HMV Oxford Street - Closing Down Sale

[Gordon]

Happened to be up in town today and went along but signs all over the place announcing "everything must go", mostly Pop/Rock etc. Winchester shop last week was doing good trade and no sign of closure there.

It was said by staff that the store is "relocating" but no one seemed to know where to. One would have thought that a move would need to keep the stock? What there was was still offered at the usual £15 per full price prime label disc. Strange sale.

Nothing much in Classical at all, no bargains as in previous years. Indeed it's moved to a poky place downstairs and the old large room is dark and closed off. That Strauss/Dresden/Kempe box [see another thread somewhere] from Brilliant was set at £55. Didn't get it. Was tempted by a Hilliard set from Coro label of medieval music but at £35 for 4 discs I declined.

[Tony Halstead]

Very sad.
A sobering 'sign of the times'.

Happened to be up in town today and went along but signs all over the place announcing "everything must go", mostly Pop/Rock etc. Winchester shop last week was doing good trade and no sign of closure there.

It was said by staff that the store is "relocating" but no one seemed to know where to. One would have thought that a move would need to keep the stock? What there was was still offered at the usual £15 per full price prime label disc. Strange sale.

Nothing much in Classical at all, no bargains as in previous years. Indeed it's moved to a poky place downstairs and the old large room is dark and closed off. That Strauss/Dresden/Kempe box [see another thread somewhere] from Brilliant was set at £55. Didn't get it. Was tempted by a Hilliard set from Coro label of medieval music but at £35 for 4 discs I declined.

[amateur51]

I assume that this is the large branch on the Tottenham Court Road side of Oxford Street, rather than the recently revived one near Bond Street tube?

It's all very sad, but then if I think back to how many CDs, books, magazines etc. I've bought at HMV this year ... zero

End of an era.

[Gordon]

I assume that this is the large branch on the Tottenham Court Road side of Oxford Street, rather than the recently revived one near Bond Street tube?

It's all very sad, but then if I think back to how many CDs, books, magazines etc. I've bought at HMV this year ... zero

End of an era.

Yes Ams the large one on the North side of Ox St east of the circus. I didn't go to the Bond St one but if it is refurbed perhaps they're moving there?

[amateur51]

Yes Ams the large one on the North side of Ox St east of the circus. I didn't go to the Bond St one but if it is refurbed perhaps they're moving there?

My advice is to stick with your memories, Gordon. The Bond Street one is small and the classics section is a mere fraction of the upper floor - truly pathetic

[muzzer]

Coincidentally i was on TCR today. I passed what was the Virgin Megastore on the corner, then Hanway St, where the guy who owns Out on the Floor [2nd hand record shop] has I think put it on ebay to sell as a going concern because the lease is up. Not sure quite how that works but good luck to him. I mused briefly on the passing of that era - epoch? There is a massive space of course right where the Crossrail station is being dug, and of course they knocked down the Astoria to make part of that space. I bought some of my first LPs in the Our Price at the top of Charing Cross Road in the late 70s. That area hadn't really changed - I imagine - since the war. Now in the space of a few years the death of record retail and - incredibly but seismically - a new train line, has changed it forever. Doesn't really bear thinking about I'm afraid.

I spent many a morning in the big HMV. It's unimaginable now that you'd actually have to travel to a shop to buy something and that you might not know roughly what it sounds like first. Jeepers.

[Gordon]

I spent many a morning in the big HMV. It's unimaginable now that you'd actually have to travel to a shop to buy something and that you might not know roughly what it sounds like first. Jeepers.

Yes, on my way back to Waterloo [I walked from Langham Place!!] after leaving HMV I went through Soho Square [to avoid the said mess at TCR where you have to walk miles around it to get to Foyles] and mused on the long lost EMG in the SE corner. The pounds I spent in there and, as you say, was able to listen too.

At least Foyles doesn't seem to be suffering the same fate as HMV despite the same internet competition and most of the Waterstones I visit locally [Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton] are seemingly doing well enough. No decent CD shops anywhwre in those places now - unless I've missed something.

[muzzer]

Foyles is moving, of course, just next door to the old can't-remember-was-it-an-art-school. On the Foyles website there's a vid of the new building being transformed - v exciting. Anyone here with memories of Christina F?

[Petrushka]

Yes, on my way back to Waterloo [I walked from Langham Place!!] after leaving HMV I went through Soho Square [to avoid the said mess at TCR where you have to walk miles around it to get to Foyles] and mused on the long lost EMG in the SE corner. The pounds I spent in there and, as you say, was able to listen too.

At least Foyles doesn't seem to be suffering the same fate as HMV despite the same internet competition and most of the Waterstones I visit locally [Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton] are seemingly doing well enough. No decent CD shops anywhwre in those places now - unless I've missed something.

Foyles have a pretty good stock of classical CDs on the 3rd Floor and Harold Moores is flourishing - or such was the case when I was last there in October. The problem with both, however, is that the prices are simply not competitive. I find myself rifling through the stock then having a sneaky look at Amazon on my phone to compare prices. Happily, both shops have a good second hand selection (some will have come from me!) and I've had some bargains in previous visits.

[hafod]

At least Foyles doesn't seem to be suffering the same fate as HMV despite the same internet competition and most of the Waterstones I visit locally [Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton] are seemingly doing well enough. No decent CD shops anywhwre in those places now - unless I've missed something.

Perhaps a few extra miles but there is the Collector's Room in Endless Street, Salisbury.

http://thecollectorsroom.com/index.htm

Wide ranging stock (with substantial jazz section) and second-hand room.

[MickyD]

I have so many fond memories of Direction, Templar Records etc...happy days, browsing through all those racks!

[Gordon]

Perhaps a few extra miles but there is the Collector's Room in Endless Street, Salisbury.

http://thecollectorsroom.com/index.htm

Wide ranging stock (with substantial jazz section) and second-hand room.

Coo!! One of my erstwhile haunts for certain. Is Edward still running it? You used to get to it via the HiFi shop [B&O from memroy] beneath it but now there is a separate stairs from the street.

[Alison]

I feel we need nominations for the biggest classical store in the UK.

[Alison]

I have so many fond memories of Direction, Templar Records etc...happy days, browsing through all those racks!

It was a particular pleasure when one shop didn't have something and the next one did. The MDC in Rathbone Place was on the circuit too.

[teamsaint]

Perhaps a few extra miles but there is the Collector's Room in Endless Street, Salisbury.

http://thecollectorsroom.com/index.htm

Wide ranging stock (with substantial jazz section) and second-hand room.

never been in there, rather assumed it would be full of Salisbury's musical great and good, so rather given it a swerve.
But perhaps I'll give it a try.
Mind you, I avoid going into Salisbury as a rule, so it might be a while......