HMV Robson & Burrard to Close in the New Year

November 3, 2011

Posted by Vancity Buzz | 20 »

If you’ve been to HMV recently then you are among the few remaining souls that still visit the chain. I myself have only been there a handful of times this year to peruse the comics and graphic novel section and I live a block away. Ultimately, it looks as though HMV’s time has come to an end, well at least for the downtown Vancouver location on Robson and Burrard. Although no date has been set yet, staff have said they have already started packing and preparing for a massive sell-off. Then end of HMV should not come as a shock to anyone.

The main culprit is the rent. The rent on 40,000 square feet on Robson and Burrard is beyond ridiculous. The space is just too large for a store that primarily focuses on movies and music, both of which are readily available and consumed online.

So what will go in that space? The natural candidate is an Apple Flagship Store, however, 40,000 square feet may be too much, even for them. However, they are looking for a flaghship location in Vancouver and as we reported earlier this year a rumoured flagship store on Robson & Granville is being touted. However, the soon to be old HMV may be a better location for Apple. Perhaps, this space is best suited for multiple tenants to take over the 3 floors currently occupied by HMV.

To further spread the rumour mill, rumours are circulating that Simons, the Quebec retailer of men’s and women’s fashion may take the space. Moreover, Nordstrom has been looking for space in Vancouver as well, but the HMV space is more suitable for a Nordstrom Rack, it’s simply too small for Nordstrom.

Only time will tell, I still remember when that used to be a Virgin Records.

Image: Chezza71

Guest

But do you remember when that location was the Vancouver Public Library?
http://about.me/kyle Kyle

If they opened an Apple Store there I’m assuming they’d close the Pacific Center location because they’d be really close to each other.
JLu

Please proofread your writing next time before posting an article online. My interest in reading this content was distracted by all the typos and grammar mistakes. I expected a little more from Vancity Buzz..
Info

I get a feeling that half of these types of info posts on van city buzz are stolen from a forum elsewhere…you know where.
Nick

Yes HMV is closing employees have known for a while now.
Nick

Wait you mean only that forum is privy to information like this? It’s all over the news wire, Vancouver Sun, CTV etc… did they steal info from that forum too?
Gerard

Um what’s your point?
Lame Info

I find it funny info, but did you even bother to click on the articles links? The source was not a forum but The Sun. And FYI the rumours of an Apple Flagship coming here are widely known with those in the industry but of course no one but the might forummers can be privy to that knowledge right.
TrollingAintEasy

Unless it’s an opinion piece all the information on all media comes from somewhere including your precious little forum. Unless of course the forum is owned by HMV, I would venture a guess that you got your info from another source too.
Guest

If the space is chiopped up to appease Apple (to give it a smaller space) – the building will go the way of other dead “gallerias” on Robson Street. It’s too bad that CTV is in there – otherwise Nordstrom could take up the entire building. Simons would be a good substitute.
456jack

Who cares about Apple?! They already have a store here with their overpriced toys. We need a Nordstrom(Rack) please!
http://profiles.google.com/robert.sutherland604 Robert Sutherland

I write for VcB and the bulk of “these types of info posts” are typically from either press releases or “industry insiders”

We have all seen other websites straight up copy/paste other people’s work and that is never the case here.
Yea, we get the news from other sources but we share it with our readers through our voice.
guest

I think it is a great location for a forever 21.
Anonymous

Personally, I hope it’s taken over by Chuck E Cheese’s. Really hard to find a place downtown where a kid can be a kid.
Info

“press releases” or “industry insiders”….right………..
Vancouver Retail Thread

Please source Skyscraper Page Forum, Vancouver Retail Thread before posting information from there again. Information about HMV closing and possibilities of Apple or Nordstrom opening there had been posted weeks before the announcement and ctv news coverage of the story. That information came from one of our bloggers, which you have practically copy and pasted except for shifting a few words around. This is offending and a breach of blogging etiquette. Very unprofessional
Roar You Lions Roar!

You obviously have no clue how media works then do you. Relationships are built with people in the know. Maybe, just maybe this VancityBuzz guy is related to someone very high up in the retail industry. Pretentious idiot, did you even see the link to the Vancouver Sun?
Roar You Lions Roar!

Ha! You’re joking right? Did it ever occur to you that the people at the Skyscraper forum may not be the only ones that know this information. I just check out your forum (nice info btw ) and check some of your more speculative threads, none of them contained any hints at any sources. Hypocrits much?
Vancouver Retail Thread

Yes not many people knew that information as it was not public and was only shared amongst a small group of people. As one of the main providers of the information, I would not dare source where the information is coming from due to the fact that some of the information was meant to be top secret and could put others jobs at stake. If you look at a majority of Vancity buzz’s retail posts they all coincide with posts made from the skyscraper forum a few days prior and no sourcing has been made.
NH

how many “howevers” can you pack into one paragraph… it’s like Super Troopers traded in their “meow” gag and started writing for VanCityBuzz

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