Floating record store Rubber Ducky reopens after sinking

Rubber Ducky Records, the record shop on a canal boat, has re-opened after sinking last year.

Founder Myles Greenwood announced that the shop had re-opened on Facebook, and visitors could now start booking appointments to peruse the records on board once again.

“I’m so unbelievably thankful for all the support and generosity since the sinking,” a post shared by Greenwood this month read. “Whether it was a message, a GoFundMe donation or a hug, thank you so so much. Humanity really is incredible.”

Greenwood raised £10,000 towards the cost of repairing the boat via GoFundMe after it sunk in April, six months after it first opened.

The unique shop’s propeller got caught on a rug or mattress which broke the stern gland ultimately sinking the boat. Greenwood was on a mission to relocate to Manchester ahead of Record Store Day 2023, having originally docked the boat in Sowerby, West Yorkshire.

Only a few boxes of records were salvageable, with the rest of stock & equipment  submerged.

Greenwood spoke to Mixmag about the disaster: “I’m determined to turn the disaster into a positive. We got her back floating and with the kindness of friends and strangers pulled her by rope a few locks down the canal to safety,” he said.

The boat itself was bought from a London-based drag artist and required full renovation. Due to the shop’s success, Greenwood was able to leave his full time job at a special educational needs school in Halifax, West Yorkshire to take on the shop.

His plan was to relocate to Manchester city centre for the summer. The shop had a stall secured at The Pickle Factory’s new vinyl fair which takes place every first Saturday of each month.