Whether you’re searching for the latest pop album or a local artist on vinyl, Fred’s Records has been serving music lovers in Newfoundland for over 50 years. What started with a passion for music transformed into a long-time fixture in downtown St. John’s. Over five decades later, Fred’s continues to carry albums from around the world and support the local music scene.

Passion-filled intro

Fred’s Records was founded by Fred Brokenshire in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1972. From a young age, Brokenshire’s parents encouraged an interest in music, always playing (or singing) a mix of jazz, opera, classical and other genres around the house. Noticing a lack of authentic record shops in the area, at just nineteen years old, Brokenshire followed his passion to open one of his very own. He found an affordable spot on Duckworth Street in the heart of downtown St. John’s, and the rest is history.

Since the beginning, Fred’s has been known for showcasing Newfoundland and traditional Irish music. However, the shop has always carried cassettes, CDs and records of various musical genres and artists from across the globe. Fred’s Records quickly became a go-to spot in St. John’s for music enthusiasts to find just about anything they were looking for.

Locally-focused bridge 

Shortly after opening his first store downtown, Brokenshire opened a second at the Avalon Mall and a third in 1978 at the Village Shopping Centre. While the additional locations didn’t stand the test of time like the original, Fred’s and Brokenshire made a lasting impression on the local community.

Brokenshire eventually shifted focus away from his store to other initiatives within the music industry. After a short time working as a producer for CBC Radio, he created Duckworth Distribution, a company that showcased local music and talent to the rest of the country. In the 1990s, Brokenshire managed the Irish Descendants, and he helped many other local artists establish themselves in the industry throughout his career. For example, after hearing Damhnait Doyle sing while working in the back room at Fred’s, he supported her through recording an album. Brokenshire also worked with organisations like the East Coast Music Association and co-founded MusicNL.

In the groove

Today, 53 years later, Fred’s Records is still open at the same location on Duckworth Street. Now managed by longtime employee Tony Ploughman, the shop continues to offer a wide selection of CDs and records of artists from just about every genre.

Big fans of Fred’s, sisters Ashley and Megan Thompson have been shopping there for about a decade. Ashley says it’s a great opportunity to shop in the community: “I shop there because I want to support local business and they have the best selection of records around.” The two sisters have also frequented Fred’s big sale on Record Store Day, an international sales event. Lines can be long, but they don’t mind. Megan commented: “It’s exciting and is the only time I’m interested in standing in line, especially when I manage to find a record I’ve been looking for.”

Note: A representative of Fred’s Records was unavailable for an interview; the above article is based on third-party research.

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