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Record Shops RIP ...................................

I have passed this shop loads of times and never ventured in as I thought it was classical only.

Bloss
 
paulfromcamden said:
It appears Harold Moores in Soho has closed for good as a result of rent being doubled.

I believe it was the last proper independent classical music shop in London.

I've been visiting it for a long while because of the good jazz vinyl section downstairs. I'm going to miss it.

low-shop-haroldmoores.jpg
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Aren't landlords wonderful people?
 
Prelude Records in Norwich closing down after just over 30 years. An independent classical specialist, run and owned by knowledgable musician(s), they will be sorely missed. Streaming services, DLs and internet shopping given as the main reasons for closure, despite a loyal customer base. For those in the area, keep your eyes peeled for the last great sale. Closing end of March.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/popular...after_more_than_30_years_in_norwich_1_4846167
 
paulfromcamden said:
It appears Harold Moores in Soho has closed for good as a result of rent being doubled.

I believe it was the last proper independent classical music shop in London.

I've been visiting it for a long while because of the good jazz vinyl section downstairs. I'm going to miss it.

low-shop-haroldmoores.jpg
Click to expand...

Sad news. I wondered how long they would last. I also went mainly for their small Jazz selection, but have brought some S/H classical from them as well. They were not cheap, but always had an interesting stock.
 
Sad to hear about Prelude Records. When I lived in Norfolk it and Andys Records were the two goto places for LPs and latterly CDs. Very knowledgeable staff in Prelude Records. I still have about 6 of their paper tokens to trade in for a CD. Collectors item now I presume.
 
Not over sorry to hear about that HMV. When I first got back into vinyl, early 90's, got some really good deals at Oxford St, soon as vinyl caught on a tad the deals disappeared.

Bloss
 
I used to spend at least one lunchtime a week in the Oxford Street shop and spent quite a lot of money there but they downsized the classical department so there was far less choice, then turned of the ventilation so it became steamy and unpleasant and so I discovered Amazon.
Haven`t been to HMV for years.
 
blossomchris said:
Not over sorry to hear about that HMV. When I first got back into vinyl, early 90's, got some really good deals at Oxford St, soon as vinyl caught on a tad the deals disappeared.

Bloss
Click to expand...
I remember how the independent record shops would make out HMV was some sort of monster eating all the little shops up! Then they started selling dance/techno 12" and it was like 'not cool' to buy them there, buy at least you could get a refund if you wanted!! I loved the one on Oxford st and many others.
 
As a big business they adapted well and had a large house/techno range in the '90's, employing people who had an interest/knowledge in the music. I'd always pop in there as well as the specialist shops.
 
I was a regular visitor to HMV on Oxford St. Got some good bargains. Enjoyed their Jazz and Classical sections. Stood next to Roy Wood once whilst we both rapidly skimmed through the CDs on offer.
 
Rare and Racy in Sheffield closes today. It's been part of the musical landscape here for as long as I can remember and will be sadly missed.
 
The only and even so in its day best record shop has finally closed in Hereford this year.

Outback Records in Church Street and before that Maylords Lane.

Whenever I went to the city of my birth I always made a point of buying something out of the stock, which was brilliant.

When I lived in Hereford I used to buy [or order] an LP or a CD each week. I am guessing that LP and CD sales from actual shops have reached such a low point that not even a a small cramped shop like that with stock piled to the ceiling could have a sufficient cash-flow to carry on.

Sadly for those who have fond memories of browsing the stock for an hour on Saturday before choosing the best on offer - well we shall have to get over it. Everything is online these days. Even iron-mongers carry such a restricted offering that you have to go online to get just the brass bolts and nuts you want these days. I suspect that the only real physical shops that will survive will be petrol stations, and off-licences!
 
HMV in Princes Street Edinburgh has closed again.

The classical CD shop near the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, seems to now only sell cheap record decks.

Oh well, no more killing time by browsing CDs when I go to the Usher Hall for gigs.
 
mellstock said:
Was in HMV Oxford St today and seemed fairly busy... Premature obituaries?
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I guess the problem is that it needs to be VERY busy to justify the rent and rates on that store!

It is the same story everywhere. My local HMV in Kingston upon Thames used to have a large store in a prime location and it has recently moved to a much smaller one with an inferior position.

The new store isn't that busy and the old one still hasn't been re-let, along with many other units in the same centre.

Like house prices, retail rent/rates in some areas are probably at least double what is sustainable in the long term. Not sure how we unwind it - lowering the rent lowers the capital valuation and a lot of pension funds start to fall over!

What I can't work out is that there is still a fervour to build new retail space whilst the existing stock has increasingly higher vacancy rates.
 
In Bromley, HMV has moved from the High Street to the Mal, where it has replaced Head, on the same site. I called in last weekend and was pleased to see a rack of vinyl, but the LPs were packed into the racks so tightly, that browsing was virtually impossible. I had a moan to the assistants, but they appeared not to care, even though they acknowledged that other customers had said the same thing. I'll not be in a hurry to revisit TBH.
 
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