A unique shop selling classic jukeboxes has opened in Southport – due to the rise in people building their own bars at home during the Covid-19 pandemic!
Bohemia, which incorporates The Jukebox Joint, is believed to be the only shop of its kind in the North West.
It boasts a number of fascinating old jukeboxes, dating from the 1950s heyday of rock’n’roll to the pop culture of the 1980s.
The store, in historic Cambridge Walks in the town centre, also sells light-up bar signs and stocks thousands of classic vinyl records, with more on the way.
Bohemia is run by a Community Interest Company (CIC) that also runs the MIH Bazaar emporium nearby.
It boasts a vintage camera space on the first floor, with its own dark room and enlarging equipment. It will allow photography students and hobbyists to learn more about the art of taking and developing pictures using classic photography.
Alongside The Jukebox Joint in Bohemia is space for The Isla Rose Foundation; Stella Vintage; and Caron Ashley’s Cute creations.
Owner John Savage said: “Because of the Covid pandemic, lots of people have been busy building their own bars and man caves at home and have been staying within their own bubbles.
“There is nothing else like this in the North West.
“People can come in and have a look around, and can try out the jukeboxes before they buy them.
“With everything else we have in here, with all the records, the photography, The Isla Rose Foundation and everything else, there is something for everyone in here.”
The jukeboxes on display range from different decades.
John said: “The earliest jukebox we have is from 1956, with others probably from the mid 1980s.
“They cost around £1,400 upwards. The jukebox from 1956 is a real collector’s item, and is on sale for £3,500. It is absolutely beautiful. The last one I got in like this in my other shop, MIH Bazaar, sold within three days.
“I have had so many people asking me about jukeboxes. They are all building bars at home!”
Through Bohemia and MIH Bazaar, John is on a mission to help society become more environmentally friendly and end its throwaway culture.
His latest project, restoring and selling jukeboxes, is the latest chapter in that.
He said: “Very often we will find an old jukebox which someone has scrapped, and it’s worthless. But it may only have one or two things wrong with it. When you fix it, it can be worth hundreds of pounds. But trying to find good jukebox engineers is impossible. We are looking to take on courses to learn more about it.”
The first floor has been taken up by expert photographer Shaun Forster, who will allow people to explore and learn the tricks of the trade of classic photography.
People will be able to buy old cameras and learn how to develop photographs with the building boasting a dark room and six enlargers.
John said: “Shaun used to teach Photography in Liverpool. He will be running classic photography courses with people, such as students and with people who love photography as a hobby. We call it the dark room project. He has already spoken with Southport College and Runshaw College about what he can offer there.
“He is looking to run half day courses for people.
“This project has taken us longer than we originally planned to get this all ready because it’s a large space, we have taken on two units.
“One of them had been empty for the past seven years so we had some work to do on it.
“We’re pleased with the results and hope people will come down and take a look.”
- For more details about Bohemia, The Jukebox Joint or MIH Bazaar, please message the MIH Bazaar via Facebook here or call John Savage on: 07720819757.
Do you have any stories for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com
