Legendary Birkenhead record store boss John Weaver has died, shortly before his 70th birthday.
John founded Skeleton Records - more usually known as "Skellies" - in the town in 1972, and was well-known to generations of record buyers.
Skeleton Records made the announcement on its Facebook page early today (Wednesday). John was fondly known as "Man" by his habit of referring to everybody as "Man."
READ MORE : Dad went to police after hearing wife talking in her sleep
The post read: "We're heartbroken to announce the passing of founder and all-round local legend John "Man" Weaver.
"John started Skeleton Records in 1972 with good friend John Poole and almost single-handedly saw the shop through 50 calendar years of trading, always staying one step ahead of the bailiffs.
"John had been courageously battling COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) for many years, yet was never far from the limelight with his usual caustic wit and stories about music industry legends he'd booked back in the 70s. The world will be a much duller place without him, and he will be sadly missed by all of his family and friends here at Skellies.
"We ask for respect for his family at this devastatingly sad time, but we will be leaving a book of commemoration in the shop for all who had the honour of knowing, playing a gig for or even simply being served by John to pay their respects and share their memories of him.
"The shop will remain OPEN and trading as normal, and we aspire to serve the good folk of Birkenhead for many years to come, as the man himself would have wanted."
The post had already attracted more than 100 tributes from well-wishers by this morning.
The first Skeleton Records opened in Argyle Street, Birkenhead, in 1972, and moved to a number of different locations in the town before setting up shop in a side-street off Oxton Road in 1994, where it has remained ever since.
It is the only bricks and mortar record shop left in Wirral, and one of only a handful in the whole of Merseyside.
Every nook and cranny of the first floor shop is filled with mainly second-hand albums and singles, both on vinyl and CD.
In his earlier years, John acted as a music promoter and booked many artists to appear both in Birkenhead and Liverpool, including The Jam and Elvis Costello. He also briefly ran his own record label, called Skeleton Records.
Speaking to the ECHO in 2018, John said: "I've got customers who've been coming in from the time of my first shop in 1972 to this day, and I’m in no rush to retire."
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
