Founded by John MacGillivray and Chris Lane, Clapham Junction at that time was a poor inner suburb, and the surging population of immigrants from the West Indies made Battersea and nearby Brixton their new homes. The stall, and the shop that followed, were instant successes, and the second Dub Vendor store (or 'record shack' as it's known) opened four years later in
Ladbroke Grove right next to the
Underground station. In response to London's reggae scene flourishing in the early 1980s, larger premises were required to cater for the increasing demand for reggae, ska, and allied genres. Subsequently, 274 Lavender Hill became Dub Vendor's flagship store and also the home of its home-brew recording studio label,
Fashion Records. In September 2011, it was announced that its store in Clapham Junction is closing down after damage sustained in the riots that took place in London the previous month. ==Dub Vendor more recently==