Long gone high street retailers that would have sold Blu-rays

[Bobby Betamax]

if they were still around. Namely:-

John Menzies
Virgin Megastore
Zavvi
Silver Screen
Music Zone
Woolworths

The local W H Smith only stock a tiny number of DVDs. HMV is the only biggie left (and That's Entertainment for mostly second hand media). Local supermarkets don't have much of a range to offer.

It would have been great to have been able to wander round those stores looking for bargain Blu-rays. These online retailers are all very well, but I need the exercise!

[The Driver]

Originally Posted by Bobby Betamax

Long gone high street retailers...
John Menzies
Virgin Megastore
Zavvi
Silver Screen
Music Zone
Woolworths

Good -just remember the UK tax payer kept these companies going and WHSmith (who bought John Menzies) were also bankrupt and were saved at the last minute by a wave of the hand from the Prime Minister.

They were always crap, over-priced, under-stocked, under-staffed (with numpties usually) and on a wet high street.

I love the Internet.

[Bobby Betamax]

Originally Posted by The Driver

Good -just remember the UK tax payer kept these companies going and WHSmith (who bought John Menzies) were also bankrupt and were saved at the last minute by a wave of the hand from the Prime Minister.

They were always crap, over-priced, under-stocked, under-staffed (with numpties usually) and on a wet high street.

I love the Internet.

Haha, I actually bought 'The Driver' on DVD for £2.97 from Music Zone (it's been one of my favourite films since I saw it at the cinema). I got some really good bargains from Music Zone, and I miss the place.

[adamhopelies]

Originally Posted by Bobby Betamax

Haha, I actually bought 'The Driver' on DVD for £2.97 from Music Zone (it's been one of my favourite films since I saw it at the cinema). I got some really good bargains from Music Zone, and I miss the place.

Music Zone was great. I miss my old Monday morning routine of heading out to the triptych of HMV, Virgin Megastore and Music Zone when searching for the best price.

[linkin]

Originally Posted by Bobby Betamax

if they were still around. Namely:-

John Menzies
Virgin MegastoreZavviSilver Screen
Music Zone
Woolworths

The local W H Smith only stock a tiny number of DVDs. HMV is the only biggie left (and That's Entertainment for mostly second hand media). Local supermarkets don't have much of a range to offer.

It would have been great to have been able to wander round those stores looking for bargain Blu-rays. These online retailers are all very well, but I need the exercise!

Virgin became Zavvi. Does it matter about the high street. The internet is always cheaper except occasionally the big supermarkets and you can normally get blu's before release date. The only downside is the hassle sending things back if they are faulty.

[DJF]

Wouldn't really say Zavvi were 'long gone' - well certainly not here anyway

Only other one I can think of that I used to go to in my teens was MVC - do dread to think how much I spent on DVD's there when you compare it to today's Amazon prices

[sukraj]

I miss Woolworths i used to buy my dvds from that store.

[Brightstar]

I miss woolworthes they where very cheap and zavvi . There 3 for 2 offer was great

[chip75]

Originally Posted by linkin

Virgin became Zavvi. Does it matter about the high street. The internet is always cheaper except occasionally the big supermarkets and you can normally get blu's before release date. The only downside is the hassle sending things back if they are faulty.

I like searching through rows of DVD's and Blu's. I often find things I wouldn't have thought to search for on the internet. Where I live we have HMV and the supermarkets, Morrisons have removed their entertainment section in all but one of their nearest stores. Apart from the Virgin Megastore none of the stores had much choice apart from Smiths which had a large floor dedicated to films and games (not sure if that's there anymore).

The selection in supermarkets is limiting and you rarely see niche market titles or foreign films unless they're chart items.

[Brightstar]

Originally Posted by chip75

I like searching through rows of DVD's and Blu's. I often find things I wouldn't have thought to search for on the internet. Where I live we have HMV and the supermarkets, Morrisons have removed their entertainment section in all but one of their nearest stores. Apart from the Virgin Megastore none of the stores had much choice apart from Smiths which had a large floor dedicated to films and games (not sure if that's there anymore).

The selection is supermarkets is limiting and you rarely see niche market titles or foreign films unless they're chart items.

HMV is a rip off i have never buy movies from them there prices are high

[The Apocalypse]

I remember MVC, back in Gloucester, it was a good place, was still selling VHS movies, which was before 2007. It has since become a CeX, but it was another entertainment place before that as well. Then, here in Southampton, we did have Virgin Megastore, then Zavvi, it's now Black's, a leisure shop. We've still got HMV though, but I rarely buy stuff from HMV.

