Wales' largest vinyl shop The Balcony, Central Market since 1969

029 2037 7355 Mon to Sat, 9 to 5

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Wales' largest vinyl shop · on the balcony since 1969

Crate-digging in Cardiff since 1969.

On the balcony of Cardiff Central Market, over 300,000 records in the same bins since Eddie and Phyllis Kelly opened a stall in 1969. Their nephew Allan Parkins has run the shop since the early 1990s. Second-hand first, every genre, every generation.

1969Eddie and Phyllis Kelly open the stall

300k+records across the balcony bins

57years on the same balcony

Browse the bins Sell us your records

The record bins on the balcony of Cardiff Central Market at Kelly's Records

THE BALCONY · CARDIFF CENTRAL MARKET Over 300,000 records under the Victorian glazed roof. Mon to Sat, 9 to 5.

1969Founded by the Kelly family

300k+Records in stock

No.1Wales' largest vinyl shop

2ndGeneration · Allan Parkins

WHAT WE STOCK · SECOND-HAND FIRST

Four bins, fifty-seven years deep.

Jump to the genres →

THE CORE

Second-hand vinyl

Over 300,000 pre-owned records across the balcony bins, every genre and generation, from the pound bins to copies collectors travel for. The bins have stood here since 1969.

300,000+ pieces

NEW IN

New and sealed vinyl

New and sealed vinyl alongside the second-hand core since the 2020 renovation. Current releases, reissues and pre-orders.

releases & reissues

WE BUY

We buy collections

The second-hand trade is the engine of the shop. We buy pre-owned vinyl and CDs, single records or whole collections. Call ahead for anything large.

vinyl & CD

AND THE REST

CDs, cassettes and the rest

Around 60,000 CDs, plus cassettes and the occasional 8-track for completists. Formats came and went over 57 years, and we kept the ones worth keeping.

60,000 CDs

THE BINS · EVERY GENRE, EVERY GENERATION

Pick a bin and start digging.

The racks are sorted the way a collector thinks, not the way a chain shelves stock. The indie and the soul move fastest.

Rock & Pop The widest bins. Originals, reissues and obscurities. Soul, Funk & Disco Rare groove, 7-inch and album, plenty of imports. Reggae, Dub & Ska Roots, dub and ska, pre-owned and new. Jazz & Blues Blue Note and beyond, blues across the decades. Hip Hop & Grime Classics and current. Electronica House, techno, EDM and leftfield. Punk & Hardcore Punk, hardcore and the harder end. Metal & Hard Rock Hard rock and metal, every wave. Soundtracks Film, TV and stage on vinyl. Folk, Country & World A deep corner of all three. Classical For the budget and the collector. Indie & Alternative The racks that move fastest.

SCENES FROM THE BALCONY

What it feels like up here.

THE BALCONY The bins under the glazed Victorian roof of Cardiff Central Market.

CRATE-DIGGING The racks. Pre-owned first, every genre, every generation.

JUST IN A fresh buy, boxed and waiting to be graded.

ONE FAMILY · TWO GENERATIONS · CARDIFF

Eddie and Phyllis started it. Their nephew still runs it.

In 1969 Eddie and Phyllis Kelly put a few crates of records on the balcony of Cardiff Indoor Market, now Cardiff Central Market. The crates are now over 300,000 records, and their nephew Allan Parkins has run the shop since they retired in the early 1990s. The Elvis statue has been by the bins 20 years. The bins, since the start.

1969: Eddie and Phyllis Kelly open a stall on the balcony of Cardiff Indoor Market, now Cardiff Central Market.
1980s: The stall grows into a fixture, a gathering place for Cardiff record buyers.
Early 1990s: The Kellys retire and hand the shop to their nephew, Allan Parkins, who runs it still.
2000s: CDs, cassettes and the odd DAT and MiniDisc join the racks as formats shift.
2020: The shop is renovated through the vinyl revival, and new and sealed vinyl joins the second-hand core.
Today: Wales' largest vinyl shop, over 300,000 records, second generation, still on the balcony.

Inside Kelly's Records on the balcony of Cardiff Central Market

KELLY'S RECORDS · THE BALCONY · SINCE 1969

THE SHOP, IN ITS OWN WORDS

“We take pride in the quality of products we stock, and our staff are always ready to help, whether you are after a rare find or a bargain.”

Kelly's Records · on the balcony since 1969

From a first turntable to a matrix number, the same counter serves everyone who comes up the stairs.

WE BUY RECORDS · SINGLE OR COLLECTION

Got records to sell? Bring them up.

The second-hand trade is the engine of the shop, so we are always buying. A single record or a whole collection, vinyl or CD. Bring a selection to the balcony, or send a note about anything large.

What we buy: Pre-owned vinyl and CDs, every genre
How: Bring it to the balcony, or message us first for large lots
Phone: 029 2037 7355

FAQ · WHAT WE GET ASKED AT THE COUNTER

Five questions, the answers up front.

Do you buy records and collections?

Yes. We buy pre-owned vinyl and CDs, from a single record to a whole collection. Bring a selection up to the balcony, or call 029 2037 7355 ahead of anything large.

Is it all second-hand, or do you sell new vinyl too?

Both. The core is pre-owned, over 300,000 records, and since the 2020 renovation we also carry new and sealed vinyl, current releases and reissues.

Can you find me something you do not have in stock?

Often, yes. Tell us the artist, title and pressing you are after and we will tell you straight whether we can track it down.

Where exactly are you in the market?

On the balcony of Cardiff Central Market, off St Mary Street. Through the main hall and up the stairs, by the bins and the Elvis statue that has stood there 20 years.

What are your opening hours?

Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, in step with the market. Closed Sundays. Busiest on a Saturday afternoon, quietest first thing on a weekday.

VISIT · THE BALCONY, CARDIFF CENTRAL MARKET

Come up and have a flick through.

On the balcony of Cardiff Central Market, the Victorian glass-roofed hall off St Mary Street, a few minutes from Cardiff Central station and The Hayes. Through the main hall and up the stairs, the bins and the Elvis statue are waiting.

Address: The Balcony, Cardiff Central Market, St Mary Street, Cardiff CF10 1AU
Phone: 029 2037 7355
Email: info@kellysrecords.com
Mon to Sat: 9:00 to 17:00
Sunday: Closed

The Balcony, Cardiff Central Market, CF10 1AU. Off St Mary Street, near The Hayes. Open in Google Maps ↗