I knew it was coming…I read about it months ago, but it’s official now: the Virgin Megastore in Times Square is closing in April. And once again, there is no joy in Mudville. They’re coming for your record stores, too. Don’t support them at your own peril.
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This is still really crushing for me. Granted, I’ve only been to New York City twice and granted, it’s a giant chain, but I’ve still got quite the emotional attachment via memories to that store. I have trouble believing it wasn’t doing good business–is that the reason for the closing?
You know, I was at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square in April of 08 and yes there were a lot of people in the store but there was almost NO ONE making purchases. And while the business model is changing, it does still boil down to sales. If you can’t sell stuff, it doesn’t matter how many people come through the doors.
I am sad to see record stores go as well. I have a lot of memories of looking through the CDs at chains and even in K-Mart/Wal-Mart whatever. But I’m afraid the writing is on the wall, just as it was for vinyl when CDs took over. That’s not to say it’s good, but rather it is what it is.
sad sad sad sad sad sad sad
our HMVs here in Toronto are heading this direction too, allocating more space for cell phones/video games/dvds/magazines than music. sad. 😦
i’m all for downloading but at the end of the day, i like having a cd in my hand with artwork.
W
This is SAD. Really sad. Once this goes under, all we’ll have left are the Wal-Marts, Targets and Best Buys. Total suckage!
One more thing I thought of – while it is sad that record stores are on the verge of extinction, I’m really starting to think that we’re trading up. I know that I am in the minority by not really caring whether I have the CD or the computer files in hand, but the digitization of music has made it such that there is no reason for ANYTHING to be out of print ever again. There is no store, not even Virgin Megastore, that can hold all that.
Again, surely a minority opinion, but mine nonetheless.
This is almost as bad as when I found out the Virgin Megastore on Oxford Street had become a Zaavi (which sucked). My last trip to NY, I didn’t make time for the Times Square Virgin, and now I regret it.