) works from wider roots: soul and funk spilling into reggae, Afro and world, inside one of Portobello's lasting institutions. It's also a label with a serious catalogue, and that ear shows on the shop floor. Saturday morning, early, before the market fills up, is the moment.
Curators and the 7-inch
Sounds of the Universe (7 Broadwick Street, Soho) is the bricks-and-mortar home of Soul Jazz Records, and the soul/funk section reads like an argued-through discography: low on volume, high on intent, strong on reissues and deep funk you won't trip over elsewhere. Eldica (8 Bradbury Street, Dalston) is the right burrow for diggers chasing boogie, rare groove and the edges of Black music — calypso, jazz, oddities — at prices that reward patience.
For the dancefloor single there's Out On The Floor (10 Inverness Street, Camden): first and foremost a reggae and ska specialist, but also one of London's best stops for soul and northern soul 45s — that seven-inch culture that, in the north of England, is closer to a faith. If the format that built the dancefloor is what you're after, you're home.
Sounds of the Universe (7 Broadwick Street, Soho) is the bricks-and-mortar home of Soul Jazz Records, and the soul/funk section reads like an argued-through discography: low on volume, high on intent, strong on reissues and deep funk you won't trip over elsewhere. Eldica (8 Bradbury Street, Dalston) is the right burrow for diggers chasing boogie, rare groove and the edges of Black music — calypso, jazz, oddities — at prices that reward patience.
For the dancefloor single there's Out On The Floor (10 Inverness Street, Camden): first and foremost a reggae and ska specialist, but also one of London's best stops for soul and northern soul 45s — that seven-inch culture that, in the north of England, is closer to a faith. If the format that built the dancefloor is what you're after, you're home.
What to look for, what you'll pay
For vintage soul and funk the format rule matters more than usual: the 45 is the unit of the genre, and plenty of legendary cuts never made it onto an album. Chase seven-inches before LPs, and always weigh the vinyl's condition over the sleeve — a dancefloor single has been played, and it shows.
On price, London runs at two speeds. The most-wanted UK pressings and rare 45s cost dearly, because local demand is fierce and selectors compete for them. US originals, by contrast, are often cheaper here than in the States. To weigh original against reissue, our [original pressing vs reissue guide](/en/guides/original-pressing-vs-reissue/) goes deeper.
For vintage soul and funk the format rule matters more than usual: the 45 is the unit of the genre, and plenty of legendary cuts never made it onto an album. Chase seven-inches before LPs, and always weigh the vinyl's condition over the sleeve — a dancefloor single has been played, and it shows.
On price, London runs at two speeds. The most-wanted UK pressings and rare 45s cost dearly, because local demand is fierce and selectors compete for them. US originals, by contrast, are often cheaper here than in the States. To weigh original against reissue, our [original pressing vs reissue guide](/en/guides/original-pressing-vs-reissue/) goes deeper.
Who this page is for
Anyone in London specifically after soul, funk or rare groove who doesn't want to lose the afternoon in generalist shops: deep-funk collectors, 45 hunters, northern soul and boogie heads. If you'd rather have the whole city mapped, start with our [London record shops guide](/en/groove/vinyl-cities/02-london/).
Anyone in London specifically after soul, funk or rare groove who doesn't want to lose the afternoon in generalist shops: deep-funk collectors, 45 hunters, northern soul and boogie heads. If you'd rather have the whole city mapped, start with our [London record shops guide](/en/groove/vinyl-cities/02-london/).
Start at Soul Brother for depth and Sounds of the Universe for curation; add Out On The Floor for the 45s. Three stops and you've covered soul, funk and rare groove in London.
Where can I buy funk vinyl in London?
Soul Brother Records in East Putney is the go-to specialist since 1991, with a deep catalogue of funk, soul and rare 12-inches. For curated deep funk, head to Sounds of the Universe in Soho; Eldica in Dalston is strong on boogie and edge-of-genre finds.
What is rare groove, and where do I find it in London?
Rare groove is a term born in 1980s London for the more obscure, sought-after American soul and funk of the 1970s. You'll find it chiefly at Sounds of the Universe, Eldica and Soul Brother, and in the 45 racks at Out On The Floor.
Where do I find northern soul 45s in London?
Out On The Floor in Camden is one of the best stops for soul and northern soul seven-inches, alongside its strong reggae stock. For the rarest singles, it's worth asking directly at Soul Brother too.
