A beloved relic of our yesteryears have officially shuttered their doors for good yesterday, and maybe it’s for the best too.
Music retailers HMV might very well be pulling out of Singapore as they’ve not indicated solid plans to open a new store. Their last outlet at Marina Square closed at 9pm yesterday, after several days of clearing their stock with very generous discounts.
Popular amongst youths back when CDs and CD players were actually things you actively bought, HMV’s rapid decline in popularity arrived with the rise of the internet and downloadable music and movies — not to mention streaming services. Music accessories such as headphones and other paraphernalia they sold were cheaper elsewhere in other tech-oriented retailers.
The Straits Times reports that all HMV staff would be laid off; none of the staff had any idea if they’d open a new outlet. AID Partners, the Hong Kong firm who bought the struggling HMV Singapore back in 2013, indicated plans that they’re planning to open a new flagship store here but have not found the right location. But of course, they could just pull out of Singapore altogether — the same fate that befell Tower Records and Sembawang Music Centre.
Photo: Bandwagon.sg
