Rough Trade Shop, Talbot Rd, W11

Rough Trade has been a stalwart on the alternative scene (both as a shop and a record label) for 20 odd years, and once you've been in to this West London store and felt the magic, it's easy to see why they've survived so long.

On the walls there's a rich heritage of tour posters and colourful 7" sleeves, but the racks are crammed full (and we mean crammed) of the latest and greatest releases from all over the world. There's sections devoted to genres you didn't even know existed, and on Saturday some old punks set up a stall outside selling obscure punk rarities.

Staff are mostly knowledgeable and friendly once you've crossed that initial "am I a regular or am I just another customer" hurdle, and will soon be recommending records to you or searching stuff out for you.

There's two decks so you can try before you buy, and there'll also play CDs for you (and give you the remote control so you can flick through the tracks at your own pace).

Pricewise, Rough Trade is mixed; some albums are cheaper here than anywhere else, and picking up The Strokes debut 7" for 99p was a bit of a bargain, but some items can be pricey. They're great for tickets though - just a 50p booking fee when evil empires like Ticketmaster charge £2.50 for the same basic service.

Who shops here? Regulars who've been coming for 20 years, young upstarts looking for unusual imports and other oddities.
When? Mon-Sat 10am-6.30pm
Where? 130 Talbot Road, W11 (020 7229 8541)

Photo shows Rough Trade's W11 shop, located just off Portobello Road.