Like the majority of fellow denizens, I’m proud to say I belong to Glasgow. (We know a song about that, children, don’t we? 😉 )

Sure, it can look a bit rough around the edges, particularly on a damp and dreich day, of which we have many. But there are also some beautiful areas of parkland, outstanding architecture, art galleries and museums. Driving out of the city centre, you can be in the middle of some glorious countryside within fifteen minutes.

Glasgow is a city steeped in history and renowned for its science, sport and music heritage. We may appear a dour lot, but the people have a wicked sense of humour and are as compassionate and caring as any.

‘People Make Glasgow,’ is our motto, and how right it is.

So, what’s my favourite place to visit in this wonderful city of mine? Well there’s certainly plenty of choice …. but this is where I like to spend my time – and money!

Monorail Records gets my vote for two reasons:
1) it sells records (duh);
2) there is an independently owned cafe / bar in the adjoining space.

Firstly, the record store: co-founded by Stephen McRobbie (a.k.a. Stephen Pastel) of the famed Glasgow band The Pastels the shop caters for those of us with more eclectic tastes, and stocks vinyl and CD releases from local and touring bands that you would generally find only on the merch desks at gigs. There is a well stocked reggae and dub section and a pretty extensive, quality, second hand section, both of which can easily empty my wallet on any given visit.

(I had to get some music into my post. ;)

The cafe / bar next door has a lovely ambiance. The shop and cafe sit beneath a disused, single track siding for a futuristic Monorail system that was built between the World Wars. (A short account of its history can be read in the ‘About’ section of the shop’s website.) The cafe is vegan in nature and though I’m anything but vegan, the food is lovely. The beer served is both local craft and imported in nature. There are frequent live music shows on offer from touring bands too.

So, what’s not to like?

One word of advice – it’s better to do your record shopping before hitting the beer in the cafe. I made that mistake once … I damn near had to take out a bank loan when I realised how much I’d spent!

If you’re ever in Glasgow, and like your music, be sure to check out Mono – and no, I don’t have a Saturday job there and I’m not sponsored by them either.

__________

** A special word too for Missing Records at the opposite end of Argyle Street. They vie with Mono for my record money. The store is very much larger and deals in second hand stock, but all thirty or so albums I’ve bought this year play perfectly.**