World’s largest HMV opening in Birmingham, UK

Yes, Fopp in London is very busy also, with tons of people buying CDs. However, it's basically the only place you can buy CDs now so I wouldn't say it was indicative of much other than it's at least a popular niche interest.

 

If HMV had no retail outlets and relied on on-line sales, they'd be competing on the same level as any company using their own site and E-Bay to sell new merchandise.

 

I think they are trying to tap into that groundswell against corporate greed (they emphasise paying their taxes), pro-community, more personal service thing, and having spaces for screenings and gigs is a really good move, I think. More power to them.

 

It depends more on the parking facilities.

 

I agree with other posters, re the need to offer more varied stock and genres, in order to get the footfall, otherwise I don't see this working in the long term. Normally when I pass my local HMV in London and go in to take a peek, it's mostly only commercial and major label releases. Fine for the majority I guess, but for music nerds and collectors it won't cut it, in my opinion.

 

Has the branch near Bond Street tube station in London closed again?

Shows my age - I am convinced I have been there recently. My last definite memory was watching Captain Sensible outside larking with other members of the Damned waiting for his ride after an album signing. I suppose that was more than a year ago.

 

Wham, Bam, Birmingham
but will anybody give a damn?

 

Buying lots of used and even vinyl in the 90s and early 00s, holding on to them, and selling now is not really a recipe for a high street retailer.

 

When I was in Glasgow, the Fopp in Union Street wasn't actually very busy.

 

Was it really that bad 10 years ago? I lived in Newcastle in the late 80s and some parts of it were not great (one of the first locals I met was a young lad trying to rob a metro ticket machine: it took him three goes before I understood what he was asking me).

 

maybe ‘dread’ is the wrong word. It was more the fact I’d come from Manchester which I found to be a more manageable size with better shops per capita.

 

Looks like it. Very many happy memories of sneaking in and seeing bands there, either in the small stage upstairs (Kings of Leon first time around was memorable!), to the larger stage downstairs (Dinosaur Jr, Strokes, Loop, Libertines, MBV, Nirvana Datsuns, Hives off the top of my head).

As for the snide comments about Birmingham, pah! Born and bred Brummie and very proud of the city. Its much more gentrified now and to be honest I loved the old Bull Ring etc but its still a great city to live, work and go out and have a good time. The traffic and parking is ****e but the people are nice and friendly.

 

If I was visiting Birmingham, then I would take the train. I haven't been since the station was redeveloped. The old one wasn't great.

 

This.Tons and tons of the same old crappily mastered and pressed reissues are of little interest to me.Now if they were stocking interesting new releases at a price point equivalent to on line,then that's a different kettle o fish!But they won't be,so it ain't.Give me a well stocked and curated second hand shop every time.

 

All the big record shops closed in NYC over the last decade - not just chains like Virgin and Tower, but independent large ones, too.
They've been replaced by smaller local record stores, many specialize in turntables and vinyl. They seem to be thriving due to the continually growing interest in vinyl.
But we've lost some smaller shops, too, that had been around a long time. I can't imagine many of the newer ones will survive if/once the interest in vinyl dwindles.

 

My local HMV has upped the amount of LP's lately. Actually getting plenty of new stuff in. Brum's only a short train ride from Worcester so I'll go up and have a look. Has to be better than Am*z*n. Sure, no second hand there but if I want new then that's fine. A few quid more than ebay maybe but the chance to browse makes it worth it.

 

It's a 45 minute train from the urban sprawl of the North Staffs to New Street in Brum otherwise I'm covered by the one in Hanley, duck and Wolves in the delightful Black Country. I think it's good they're thinking of as a distribution point as that will help with recouping rent and freehold charges which are a big issue in retail here.

 

I'm from Wolverhampton originally, Birmingham is now like a beautiful Italian designed car, compared to the ****hole that my hometown has become!

I loved the Hummingbird when I was a kid. The one and only time that Jane's Addiction performed their magnum opus 'You Bald Bastard' was at that very venue

 

It's underneath a multi-storey car park and there's another one directly opposite. Dale End is actually one of the easier parts of Birmingham city centre to drive to and park in.

 

So it is the old Hummingbird is it, in a past life I did many record fairs there in the late eighties early nineties, well remember wading through an ankle deep sea of empty Red Stripe cans in the toilets.

 

As someone who has released a fair amount of Birmingham and Wolverhampton music if anybody visits could they check out the Reggae section and see if they are stocking our releases on Reggae Archive Records, assuming they actually have much of a Reggae vinyl section, Cheers.

 

That's what it looks like, or the row of shops a little further up that included a Wimpy and the world's dodgiest looking sex shop

 

I've always wished the UK had a massive record shop similar to Amoeba, packed with new and used vinyl across multiple genres.

 

Just been into the Worcester shop. Advertising live bands coming up. Not the biggest shop so that should be interesting. Looks like they're making an effort. There's nothing else in Worcester so a trip to Brum is at least worthwhile for other shops too.

 

That's ok, Essex people will enjoy the trip as they have worlds biggest Primark in Brum also ;-)