Oh, dear. For the second time in recent years, the venerable music retailer HMV (formerly known as "His Master's Voice") has had to be rescued from going into administration.
The new Canadian owner has announced, however, that 27 stores in the chain will close - including the "granddaddy" of the lot, the Art Deco audiophile emporium on Oxford Street...
It will leave one helluva gap in the history of London's premier shopping street.
RIP.
I LOVE old architectural styles like that. do you know what will happen to the store?
ReplyDeleteToo soon to say, really - but its other branch in Oxford Street (that was abandoned as part of the previous "rescue") ended up as another branch of "Sports Direct". Not good. Jx
DeleteReminds me of our HUgE Tower Records store was in nyc and philly. Great architecture, three floors and huge staircases. You could find the hardest house remixes here. On a weekend it was like being at the club for Pete's sake.
ReplyDeleteHMV covered all genres of music, so it was always a bit of a thrill walking from the big "Pop Hall" through rooms variously playing Perry Como, Charlie Mingus or Johannes Brahms...
DeleteI particularly loved the randomness of some of the songs they played, and added to my CD collection on more than one occasion as a direct response to something "new" I heard! Jx
Fab photos
ReplyDeleteThere was a massive 'Tower Records, in what used to be Swan and Edgar's on Piccadilly Circus.
It never did well, that one, even when it became Virgin Megastore. It's now a a Dutch "fashion house" called The Sting... Jx
DeleteWhat place London had in HMV, love the spiral staircase and the record listening booths. HMV was used in several British movies. We had Wallich's in Los Angeles and Tower records in Hollywood both now long gone. A shame, but with digital tech we can download anything. -Rj
ReplyDeleteWe may be able to download anything these days, but nothing beats browsing a superstore like that one..! Jx
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