Virgin Megastore Times Sq- 'Must Close Soon'- Page 2

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 11:34am

Richard Branson had a 100 year lease for that space at $54 per square foot. Now the new owners can get $700 per square foot.


When I first started going to New York in the late 1970s's the Times Square area was rife with record stores: J&R Music World, King Karol, Sam Goody's, and Disc-O-Mat which had the cheapest prices in town for general in print titles. (If memory serves, Disc-O-Mat was about where Virgin is now.)

Then there were the used record stores catering to collectors. Colony with its bins of rare Lp's sorted by label. (Broadway shows: RCA Victor cut outs, Columbia cutouts etc) and The Record Exchange on 7th ave, which even as late as 1977 was still dealing in 78's.

And Music Masters on 43rd St where you could buy Lp transfers of long out-of-print 78's as well as audiotapes of complete live performances, often of shows that closed with no cast album.

Now Colony will be the only one in the area.

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 11:37am

I cant believe Colony still stay open! Do people buy theatre related CDS there when they charge $30 or more for what's available in Virgin for around $15?
Such rude staff too.

[newyorkwords]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 11:40am

I'm surprised that Century 21 would want the space. Seems like tourists waiting around in the theater district would be much more apt to buy CDs and DVDs than 60% off winter coats...

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 12:06pm

It's not Century 21 going in. It's Forever 21.

www.forever21.com

[newyorkwords]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 12:25pm

Forever 21, that makes SO much more sense.

[Anna_Elizabeth]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 12:48pm

Of all the times I've been to Times Square, I've never gone into Virgin. I figure since there's one where I live, why bother.

[1183]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 1:53pm

Why in the world does anyone care about a CHAIN music store closing. Give me a break. If this were Colony, that would be another story.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 2:01pm

i judge stores by ther restrooms and as such this place should have been burnt to the ground and then had every memory of it erased by mass lobotomy if necessary.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 2:37pm

"Why in the world does anyone care about a CHAIN music store closing. Give me a break. If this were Colony, that would be another story."

I'd much rather support a chain with great prices and good selection than an independent store where everything goes for 50 times its MSRP.

I'm also probably one of the few who's sad that Disney didn't get the Virgin space.

[gnosis404]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 2:44pm

Isn't Times Square already the World of Disney Store? I hate that the Virgin store is closing in Times Square. It is so convenient to my work location...but I guess I'll be saving money not going in there.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 1/15/09 at 9:44pm

Ew, Forever 21 is so disgusting.

[Parks]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:31pm

They have a limited selection for guys!...

I hate Forever 21. They have like 3 shirts for guys. I bet it will do well though. Girls LOVE it. Do they have Forever 21s in NY already? I've always thought H&M was leagues better than Forever 21... Do you think Forever 21 will really hurt H&M's sales?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:35pm

Think of all the healthcare professionals that will be put out of work because they won't have staph infections picked up from multi-use headphones to treat.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 12:38pm

I'm not much of a fan of Forever 21 myself so I don't go in. I don't care for their return policy. 30 days and you get store credit whether you have your receipt or not.

And what I'd heard is that it's not an actual Disney Store going in there but more of a theme park type place with games and such.

[TimesSquareRegular]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 2:45pm

This closing, along with the just-announced closing of all the Circuit City stores, really limits places for browsing. Looks like I'll be visiting J&R with more regularity.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 3:56pm

And what I'd heard is that it's not an actual Disney Store going in there but more of a theme park type place with games and such.

There was one of those in Chicago called DisneyQuest when I first moved here and it was a massive failure. Now it's a Room and Board.

Do you think Forever 21 will really hurt H&M's sales?

Judging from the amount of traffic in the ones practically next to each other on State Street in Chicago...no. They are both still extremely popular for those in the market for cheaply made trendy clothes that people want simply because they are on the racks. Certainly not because they are attractive. In my day, they were called "Chess King".

Updated On: 1/16/09 at 03:56 PM

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 1/16/09 at 4:20pm

Am I old?

A) I LOVED Chess King!

B) I think of the Times Square Virgin Store as "that new record store across from where they built that Marriott."

Oh, dear........

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:17pm

Chess King had great sweaters.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 1/21/09 at 4:27pm

This is a shame. This store was pretty much the only place I would frequent either before or after seeing a Broadway Show.
Their DVD prices are the best next to Amazon. I always went there around Tonys time to purchase some $10 cast albums.
Sometimes I stop in Colony to browse, but I never buy anything there.

I wouldn't mind if something equally appealing were taking its place; but Forever 21? Really?
Thanks, but no thanks.

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 11:18am

I am sad this store is closing as I am sad that ANY store or business is closing due to the economy, but I must say that my past several visits to that particular store have been no less than unbearable.

Loud, crowded, flithy dirty, poorly laid out in an ever-changing labyrinth of lost, agonizingly deafening DJ and, most importantly, a jaw-droppingly rude staff who could give a flying you-know-what about you or what you're looking for. I have fled there many times vowing never to return.

Wondering if that constant wall of kids selling candy for their "teams" will loiter outside 21 as well.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 12:46pm

"I am sad this store is closing as I am sad that ANY store or business is closing due to the economy, but I must say that my past several visits to that particular store have been no less than unbearable."

It's not closing because of the economy...it's closing because the greedy landlord chose not to renew the lease so the rental rate could be increased.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 1:17pm

It's not closing because of the economy...it's closing because the greedy landlord chose not to renew the lease so the rental rate could be increased.

Really? I thought it was just strategic repositioning. Virgin closed it stores in Chicago, Salt Lake City, Grapevine and Los Angeles last year.

[dg22894]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 5:12pm

That was one of the first thing I did when I got to NY went there right before a show. I will miss it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 5:16pm

I stopped in last week when I was in the city. So far, not too impressed with what's "on sale". In the B'way selection only a few cd's were marked down.

[LansburyLuPone]

Posted: 1/22/09 at 10:35pm

You can't beat Virgin for its collections of DVD's. I love it. I all but live in there before and after I go to Broadway shows. I've missed the little cafe they used to have in there. A POX UPON THE LANDLORD for forcing the store to close!