Jumbo Records in Leeds is still reinventing itself after more than 50 years

Jumbo Records has been selling music in Leeds since 1971, making it one of the longest-established independent record shops in the country. More than five decades on, it is still finding new ways to connect people with the records they love.

The shop was started by Hunter Smith, who took the name from his mobile disco business. He began with a tiny shop at the top of a shopping arcade, selling the reggae and soul records that went down well at his discotheque, before moving to a unit in the Merrion Centre.

In 1988 Jumbo moved to the St John's Centre, where it traded for nearly 30 years and became a fixture for shoppers and collectors alike. Hunter ran the business with his partner Lornette until 2014, when the couple retired.

They sold the shop to two long-term customers, Nick Fraser and Justinia Lewis, who have since brought Jumbo back to the Merrion Centre, its first proper home. For many regulars, it felt like a fitting return.

Under its current owners, the shop has broadened its range while keeping its completely independent ethos. Fraser has said Jumbo is constantly trying to reinvent and recreate itself, and that a good selection and knowledgeable staff alone are not enough for a modern record shop.

That spirit of reinvention has taken Jumbo well beyond Leeds. The shop supplied records for The Music Is Black, an exhibition at V&A East in London, a nod to the deep knowledge of soul, reggae and black music that has run through the business since Hunter Smith's disco days.

Jumbo has also long been a place to pick up concert tickets, and it takes part in Record Store Day as one of the city's registered independent shops. Leeds Heritage Theatres has also featured Jumbo in its In Conversation series, celebrating the shop as part of the city's cultural fabric.

Jumbo Records is in the Merrion Centre in Leeds city centre. New arrivals and news are shared on its website and social channels, and the staff are always happy to help with recommendations for anyone popping in.