Chapter 9 #2
She began to wander around, and her dad flicked on some lights that did little to illuminate the space.
Shelves partially lined the walls at one side, and a few old rickety tables were dotted around with boxes of goodness knows what sitting untouched and likely to remain so.
The wall sconces held flickering candle-style bulbs that gave out about as much light as the thing they mimicked.
No good for this day and age. Maybe that had been quite fitting when the place had been filled with antiques and curios, but they were enough to ruin your eyesight.
At the back of the shop floor was a door and when Angelia poked her head through, she saw that it led out to a kitchen and toilet, so at least it had the important facilities.
She decided to investigate those later but, surprisingly, the more she wandered around the more she could see past the grime and abandonment.
The old cash desk was dark wood and quite ornately carved on the front like something out of a Victorian film set.
Even better was the old register with its brass buttons and prices in pounds, shillings and pence.
How has that not been taken and put into a museum?
she pondered. She was grateful, however, that it hadn’t as it was a beautiful old antique.
She decided she would have to incorporate it into whatever design she decided to choose for the place.
Ruby had informed her that one of her friends was a top-class interior designer and lived in the village, which was going to be very handy indeed.
‘You know what I think would be so cool in here?’ Meghan blurted and both Angelia and her dad turned to look at her, at which point her cheeks flamed and she winced. ‘Whoops, sorry, did I say that out loud? My bad.’ She held up her hands.
‘No, no, Meg, what were you going to say?’ Angelia asked with intrigue because her own mind was drawing a blank.
Meghan’s eyes lit up. ‘You know how you’re utterly obsessed with records? And how vinyl is making a major comeback right now?’
‘Aye, although they never went out of fashion in my opinion,’ Angelia’s dad said and it was true. Like Angelia’s, her dad’s record collection was his most prized possession, and it was played regularly on the old stacker system in the living room.
‘Go on, Meg,’ Angelia said.
‘Okay, so…’ Meghan began to walk around the shop gesturing.
‘Imagine listening booths here like they had in the 1960s and 70s. Then over here racks of vinyl, old, new, vintage, you name it. You could source them from all over the world. This counter is perfect for that retro feel. You could bag yourself some memorabilia from all the cool decades and hang them on the walls or use these old shelves. People love that kind of stuff. Posters on the walls, too, of all the past and present music stars. I think someone would snatch your hand off to rent a space like that so you could make a real good passive income.’ She shrugged as if it was obvious.
A wide smile spread across Angelia’s face.
‘Oh, my word, you’re right. That would be so ridiculously cool!
’ she said as her heart skipped and she began to envisage Meghan’s idea.
‘But this is Glentorrin, not Edinburgh or Glasgow, would anyone realistically come here for records?’ she said rhetorically to no one in particular.
Meghan scoffed. ‘Can I just point out that Skye is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland and people from all over the world come to visit? The business owner could offer a mail home service, so people didn’t have to carry their purchases with them on their travels.
And if they stock some rare things people would come from miles around to buy from here. Record collectors are serious people.’
‘Do you really think they would?’ Angelia asked. ‘I mean, do you think someone would want to rent somewhere like that that’s already specifically set up as a record store?’
‘I think Meghan has a point,’ Angelia’s dad said.
‘It would give the place a real purpose. And if you do it just right, it could be amazing. There’s plenty of parking in the main village so that wouldn’t be an issue.
Add to it that this is the first village you come to when you cross the Skye Bridge, and the last one as you leave, and I think you could be onto a winner.
People love to support independent shops.
It could be really good. And like Meghan says, the passive income you’d get from the rent would be great for when you’re back touring again, seeing as you choose not to profit from your other properties. ’
She was happy that everyone seemed to be confident she would be back out on tour again soon, but she was still unsure as to when that might actually be.
But another income that she could make good use of for charity work would be welcomed.
Not to mention the fact that if she wasn’t able to go back on tour again the income would be needed, eventually, to live once the royalties slowed down or even stopped.
‘I think I’ll contact the interior designer Ruby mentioned and have a wee chat with her.’ Angelia was excited for the first time in a few weeks and could hardly wait to find out what could be done with the old shop.