NEMS Art Print Painting - The Beatles -Liverpool, England - Record Store

I grew up in what is considered to be the golden age of record stores between the mid seventies and early eighties and as a lifelong record collector,  I have a special place in my heart for record stores. 

I worked in a small independent record shop in throughout my high school years and worked in record shops throughout the entire decade of the eighties.   This was back in the day when there were record stores on every other corner and they were all unique.  Anytime I was visiting someplace I hadn't been before, the first thing I did was look to see where the record shops were.  

NEMS (North End Music Stores) was a Liverpool record and music retailer that became one of the most important locations in music history and of The Beatles.  More than just a record shop, NEMS was the family business of Brian Epstein, and it was from the shop on Whitechapel that Epstein first became aware of the Beatles in 1961.

Epstein was put in charge of the record department and he thrived in the position continuing to expand the department.  The store was located only a few hundred yards away from the Cavern Club where of course, The Beatles were playing nearly every night in those early days.   A customer came in to NEMS looking for My Bonnie which The Beatles had just recorded with Tony Sheridan, prompting Epstein to go to the Cavern to see the band for himself.