Will Coronavirus kill off bricks and mortar hi-fi stores?

With shops closing in general, possibly for months, and people scared to go out, will most hi-fi purchases be limited to on line in the future?

 

Long established stores like Electric Minnesota Fetus in Minneapolis and Duluth stand a chance (IMO). They are currently closed, but are offering specials including free shipping and discounted gift cards as part of their Coronavirus survival strategy.

I do not have any financial connection to them, and hope they survive. You can order online here:

Home | Electric Fetus

 

I don't see how it would make any difference - they were already struggling. Most smart ones already have an online presence.

 

The economic fallout from this in the retail and restaurant world is going to be huge.

 

No

 

I ran my store through the 1987 stock market crash and the 2000 dot-com bust. In the middle of the second economic downturn was 9/11. I remember telling people I knew how to run a stereo store during a recession but I didn't know how to do it during a war.

Somehow, we survived by cutting back dramatically in staff and expenses. We kept responsive to our customer base, making sure we served them well.

I'm sure the best stores will do the same with the current crisis. Yes, many will go out of business but that will just leave an opening for new ones when the economy returns.

We actually grew during the recession of the early 1990s.

 

Some of the local record stores are temporarily closed.
Freakbeat, Gimmie Gimmie, Rockaway

 

This will be the meteor that not only wipes out record stores, but the entire brick and mortar retail economy. Some will survive, but most won't. Unless the shutdown isn't long or the govt puts a pause on bills rent etc etc

 

Who knows, may be this quarantine time let people discover (or rediscover) pleasure of listening music at home, with an increase in future demand.
I am glass half full guy, but who knows...

 

The last of those died off already in my region.

 

yes...sadly.

 

I just went and spent $300 in my local record store to support them..