Popular Louth record store announces that it’s closing down

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of Classified Records,” proprietor Neil Waters announced in a social media post.

The shop, which stocked both new vinyl releases and classic, vintage and rare releases as well as CDs and even cassettes, had a loyal fanbase of customers, many of whom travelled from out of town to see what carefully curated gems they find.

The store was more than just a business for Neil who has an encyclopedic knowledge of music and the decision to pull down the shutters on the shop at The Demesne for a final time on Friday June 14 isn’t one that he has taken lightly.

“We opened in back in August 2015 and can proudly say we tried to make the world a better place. Seems like a long time ago but eco-systems were different back then. The town had a buzz. There was a thrill in the air. We were the new thing,” he wrote.

The shop was much more than somewhere that people could buy music and soon became the centre of an alternative community of musicians, artists and creatives in Dundalk and was the home of the Repeal the Eight campaign.

“The ethos of the shop included a venue for many different types of instore entertainment,” Neil recalled. “Live gigs and performances, intimate acoustic shows, gluhwein-fuelled xmas parties, radio tal shows, multiple Record Store Days, poetry and spoken word events, artist interviews, Wanda the famous cat, Rumours (the new cat), art exhibitions, my daily sermons, the Yes vote, DJ parties, stray dogs, OC’s Day, and featured in music videos and documentaries… we really gave it 100%, most of the time.”

The shop had opened at a time when the economy was bouncing back from the demise of the Celtic Tiger and there was a renewed interest in all things retro, from vinyl to film cameras as a new generation discovered the novelty of old technology.

The economic downturn of 2020 following the prolonged lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, proved extremely difficult for the retail sector, and especially so for small independent shops that faced increased competition from online stores.

Neil admits that the past four years have been tough for the business, even though it launched a website in November 2020 in a bid to remain viable.

“Life has been difficult for the vast majority during this ‘great reset’. Money is tight and anxiety is everywhere. The quintessence of life (aka the atmosphere) has been diminished severely so it is no longer possible to run an independent business like ours,” says Neil.

“What kind of work matters now?,” he muses. “The answer to that used to be knowledge-based work. But now, we have to reassess that question. Knowledge doesn’t matter anymore. In this age of generative AI, it matters what kind of prompt you can create. People used to interact. Now it’s about content creation, digital platforms, a 5D existence. The very nature of work has been redefined.”

He thanked everybody who contributed to the shop for the last nine years. “Your custom and craic supported us and put us on the map. We consider it an honour to have served the fine people of Dundalk, the county and beyond. It was an amazing experience, a magical time (well, maybe not the last four years) but this sadly is the end of Classified Records.”

Customers shared their recollections of the store and wished Neil all the best for the future.

“Neil Waters you created so much more than a shop, it will be a great loss to Dundalk, but well done on all you achieved,” wrote Paul Hayes, Director of An Tain Arts Centre.

“Ah that’s a heartbreaker Neil, so sorry to hear that. The town won’t be the same without Classified Records,” local musician Mark Durnin commented, adding that he always enjoyed going into the shop for a chat.

Jim O’Donoghue Martin of Video Blue said “So sorry to see this Neil. You made a hub in the town. Always looked forward to popping in for a chat every time I was home. You were the first shop to stock Video Blue’s first cassette and it was a pleasure to DJ instore. That 9 year stint in Dundalk will reverberate for generations.”

“Know that while open you added a source of inspiration and joy to the town. I always said we were very lucky to have a record shop in town,” wrote a local customer, while another wrote “Massive congratulations on the institution that you built, such a community, such a hub, such a platform. We appreciate so much what you created.”

The shop had many customers who travelled there in knowledge that they could find something special, and they recalled the joy of rummaging through the racks to see what they could fine.

Classified record is open until Friday June 14 with a clearance sale in operation til then.

” All gift vouchers are still valid, please do get them used. We’ll be giving away various random props & pieces of the shop if anyone wants a heartbroken memento or two,” said Neil.