The Retro | Meet The Maker

This is part of uOpen’s ‘Meet The Maker’ interview series - your exclusive opportunity to get to know the real people and personalities behind the subscription boxes you know and love, and the ones you will soon come to!

Discover the fascinating stories behind how your favourite subscriptions originally came to be, the marvellous people involved in lovingly creating and curating each box, plus a few ‘behind the scenes’ snaps.

What sparked your decision to start up your box and how did you get started?

Our box started from an existing shop we already ran online. The Retro Store was originally your one-stop shop for Polaroid Cameras, Fixed Gear Bikes, and even coffee!

When we started selling record players, we would make a set of 3 records, and pop them into a bag and send them out with their new purchase. This was met with great praise, and to our surprise, we had a few asking for more!

It was at this point we started selling mystery vinyl grab bags! They were cheap, cheerful, and served our lovely market of enthusiasts, and ultimately set us on the path we're on now!

Describe your box in three words?

Handpicked, exciting, an experience (does that count?)

Where did your box name come from?

As you can tell, we never changed our name from The Retro Store, so whilst we are now a service, we typically use "The Retro" as our brand name.

Are you a creator or curator?

I am the creator!

What was your most popular box?

Our Retro Gaming Club is our most popular. We sent a box to a YouTuber with over a million subscribers, and when he opened it, our sales went through the roof! It was great to see such an appetite for these old products and that the nostalgia was still there.

How many people are involved with producing your subscription box?

We are but a team of 3, based in the centre of sunny Glasgow ☔️

Which subscription boxes do you subscribe to?

Vinyl Me, Please is one of our favourites, Beer52 is awesome, and we like to jump around to see what else is happening in the industry. Working on your own stuff is fun, but we always try to stay on the pulse and see what others are up to!

Name a celebrity subscriber you’d love to have as a customer?

It's got to be someone who plays a superhero in the movies.

If you could put anything in your box, with money or scarcity no object, what would it be?

I'd love for us to be able to deliver a mechanism that allows a total music or gaming novice, the ability to play records and play classic games without the confusion of having to setup a turntable or retro console.

Whilst we sell these guys separately at the moment, it's ultimately a barrier to entry, and without considering money, it would be great to show what the older decades were like for entertainment!

What do you love about uOpen?

uOpen is a fantastic platform, and is helping to inform customers just how many options they have. I hope it continues to evolve and grow, and show customers what fantastic value and experiences that subscription boxes from ourselves and others can bring to people’s lives!