SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Scheerers, the long established Leeds dealers in musical instruments and the like has announced that they are no longer trading.The shop has been empty for some weeks, and now their website carries a total closure notice. I made my first purchase from them in the early 1960s when they had premises in Skinner Lane, but they had been going longer than that. Later they moved across North Street to a larger shop, and eventually to their long stay on the north side of the Merrion Centre. I would be interested to hear of when they first started up if anyone has that information.

I used to get my clarinet reeds and cork wax from them as a schoolchild in the 1970s, although I used Kitchens for sheet music as they had a better choice.Wasn't Scheerers in another unit in the Merrion Centre before they moved to the site near the Bowling Alley? I seem to remember them being near the (then) Phonographique entrance, but I can't remember the exact location. Maybe I should consult Leodis!

jim wrote: I would be interested to hear of when they first started up if anyone has that information. Jim, I've just seen on the Leeds Music Forum that Scheerers shut down after 143 years of business, but the poster didn't say how they knew how old the business was:http://www.leedsmusicforum.co.uk/viewto ... 37Thinking about it, didn't they mention "established XXXX" in their signage?If we are not allowed to reference other forums (fora) here, I'd be happy for a moderator to remove the link above.

Tasa wrote: I used to get my clarinet reeds and cork wax from them as a schoolchild in the 1970s, although I used Kitchens for sheet music as they had a better choice.Wasn't Scheerers in another unit in the Merrion Centre before they moved to the site near the Bowling Alley? I seem to remember them being near the (then) Phonographique entrance, but I can't remember the exact location. Maybe I should consult Leodis! IIRC they were at the top of the ramp that had the toilets under/near it. Opposite where Woosters bar was I think. It is now the furniture shop but has been re-modeled quite a bit and the shop front has been brought forward.

LS1 wrote: IIRC they were at the top of the ramp that had the toilets under/near it. Opposite where Woosters bar was I think. It is now the furniture shop but has been re-modeled quite a bit and the shop front has been brought forward. I think you may be thinking of the Classical Record Shop, after it moved from Albion Street.Via Google Book Search, I've now found an earlier Merrion Centre address for Scheerers at 8 Merrion Centre. I've managed to find that Max Spielman is currently at No 7 and The Works is 9-11, but can't remember what is in between those units (possibly a jewellery shop but can't find one at that address in the Merrion Centre store directory).

LS1 wrote: IIRC they were at the top of the ramp that had the toilets under/near it. Opposite where Woosters bar was I think. It is now the furniture shop but has been re-modeled quite a bit and the shop front has been brought forward. That stirs the memory banks. Didn't they start off with one shop on that site, and later acquire the shop next door as a drum shop?Edit:- Scheerers was further left than The Classical Record Shop, Tasa. Another excellent shop that could equally come under the same heading.    

jim wrote: Edit:- Scheerers was further left than The Classical Record Shop, Tasa. Another excellent shop that could equally come under the same heading.     Yes, I think most of my classical vinyl albums came from them! There was something of a ceremony about the way they inspected each side of the record before you bought it - no such thing as a quick sale in that place

[quotenick="Tasa"] jim wrote: There was something of a ceremony about the way they inspected each side of the record before you bought it That was dreadful taking a scratched record back to the shop.The awful wait for the song to jump while they played it on the shop record player full of customers. Please jump, please jump on their player, don't make me look like a lier

I'd heard they'd dropped sheet music cos online = 'the way'.Shame to hear, also TCS are keen to redevelop the whole 'backside' of merrion now it faces Arena so dunno if that hastended decline.

Jogon wrote: I'd heard they'd dropped sheet music cos online = 'the way'.Shame to hear, also TCS are keen to redevelop the whole 'backside' of merrion now it faces Arena so dunno if that hastended decline. We await a bar/restaurant in its place possibly.