New Bury St Edmunds hi-fi store Anagram Audio opens in Churchgate Street

A new specialist hi-fi shop has opened its doors in Bury St Edmunds, offering something for beginners and audio enthusiasts alike.

Anagram Audio, at the former Gavin Ashley in Churchgate Street which moved to King's Road, is welcoming customers from today.

The store has been set up by Andy Holt, 45, and Sam Runham, 31, who between them have 30 years’ experience in the trade.

Anagram Audio sells ‘everything for your audio needs’, Andy said, including headphones, high-end speakers, radios, amps and more.

However, Andy said they wanted to offer solutions, with customisable ‘lifestyle audio’ equipment and furniture to suit a room’s decor. It also has a projector system and a demonstration room.

Andy said: “We’re excited to open. Setting up my own hi-fi shop has been on my mind for a while but it was a case of finding the right building. Churchgate Street is a beautiful part of town.

“Starting my own business has proven to be a challenge. We wanted to offer something that is functional that is also completely different to what you’d find in other hi-fi shops.

“We identified that the town didn’t have anywhere like what we have here, but we were also keen for it to specifically be a local business, not somewhere in the countryside – we want people to have access.

“Bury has a lot of independent businesses and a great love for them.”

Andy and Sam have been working on setting up for about a year, but faced several challenges, such as needing to replace the ceiling and floors.

While they are officially open, they are still kitting out smaller sections of the shop and plan for a celebratory launch once they get things into ‘a good position’

Planned additions include a headphone bar, a small vinyl store and a consultation area.

Anyone can visit the shop to browse, but demonstrations require an appointment.

Andy, who has worked in hi-fi stores for 20 years, said the industry hadn’t changed too much and still caters to its traditional audience, while not catering for people who weren’t already enthusiasts.

His approach was to create a space where beginners would also be able to get their foot in the door.

“I’ve tried to approach it in a way that also allows us to open doors to a younger audience,” Andy added.