Taylor Swift helps out Edinburgh record store with exclusive signed CDs

Edinburgh record store sells out of exclusive signed copies of Taylor Swift’s new album in less than two hours

The records arrived as part of 'Record Store Folklore'

An Edinburgh record store received a helping hand from global superstar Taylor Swift after a limited number of signed CDs showed up at their shop on Thursday.

Assai Records on Grindlay Street received a surprise when they got a ‘very finite’ amount of the singer’s latest chart-topper Folklore, which was a surprise release from the artist during lockdown.

After announcing the shop had stock of the limited signed CD, copies of the album had sold out in less than two hours.

A finite amount of the CD was available for lucky fans

The ‘Record Store Folklore’ deliveries have been sent to various independent record shops, notably in the United States but more recently the UK, reportedly to help local music shops who have lost business due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The album, signed by Taylor Swift herself, retailed for £16.99 and those lucky enough to grab a copy could not reserve it or order it by paying over the phone or online and had to physically visit Assai Records to purchase.

Dominic Thomson, assistant manager of Assai Records in Edinburgh said: “We found out about the album coming within 24 hours, it was a real surprise. It was really exclusive and there were no reservations.

“I believe that the initial idea was from the artist herself and her management and they wanted independent shops to receive them.

“They are all completely gone - we posted about it on our Twitter and within an hour and a half they had been sold/

“I have been inundated with really excited and disappointed parents and fans, everyone I have spoken to today has been the number one Taylor Swift fan.

“My colleague who I’ve been working with and I said it was like a cultural event. These things do happen, but they’re quite rare and this is possibly the highest profile one that we’ve had. We can’t say exactly how many we got but it was a very finite amount and we were lucky to get what we got.”

Last night Taylor Swift made her debut performance of ‘betty’ from new album at the American Country Music Awards - the first time she has been at the ceremony for seven years.