Commerce After attending a Social Media Morning networking event at Liverpool Science Park at breakfast time ('See the digital age in a whole new light') (more on which later) (as you can see from this photo I've had my hair cut) (I'm the one in the green jumper) I walked down Bold Street with my friend Alistair (@wimpyking) and we noticed that as I predicted here the small HMV in the old gas show room will indeed be closing, very suddenly, on Sunday 30th.
There was a sign in the window outside explaining the closure, but inside it was business as usual. With an extra shop in the city and still part of a relatively large chain, there's no need for a stock clearance, no massive sale. Everything can be boxed up and shifted across town if necessary or returned to the supplier. Not sure if the staff will simply be shuffled to the other store. Seemed churlish to ask.
As I said last time, it would seem more logical for HMV to close their larger stores and consolidate into the smaller space, with smaller rents, essentially hibernate until the market changes, but it looks like they are going in the other direction. We checked on the status of the Waterstones too. Both the clerks stacking the shelves seemed convinced they would be staying open.
[photo courtesy of @wimpyking]
It's not at all surprising HMV are having to close some of their stores - Given their own online prices are so much cheaper then the in-store ones, they obviously know there is a price gap but I would think going for smaller, more hands on shops might be the way to go, rather the keeping big shops trying to sell everything.
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