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Whatever happened to the Virgin Megastore?


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Old 12-06-2008, 20:41
Inkblot
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Before anyone says it, yes, I know it became Zavvi. But the Oxford Street/Tottenham Court Road Megastore has been there so long I can't remember a time when it wasn't. It went through various phases, as vinyl was edged out by CD and then DVDs started to grab territory. Then they introduced games and even a bit of computer software and eventually musical instruments in the basement down by the café.

Now it's like a ghost shop. Big gaps where fixtures have been ripped out, some racking bodged into the gap at the top of the stairs to the basement, which is now empty - no guitars, no café... but weirdly, a strong smell of stale food lingering all around the shop.

A sad end for what is supposed to be the company's flagship store. I actually bought a CD there, but I won't be going back.
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Old 12-06-2008, 20:45
geronimos
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Yeah apparently all of the stores have been purchased by new private owners and there will no longer be any Virgin Megastores.

From Wikipedia (with sourced citations):
Virgin Megastores was started in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. In 2007 the Virgin Group was looking to sell the UK and Ireland stores. On 17th September 2007, it was announced that only the UK arm of the Virgin Megastores brand is to break away from the Virgin Group. A management buy-out offer was accepted. [16] EUK, the company's main stock supplier, also the supplier to shops like Woolworths and Sainsburys, have helped out with the MBO by investing heavily to support the new management team. With the change of ownership the Virgin Megastores disappeared and was replaced with a new name "zavvi". All 125 stores remained trading and the change was implemented by late November 2007. In January 2008 the online system was also rebranded to "zavvi.co.uk" and Virgin Megastores Ireland changed to 'zavvi Ireland'.

Aww that sucks, I always wanted to visit one when I go to the UK next summer or the year after...
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Old 12-06-2008, 21:21
crazychris12
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Shocking. Haven't been there for months.
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Old 12-06-2008, 21:32
Carmen Queasy
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Zavvi isn't as good, either. When I used to go to Virgin Megastore they used to stock old albums, but now when I look in Zavvi they aren't there.
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Old 12-06-2008, 21:44
glyn9799
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Just after our Virgin because Zavvi the store gradually because emptier and emptier and i think everybody thought it was going to shut down - But this past few weeks it has suddenly filled up again

Crisis averted (for the moment...)
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Old 12-06-2008, 21:47
GaryB
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The speakers either side of the big screen have been wired out of phase for ages and nobody seems to have noticed.
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Old 12-06-2008, 23:36
Jimmy Connors
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That was a great store when it was Virgin. Always went in there when I was up Tottenham Court Road.

Now it's like going to the funfair when all the rides are closed.
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Old 12-06-2008, 23:39
Carmen Queasy
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...and has anyone noticed how they use foldaway shelves rather than fixed ones? Maybe it's only the two I've been to (Middlesbrough and Manchester) but it looks really bad when a full rack is on wheels and has handles to fold it closed!

Did Virgin have these?
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Old 12-06-2008, 23:45
TomDaOne
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Zavvi isn't as good, either. When I used to go to Virgin Megastore they used to stock old albums, but now when I look in Zavvi they aren't there.
...and has anyone noticed how they use foldaway shelves rather than fixed ones? Maybe it's only the two I've been to (Middlesbrough and Manchester) but it looks really bad when a full rack is on wheels and has handles to fold it closed!

Did Virgin have these?
The one in Leicester selling a lot of old albums still, plus DVD's, new music and computer games and consoles. Only thing thats really changed is the name. They have proper racking and shelves.
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Old 13-06-2008, 07:56
Inkblot
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I wonder what plans Zavvi have for the Oxford Street premises. Maybe they'll try to sell part of them off and downsize - there's nothing more depressing than a shop with lots of empty, fenced-off space and half-empty racking.

The basement of the London Megastore, which until recently was full of guitars and amps and kids playing Sweet Child o' Mine, used to be a cinema. Wonder what it'll turn into next.
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Old 13-06-2008, 10:06
glyn9799
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...and has anyone noticed how they use foldaway shelves rather than fixed ones? Maybe it's only the two I've been to (Middlesbrough and Manchester) but it looks really bad when a full rack is on wheels and has handles to fold it closed!

Did Virgin have these?
Haha i go to middlesbrough zavvi i've not took much notice of the foldaway shelves, but that might be why the store looks so empty. There isn't anything under the shelves apart from the thin legs. You can see all the floor...

Foldaway shelves aren't really a good look
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Old 13-06-2008, 12:21
TVGirl319
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Virgin Megastores were useless regarding customer service and ordering!!

A case in point: About 3 years ago, I brought Seals Greatest Hits Compilation. There was a Silver version which was just a single CD of his greatest hits and a Gold Version which also had an extra CD of acoustic versions of his hits, plus other bonus tracks(like his version of Dionne Warwicks Walk On By). Well, I brought the Gold Version and when I got home I opened it up and noticed that there was 2 Disc 1s, instead of Disc 1 and Disc 2!! So, I took it back and I couldnt beleive how they scrutinized it before they found out that there was indeed ACTUALLY 2 Disc 1s!!!!!! So, after delving in the stock room at the back they said that there wasnt anymore copies of the CD, so they will have 2 order it and they put in the order and everything on their system and they said that it would arrive at my home in a week!!! Well, a week went by, then a month and still no CD, so I went back to the store(at Castlepoint, in Bournemouth, Dorset) and complained and they said that due to the Christmas rush and everything it was probably delayed!! Well, another month went by and still no CD, so I went back with the order ticket and receipt and offered me an alternative purchase instead of giving me my money back!!!!!

I ended up getting the CD in HMV instead!!!
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Old 13-06-2008, 14:31
ShiftyDundee
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The Internet happened.
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Old 13-06-2008, 15:31
83ray1
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Is there still one in Princes street, Edinburgh? what is it now?
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Old 13-06-2008, 17:33
LemonPledge
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There are 2 in Glasgow City Centre Buchanan St (this one's really big) and one in Argle st which is a normal size
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Old 13-06-2008, 17:59
Inkblot
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Is there still one in Princes street, Edinburgh? what is it now?
I went in that one last year. It was quite strange - they had exiled the CDs to the basement - and that was before the Zavvi buy-out.
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Old 14-06-2008, 11:43
spons
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The guitar basement was part of the sound control group, who have gone into recievership 26 stores including Turnkey just down the road from the Virgin store
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Old 14-06-2008, 12:02
Inkblot
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The guitar basement was part of the sound control group, who have gone into recievership 26 stores including Turnkey just down the road from the Virgin store
Oh, right... I'd heard they were offering some big discounts in Oxford Street because the branch was closing but didn't realise it was the whole company. Looking elsewhere on the web there are some pretty damning comments about Sound Control and Turnkey but we always found the staff in the Megastore branch friendly and helpful and willing to do a deal. From a customer's point of view there are nearer and better guitar shops but it's a shame if some good staff lost their jobs.
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