Wrexham shop was the place for music makers and fans

The shop, which was located in the heart of the then town, holds a special place in the hearts of music enthusiasts who frequented it during its prime.

For many locals, Cranes was more than just a music store.

It was a place where they could spend their Saturday mornings, immersing themselves in the world of music.

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For Wayne Jones it was part of his Saturday routine: "Cranes brings back memories. Saturday mornings at Wrexham Baths until your armband was called to get out, upstairs for a hot chocolate out of the machine. Across the road for a bag of chips from the Empire Cafe, then up to Cranes to buy a 45 before catching the Georgie Crawl back to Minera. Best days of our lives but we didn't know it."

Such memories highlight the sense of nostalgia that surrounds the store and the cherished moments that were created within its walls.

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Cranes was not just a place to purchase instruments and records, but also a hub for musicians to hone their skills.

Phil Roberts had guitar lessons there, Sarah Zanellan and Paula Simons remembered buying reeds for their clarinets from the shop and Janis Field got their piano from there, at 15-years-old.

The shop also served as a gathering place for music lovers.

Andrew Beresford recalls: "I remember it in the 1970s. I bought a couple of Black Sabbath albums from there when I was 16."

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Huw Ap Conwy Evans added: "I was in there nearly every Saturday in the 70s flipping through the records, a habit that’s stuck with me to the present day."

And Rob Ellis said: "I remember buying Elvis Presley All Shook Up, The Beatles I Feel Fine, Spencer Davis Group Keep on Running, to name but a few."

Cranes was not only a place for customers, but also a workplace for many.

For Hazel Hughes it was where she had her first job from school in 1956, and Gill Shaw said: "Remember it well. I used to work there early 70s on records along with my mum, loved it there."

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One of the most interesting aspects of Cranes was the presence of listening booths, where customers could sample the latest records before making a purchase.

Many individuals mentioned the joy they experienced listening to records in these booths, which adds a layer of nostalgia to their memories of the store.

Ian Evans said: "I would go in to listen to chart releases, pick up music books and buy resin, strings, reeds etc. They had a good variety of stock from instruments through to sheet music and the staff were excellent."

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The longevity and enduring legacy of Cranes is evident in the stories shared by multiple generations.

The fact that people still have the records they bought from Cranes, like Mark Trevor Wynne Jones who said: "I bought The Boomtown Rats record from there...like clockwork, still got it with the Cranes stamp on," speaks to the lasting impact that the shop had on their lives.

Colleen Judith Phillips said: "My parents bought me a guitar from there for my 21st birthday. It still sounds the same after 50 years!"

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Cranes' influence extended beyond Wrexham, as Angela Thomas said: "My dad bought his Farfisa mk 2 electric organ from the Blackpool branch and his second Wurlitzer from Liverpool branch.

"As I can play the piano/organ, he used to ask me to play a tune on different models so he could hear how nice their tone was before he decided to purchase one. Loved playing a baby grand at one time in Liverpool branch. Very happy memories."

The shop's reputation for quality instruments and more was well-known, with Roger Llywelyn Henderson remembering: "Good shop. They had an excellent selection of sheet music which was very expensive back in the day. I used to go there regularly but the prices were way out of reach for a schoolboy."

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In a time when retail stores are being dominated by online shopping, the memories shared by so many people serve as a reminder of the unique experience that brick-and-mortar music shops like Cranes provided.

The personal interactions, the sense of community, and the joy of discovering new music are all elements that cannot be replicated online.

Cranes may no longer exist in Wrexham, but the memories it created in the hearts of the local community continue to resonate.

It stands as a reminder of a bygone era, where music was cherished and music stores held a special place in people's lives, and its legacy will continue to be remembered for years to come.