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Defunct music stores


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#1 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 05:43 PM

Darn, they must not have seen the new technology coming (cassette tapes). 8)



And the bikini store in the same mall is having a "retirement sale"... not sure if that's a sale on old person's swimsuits, or a sign they are closing too.

What's next? The miniature store in Market Square closes?

http://www.miniland.ca/About.html
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#2 Lover Fighter

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 05:48 PM

Goldy was shut down a month ago.
I've been trying to figure out what happened to all the merch.

#3 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 05:49 PM

Goldy was shut down a month ago.
I've been trying to figure out what happened to all the merch.


OK, I hadn't noticed. :? (edit) :wink:
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#4 Lover Fighter

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Posted 28 September 2006 - 05:52 PM

For the first couple of weeks, it was just sitting there with a sign that read "new stock on Tuesday" but it was closed the entire time. It's only been more recent when it was actually emptied out.

#5 Jada

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 10:22 AM

Goldy's Music.. which record shop was that?

And this is my latest purchase...



#6 Holden West

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 10:56 AM

I couldn't have describe you better myself!

Goldy's was in that horrible little semi-underground strip mall beneath that 80s lowrise tower on the corner of Douglas and Pandora. You know, the complex that is patrolled by security on the second floor in case someone actually dares to enter it.

Shall we turn this thread into "Old Record Stores That Have Faded Away, Gone Bankrupt Or Have Otherwise Disappeared Off Victoria's Streets"?
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#7 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 12:32 PM

^ Sure! Remember Kelly's back in the early 80's? I think it became a Sony Store. It seems to me it was in the 700-blk Yates then moved onto Douglas.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#8 Holden West

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 05:43 PM

^You're very close. Here's a snapshot of the scene around 25 years ago:

In addition to the venerable A&B Sound, the 700 block Yates was the place to look for (and comparison shop) records. Kelly's records was somewhere around the Mozart lot on Yates. Further up Yates, somewhere around where the post office extension is now was Millers. They mainly focused on audio products but they did sell records and tapes as well. Miller's became Miller's The Sony Store and eventually moved to Douglas St. between Yates and Johnson and later dropped the Miller's name completely.

Kelly's closed in the 80s and became a Circuit City for a few years. It was vacant for many years before being torn down to make way for the stalled Mozart building.

Lyle's place moved onto Yates from its original location at Menzies and Simcoe in the early 80s.

Modern Sounds records was on Fort St. where Stevenson's Shoe Clinic is now. Richards Records was where Roberta's Hats is on Gov't. They specialized in Jazz and Blues.

You can imagine the competition between all these independents and small local chains was incredible. People had no problem crossing the street to save ten cents on that new Men at Work or Cheap Trick LP. Combine that with the similar competition in Vancouver (A&B, Kelly's and I think either A&A or Sam's were nearby on Seymour?) and you had a music buyers dream.

So, for quite a while Victoria had the best music prices in the world. In many cases, half the cost or less of other cities (and that's not even including the cost of living differences). It wasn't until the 90s when eastern competition pushed prices to levels seen in the rest of Canada and North America.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#9 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 06:20 PM

^ Miller's, that's right! I used to go in, they had the 45s (singles) arranged by the top-40 that week. Usually the b-side of the single was a song that was NOT on the album the single came from, that made it more valuable.

Music was cheap here. I used to shake my head when I saw people buying at Sam the Record Man in Hillside Mall - A&B was 30% cheaper on everything.

OK, here's one. Back in the late 80's or early 90's there was a music store in University Heights Mall called Stages.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#10 aastra

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 06:52 PM

A&B Sound and Kelly's...that was our weekend pilgrimage.

When did Miller's - The Sony Store finally drop the Miller's part? I think it was still Miller's - The Sony Store when I bought my first receiver.

There was also a good jazz store on Johnson in the early 1990s or so. I don't know if it's still there.

#11 Holden West

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Posted 29 September 2006 - 07:04 PM

The Miller's name disappeared sometime in the early 90s I think. Wasn't it where that cheap luggage store is now? Or maybe the former chicken shack. Damn, that strip of Douglas has gone downhill.

The jazz/blues store on lower Johnson was Sweet Thunder records. I think it was where the soap store is/was.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#12 Holden West

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 09:13 PM

Wow:

A&B Sound closes last Island store
Millstream Village outlet had been open a short time


Times Colonist
Published: Monday, September 01, 2008
Music retailer A&B Sound abruptly closed its last store on Vancouver Island on Saturday, marking the end of an era for a once-mighty B.C. retail icon.

The company's Langford store at the Millstream Village shopping centre sat locked and shuttered yesterday.

more...
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#13 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 09:42 PM

Wow:

A&B Sound closes last Island store
Millstream Village outlet had been open a short time


Times Colonist
Published: Monday, September 01, 2008
Music retailer A&B Sound abruptly closed its last store on Vancouver Island on Saturday, marking the end of an era for a once-mighty B.C. retail icon.

The company's Langford store at the Millstream Village shopping centre sat locked and shuttered yesterday.

more...


Wow, that is sad, I guess. But things happen, things change.

#14 Holden West

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 09:47 PM

I have absolutely no idea how this could've happened.

Oh, hang on, I have to recharge my iPod, be right back.
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#15 martini

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 10:20 PM

Oh for Pete's sake. I just posted a thread about A&B.
Sorry

#16 Holden West

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 10:27 PM

My fault, this probably wasn't the best thread for me to post it in, but I try not to have too many threads. Maybe we can title this defunct music stores. :D
"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#17 martini

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Posted 01 September 2008 - 10:35 PM

My fault, this probably wasn't the best thread for me to post it in, but I try not to have too many threads. Maybe we can title this defunct music stores. :D


Haha, there's a plan.
I also wondered what Goldy's rent was there!
Tougher tougher market dealing with the big boys.
That frustrates me too.

Just need my thread deleted. Mod! :D

#18 Guest_Marcat_*

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Posted 02 September 2008 - 08:33 AM

WOW, I heard this on the radio this morning, I took a weekend hiatus from the forum...I can't count how many lineups for boxing day I lined up with A&B downtown...I personally don't really believe that the complete demise of A&B around here can be attributed to the likes of Future Shop. There are many specialty music and electronics stores that are surviving and thriving, I think it can be attributed to a classic, eyes bigger than the stomach routine. If A&B had focused more on higher end or harder to get electronics instead of just going with the flow, I'm sure they'd be doing just fine. I know for a fact there are a couple specialty stores in town, that do more sales and volumes in their respective departments than some BC chains do in an entire year in varying electronics, and that comes in a tightening market to specializing and building a core and loyal customer base, I know over the years with A&B I experience crappy service, poor product replacement or service and that eventually drove me away...

#19 gumgum

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Posted 02 September 2008 - 10:27 AM

I guess all those people saying A&B's move was purely an indication of a poor d/t economy were wrong. A&B was just a poor economy.

#20 yodsaker

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Posted 02 September 2008 - 04:33 PM

What surprised me was how short a time they lasted out in L'ford. I saw their point about the downtown store having space problems plus the usual d'town parking hassles but I guess their bottom line was sicker than thought.
I think much of the blame can be laid to the record companies giving people 1 or 2 decent tracks and making them pay for 10 other tracks of filler crap. Greedy dinosaurs not paying attention!

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