The original two partners of the company Peter Waters and Jeff Stanton opened their first shop at 22 Spa Road, Hockley (now CK blinds)in the summer of 1973. First product lines were hi-fi from companies like Wharfedale, Leak and Marantz which were sold in the shop and shortwave receivers and aerials which were sold mailorder under the trading name of Waters and Stanton Electronics. Although it was the time of the “3-day week” and miner’s strike and the hi-fi boom of the early 70’s had burst, by offering good service with free home delivery & installation, sales grew fast and larger premises were needed by the winter of 1974. Stock & contents were carried across Spa Road to number 31 (now Sunrise Foods) in time for Christmas trading.
By now vinyl records, tapes and accessories had been added to shop stock and many accessories connected to hobby radio added to the mailorder stock, including Mini-products antennas and Yaesu & Trio radio receivers. Other full time staff joined the company and a service dept was set up. Hi-fi brand names like Goodmans and Trio-Kenwood were sold and newspaper & magazine advertising increased. To increase showroom space and allow more space for goods packing and an accounts dept another move was made during 1979 to 18-20 Main Road (now Jigsaw hairdressers) with office space on the first floor. Agencies were signed with Sony, Panasonic & Pioneer and Televisions, Walkmans, camcorders, computer games consoles and pre-recorded cassette tapes were added to stock. The company became UK representative for several Japanese & American radio communication manufacturers. A small annual hobby radio catalogue was started which has now grown to current issue with over 400 pages.