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Land O’Spex

@landospex

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Our little spex shop can be found at 4 Johnston’s Lane, Dundee. Come say ‘hello’.

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There have been people coming and going along the West Port for a thousand years.

Armies, tradesmen, writers, families, workers, musicians, artists, cattle herders, spinners, weavers, engineers, merchants, Queens & Kings, students, gravediggers, resurectionists, people heading somewhere and people just hanging about. Thousands and thousands of lives, all crossing the same little stretch of Dundee, each leaving something behind whether they knew it or not.

One of our favourite stories is about a woman called Grizzell Gourlay, who lived on the south side of the West Port. Her house was described as being less than fifty yards from Mr Pyott the wheelwright’s shop, and apparently her physician thought the place particularly good for her health because of the “precious and wholesome flavour” coming from the cow byre downstairs.

We’re only here for our wee bit of the West Port story, but it’s lovely knowing who and what came before us. And long after we’re gone, somebody else will be sitting outside, having a laugh, while the West Port trundles on around them.

Richard & Grace by @landospex

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2 days ago

Some of my very happiest childhood memories are music related and from when I was 9 or 10.

It’s not like there were radios everywhere back then, but music just meant so much.

Glam rock had been chased out of town, punk arrived, in all its anti glory and then, in my opinion, the greatest decade of music ever came around.

It started with The Damned and the Pistols, The Jam and The Clash and, at the same time, it was all happening in New York.

Top Of The Pops was the new church of the kids & Radio 1 sent the message further and with more detail. But we can’t forget Swap Shop, Cheggers Plays Pop, Razzmatazz and The Old Grey Whistle Test.

This all set the mood for Saturday mornings in town. They were glorious. I can’t remember a dull day in 1980.

There were Saturday morning picture shows at The Odeon and ABC, glass bottles of Pepsi and ice cream from the Italian sweet shops, and what seemed like 500 shops to choose from.

The big glass Dixons shop front, playing all 3 stations at once, and a machine that could actually record off your television set!

They’d play Moonraker, Watership Down, Quadrophenia, which we were already obsessed with, and Rocky.

My whole primary class would meet up in town. All best pals. Nobody left out, but other pals welcome. Everyone in Sta-Prest, Fred Perry, Docs and Harringtons, or any alternative that fitted.

If we weren’t at the pictures, it was the baths, and that place was an absolute dream. Space Invaders, Galaxian, Asteroids, Pong, pool tables and swimming.

The other choice was The Rollerama. New York disco in Dundee. Everyone on skates. There was at least one split head every time we went.

But amongst the disco there was always Blondie. To me, Blondie is THE sound of 1980.

Heart Of Glass, Sunday Girl, Dreaming, Union City Blue, Atomic, Call Me, The Tide Is High, my Dad’s absolute favourite, and Living In The Real World.

Even though The Jam and later The Smiths became my favourite bands, nothing anywhere ever matched Blondie for exactly what they were and what they did.

I only ever saw them a handful of times, but they were always incredible. by @landospex

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3 days ago

This is our KNUCKLES frame in black, being put together with grey polarised lenses.

We’ve been making spectacles for 39 years, and although it’s an ancient profession, there is still something new to learn every day.

In the last two weeks, we’ve made 25 pairs of spex the same day, sometimes within an hour, and saved 67 broken or damaged frames from the bin. Many of those were repaired the same day they arrived.

But a lot of our spectacles need much longer. Some frames need more thought, more measuring, more shaping and more patience. Sometimes the best thing you can do is let the process take the time it needs, because that is often how a really good pair of spectacles comes together.

Even after 39 years, that part never gets old. taken in Land O’Spex by @landospex

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10 days ago

This LP is an absolute giant in my life.

I was 15, obsessed with music, and completely obsessed with The Smiths.

I was staying out most weekends, either camping with my pals or sleeping at someone’s house, so when word got round that there were all night parties happening in Whitfield, they absolutely had to be investigated.

Whitfield was very different then. A concrete jungle, an urban planner’s dream gone wrong, but still full of amazing people.

One of them was a guy in his late teens or early twenties called Rab McMadness.

Rab had the remarkable ability to occupy an empty flat for a week or two, get the heating and electricity working, and then disappear into another one at very short notice.

He liked everyone and refused nobody.

There was occasionally a bit of teenage drama, most of which I will never be posting publicly.

But everyone was there. Whenever somebody new appeared, you would sometimes hear the cry “IT’S ALL HAPPENIN!”

There were a handful of psychobillies, a few mods, about a dozen skins, some bikers, goths, three punk girls called The Dandelions who everyone seemed to be equally in awe and terrified of, and then the rest of us, a fun and chaotic mixture of hardcore casuals and indie kids.

