Ye Olde Dudley Shoppes

[Remi_Moses]

Used to go with a mate every Saturday into Dudley, spend about an hour in Graduate Records,buying old albums by some freaked out weirdos, then Hudsons bookshop, then meet two tarts from school in Littlewoods cafe.

Graduate backed several up and coming bands. Helping getting initial records out. Always ordered my picture discs and covers (prerelease) from them.

[baggy1]

Was Graduate the little record shop opposite Top Church?

[Remi_Moses]

Was Graduate the little record shop opposite Top Church?

Travel Agency last time I went past - union st I think IIRC. Think it was courtesy travel.

[ElbowGrease1973]

Used to go with a mate every Saturday into Dudley, spend about an hour in Graduate Records,buying old albums by some freaked out weirdos, then Hudsons bookshop, then meet two tarts from school in Littlewoods cafe.

Was that the shop at the top of Dudley opposite the Church. I think I bought my first Pixies 12" from there if so.

There was also a computer shop (comptazer?) just up from WH Smiths, which was good for a browse and the odd purchase.

[tiptontown]

Was Graduate the little record shop opposite Top Church?

Travel Agency last time I went past - union st I think IIRC. Think it was courtesy travel.

Yes, Union St I think. Had their own record label at one time too.

[Remi_Moses]

Was Graduate the little record shop opposite Top Church?

Travel Agency last time I went past - union st I think IIRC. Think it was courtesy travel.

Yes, Union St I think. Had their own record label at one time too.

Gave UB40 the chance they needed to make it big.

[hudds]

Ah, yes, Graduate Records.

Remember The Criterion selling motor bikes and mopeds opposite Top Church?

Proper tobacconist - Preedy's I think - loved it. After experimenting with cigars, got my first pipe there in 1978. Aladdin's Cave of specialist tobacco but started off with Benson and Hedges Ready Rubbed - actually a good baccy. I didn't really get into English Mixtures for years.

The cigar selection was great - they had "Corvana Slimavanas" which were machine made Havcanas worked out at 50p each when say a Punch equivalent was about £1.75. I bloody loved that shap (shap, ay it it?)

That is the land of lost content, I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went and cannot come again.

Sigh.

[MancBaggie]

Preedys was quality. Think there was one in Halesowen next to Sainos - up to about 86

A pipe? You must have only been about 14?!

[baggiebloke]

Wasn't Sportsco up the incline on the right, I reckon opposite what is now the Spoons.

It sure was!

[hudds]

Preedys was quality. Think there was one in Halesowen next to Sainos - up to about 86

A pipe? You must have only been about 14?!

19 (summer before 20th birthday)

Let me tell you summat, aer kid.  If you wanted to attract the attention of a young woman/women in a pub or whatever (JBs), smoke a pipe with an aromatic baccy.  They always struck up a converasation first about the pipe/baccy.  Like the St Bruno Man, I was.

It doesn' t work if you smoke a churchwarden.  Well, not for a mate who tried my tip with such a pipe.

Other tips to meet young women:

Go the ballet. 
Go to independent cinemas (eg The Cornerhouse) showing french films.

Oh, and be a handsome bastard.