Inside one of the world's best record shops: Rush Hour, Amsterdam

The story behind an Amsterdam institution.

Over the past twenty years, Rush Hour has developed into more than just a record shop.

Read more: The world’s best record shops: #040: Rush Hour, Amsterdam

Antal, Rush Hour’s co-founder, opened Rush Hour in 1997. Initially just a small shop that stocked strange and obscure releases from all over the world, it has grown into one of the world’s best record shops, with its own equally celebrated label and distribution arm.

Perhaps more importantly, Rush Hour has been a home and breeding ground for some of Amsterdam’s key producers and DJs over the past 20 years, a communal space where artists like San Proper, Tom Trago and Interstellar Funk honed their DJ chops.

FACT visited Amsterdam to find out the story behind Rush Hour’s beginnings and how it grew into the vibrant place it is now, speaking to Antal and the colourful cast of characters that frequent the store.

Catch Rush Hour’s takeover at Manchester’s Warehouse Project this Saturday, 13th October, which features Hunee, Antal, San Proper, DJ Nobu and more. You can get £10 off tickets using this link.