And right in the middle of all this, in the summer of 1986, The Smiths released The Queen Is Dead.

There was a queue in Groucho’s after school on the Monday. Every record displayed along the wall was The Queen Is Dead.

It felt like were part of something. And everyone loved the LP, well, almost everyone.

By Saturday, there was still a buzz about it in and outside Groucho’s, with people carrying copies around town like a badge of honour.

That Saturday night turned into a full on Smiths party in Haddington Crescent.

The lights were down low, the energy was high, and The Queen Is Dead played all night until it was scratched off for King Kurt.

And that is where this record still takes me, straight back to Whitfield.

Everybody there with music too loud, making new best pals and feeling, at 15, that absolutely everything was happening. So much happened at those parties, but i don’t think any of it can be disclosed. taken in Land O’Spex by @landospex

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13 days ago

September Saturdays are the best.

Rain, leaves turning golden, something in the air bringing the promise of long shadows and spectacular sunsets.

A chance to savour what is left of the warm sun.

Long afternoons, cooler evenings, and the first excuse to bring out the long coats and boots again.

The lovely little moment when summer has not quite left, but autumn has already arrived .

And, for me, a time to buy some records 😍 by @landospex

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16 days ago

That signed DMA’S record which travelled all the way from the band, through ASSAI to our little yellow shop, has found its new home.

Congratulations to @lucyspalding_ ❤️

We’ll keep it safe for you until you come in to collect it.

Thank you to everyone who entered, shared the post and joined in. And thank you again ASSAI and, of course to DMA’S for leaving a little piece of themselves behind in a city they love.

Well done Lucy 💛💛 by @landospex

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18 days ago

@lindabeedrawsdundee has made us this for us 💛💛💛

A little love letter to our corner of Dundee. It feels warm and full of life.

We spend so much time making things for other people that it feels very special when someone makes something for us.

Thank you Linda.

This will be treasured. taken in Land O’Spex by @landospex

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23 days ago

Gloria Steinem had that rare thing about her, where intelligence, humour, anger and hope all seemed to sit together quite comfortably.

She spent her life pushing at doors that were supposed to stay shut, and once they opened, she made sure other people could get through too.

A lot of what she fought for now feels like common sense, which is probably the greatest compliment you can pay someone like her.

We made these photographs a few years ago at the heaven that is @guardswellfarm in her honour.

Today they feel a bit more important.

📸 @chloesideyphoto
@annalamotte
@gelesandgstrings taken in Guardswell Farm by @landospex

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24 days ago

Meet MARIO.

An iconic shape, shown here in tortoiseshell, but available in six colours.

There’s a bit of old New York about it. A little serious, but enough sophistication and swagger to stand out.

They have a little of our VINNIE and GOLIATH about them, but slightly smaller, keeping that big confident shape without taking over your face.

£125 complete with your prescription and all the coatings you need. taken in Land O’Spex by @landospex

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25 days ago

Such a great time hangin out with my main man Bobby. taken in Land O’Spex by @landospex

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a month ago

Is it just us, or is the season beginning to turn?

The light feels a little softer, the evenings are edging in, and wardrobes start changing without anyone really noticing.

It is usually around now that we start reaching for different things too.

A longer coat, an old favourite pair of shoes, maybe even a different pair of spex.

So we thought this might be a good time to make that a little easier.

If you buy any normally priced pair over £150, you can choose a second pair from our specially selected collection completely free, including your prescription lenses.

Keep them practical, keep them as a spare, or choose something with a little more character for the days when you fancy a change.

If you would rather make them sunspex, we can add a tint for £25, and if you need varifocals, the second pair can be upgraded for £100.

Two pairs of spex, one very good saving, and a rather nice way to ease into the next season.

The music will be on.

We’ll be here.

📸 @image.inga 🙏❤️ by @landospex

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a month ago

Our pals DMA’S wandered back into Land O’ Spex today for some rather cool sunspex.

Only this time they brought something with them.

A signed copy of DMA’S by DMA’S, given by the band to the people of Dundee, one of the cities they have always held close.

There is something very special about a record carrying a journey with it.

Made on the other side of the world, played in rooms full of noise and light, signed by the band, and somehow finding its way to our little yellow shop in Dundee.

Now it gets to make one more journey.

Into the hands of someone here.

If you would like to win it, just like and share this post and we will pick someone next week.

A little piece of DMA’S history, left behind in a city they love.

Their new, 5th LP is available from @assai_dundee by @landospex

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a month ago