HMV to reopen flagship London store after pre-Covid shutdown | Music | Entertainment

HMV have just announced they’re bringing back their massive flagship store in London “in time for Christmas” with a vague “late 2023” opening date.

The location, which is situated at 363 Oxford Street, is going to become a “hub” for fans of pop culture, they said.

HMV previously closed the shutters of the massive shop in 2019 after the business went into administration. The Oxford Street flagship was considered “a luxury given the business rates at the time”. But, “following huge customer demand”, the company has made the decision to bring the iconic building back to its roots.

Canadian boss Doug Putman believes this store’s comeback is the result of a “few good years of hard work”.

Putman said: “The expansion of our fan-focused pop culture offer is really working for us and the reopening of our flagship represents the culmination of a good few years of hard work.

“We are also opening stores in Europe this year, so while it is the culmination of one phase of work, more excitingly we see it as the launchpad for an exciting new era for hmv.” (sic)

READ MORE: The surprising problem which may have hampered HMV’s past success

The new-old store will be fitted with HMV’s brand new logo, and will also house the brand’s new HMV Shop concept, featuring not only CDs and other physical digital media, but vinyl, TV and music technology, and a “huge range of pop culture merchandise”.

Councillor Geoff Barraclough, the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development at Westminster City Council, is said: “It’s fantastic to see this iconic brand back on Oxford Street, where it stood as a driver of music and pop culture in the capital for so long. It’s also particularly pleasing it is replacing one of the many US candy stores which sprang up during the pandemic. The return of this famous name is proof that there’s a buzz back in the West End.

“Established retailers want a presence on the UK’s premier shopping street and as a council we want to see the nation’s high street reinvigorated and home to brands like hmv. There’s nothing quite like browsing through CDs and vinyl in-store. As a teenager who bought his first LP* in an HMV shop some decades ago, I look forward to reliving that experience!”

The store’s return is exciting as it has an incredible history – not just for selling music, but also hosting some of the greatest artists of all time.

The Spice Girls famously turned on London’s Christmas lights in 1996 to more than 6,000 people. Geri Halliwell later noted this moment at the store was when she knew the band had “made it”.

A year prior, in 1995, Blur performed their legendary rooftop gig at the venue to promote their iconic fourth album The Great Escape.

Oddly enough, later this year Blur are making a comeback as well – just like the HMV store they stood upon. They’re hitting Wembley in the summer for what will no doubt be two monumental days of music.

They’re also playing a few intimate warm-up gigs around the country, as well. Tickets for these shows just went on sale.