Mark Remes

Mark 1

Mark introduces his shop and its stock of over 600 guitars (electrics, basses, and acoustics) and more exotic stringed instruments such as banjos and ouds.

Mark 2

Mark tells about the history of the building and the various businesses that it has housed, from an insurance and mortgage centre to a school uniform shop.

Mark 3

Mark reflects on how the area has changed in the years that they have traded on Barton Street. When they started the shop there 22 years ago, he says, the street was "a hive of activity", but around 1989 a lot of the traders moved away to Bristol Road, hence why there are "now there are a lot more houses".

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Guitars and banjos in front of an oud

Ollie Taylor

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Electric guitars

Ollie Taylor

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Mark with a range of stock sold in his shop

Ollie Taylor

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A colourful array of guitars

Ollie Taylor

Mark Remes of A Remus Sound, 177a Barton Street, introduces his music shop.

An experienced musician himself, the interview begins with Mark playing one of the many acoustic guitars sold in his shop.  As well as guitars, Mark sells many other stringed instruments including mandolins, ukeleles, banjos and ouds (a pear-shaped acoustic stringed instrument used in North African and Middle Eastern music).

In his time, Mark has even had famous musicians such as Rick Astley and Jet Harris visit his shop.

Mark goes on to tell us about the history of the building, the various businesses that it has housed, and the house next door that used to be a cake shop.

Finally, he reflects on how the area has changed in the years that they have traded on Barton Street.  When they started the shop there 22 years ago, he says, the street was “a hive of activity”, but around 1989 a lot of the traders moved away to Bristol Road, hence why there are “now there are a lot more houses”.