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Whatever happened to the Virgin Megastore? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,325
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Whatever happened to the Virgin Megastore?
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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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 102
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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): Quote:
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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#3 |
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Guest
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 23,649
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Shocking. Haven't been there for months.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
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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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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,303
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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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#6 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: St Albans
Posts: 4,088
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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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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Home For The Bewildered
Posts: 86,545
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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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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Middesbrough (via Manchester)
Posts: 37,343
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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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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Lurking.
Posts: 10,622
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Quote:
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.
Quote:
...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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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,325
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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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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,303
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Quote:
...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? 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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#12 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOURNEMOUTH, DORSET, UK
Posts: 2,065
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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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#13 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Dundee
Posts: 6,483
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The Internet happened.
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#14 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,785
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Is there still one in Princes street, Edinburgh? what is it now?
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#15 |
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Guest
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,959
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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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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,325
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Quote:
Is there still one in Princes street, Edinburgh? what is it now?
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 359
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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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#18 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,325
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Quote:
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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