[Boomstick_316]

Our Price (was bought by Richard Branson and merged with Virgin Megastores)
Playhouse (was owned by Our Price before being sold to WH Smiths; eventually closed in the late '90s or early 2000).

[Billz]

MVC

If HMV hadn't bought them out and rebranded them, they'd still be in the highstreet, with the cheapest prices around. I used to buy all my DVDs from there!

[The Driver]

MVC (part of the Woolworths bankruptcy) were quite good for DVDs and CDs but only in comparison to many other truly awful retailers. Fopp (now in with HMV's titanic debt) were pretty cool for CDs.

I think people have a rose-tinted view though. Yes, cool in the 1980s going to Tower, HMV, Virgin Megastore -used to go around Glasgow and Edinburgh meself. But that was when this place was all fields. Now, the Internet is king and it has been ever since I bought my first item from it around 1995 I think. I used my local library for £1 per hour (which was cheap then) and they wheeled out the trolley with a washing-machine-sized PC on it and away I went. No looking back.

The Internet has giving us amazing buying opportunities because of information. We now hold all we seek in a few seconds' search. Only this week I've bought from France, Germany, the US and Australia. And what choice! The high street is shit. It always has been and the only difference now is we're all paying for all those bad debts from those crap companies' loans. Saying that it's odd when I visit quite large towns and the only people selling DVDs is charity shops. Such is life!

If you guys can't find what you want on the Internet you either have severe learning difficulties or you're buying the wrong stuff. Of course going into 'shops' is important for some food, some types of clothes and large white goods like fridge-freezers (just so you can check the doors and types of shelving -then go home and get it off the Internet).

And don't mention call centres

[tanujdua]

I think there are a few Zavvi's left. At least as of about a year ago there was one left in a shopping retail park near me. I was surprised it was there then so might still be!

[Billz]

Originally Posted by The Driver

MVC (part of the Woolworths bankruptcy) were quite good for DVDs and CDs but only in comparison to many other truly awful retailers. Fopp (now in with HMV's titanic debt) were pretty cool for CDs.

I think people have a rose-tinted view though. Yes, cool in the 1980s going to Tower, HMV, Virgin Megastore -used to go around Glasgow and Edinburgh meself. But that was when this place was all fields. Now, the Internet is king and it has been ever since I bought my first item from it around 1995 I think. I used my local library for £1 per hour (which was cheap then) and they wheeled out the trolley with a washing-machine-sized PC on it and away I went. No looking back.

The Internet has giving us amazing buying opportunities because of information. We now hold all we seek in a few seconds' search. Only this week I've bought from France, Germany, the US and Australia. And what choice! The high street is shit. It always has been and the only difference now is we're all paying for all those bad debts from those crap companies' loans. Saying that it's odd when I visit quite large towns and the only people selling DVDs is charity shops. Such is life!

If you guys can't find what you want on the Internet you either have severe learning difficulties or you're buying the wrong stuff. Of course going into 'shops' is important for some food, some types of clothes and large white goods like fridge-freezers (just so you can check the doors and types of shelving -then go home and get it off the Internet).

And don't mention call centres

I sometimes wonder if you've had a Macbook Pro surgically attached to your chest, given some of the posts I've seen you make on these forums.

Originally Posted by tanujdua

I think there are a few Zavvi's left. At least as of about a year ago there was one left in a shopping retail park near me. I was surprised it was there then so might still be!

There was a Zavvi just outside the Broad Street Mall in Reading about 2 years back. Since then, I have walked past it several times, and it has been empty. It's a bit depressing to be honest as it still has the signs and everything, but it's just empty.

[Alex_DeLarge]

Originally Posted by Bobby Betamax

if they were still around. Namely:-

John Menzies
Virgin Megastore
Zavvi
Silver Screen
Music Zone
Woolworths

The local W H Smith only stock a tiny number of DVDs. HMV is the only biggie left (and That's Entertainment for mostly second hand media). Local supermarkets don't have much of a range to offer.

It would have been great to have been able to wander round those stores looking for bargain Blu-rays. These online retailers are all very well, but I need the exercise!

The first one that came to mind when I read the thread title.

Also... Our Price.

[AddemFlood]

I used to buy stuff in Silver Screen & MVC more than I ever did HMV.

I was employeed in Woolworths (Brand New Store at that) 3 months before they went bust lol, but I was able to get a bunch of DVDs and Blurays at 80% off plus discount, because by that time nobody cared lol. Not much left then though.

i does suck, because shopping in a high street was far more fun, going into shops looking for the same thing and then making up my mind at where I was going to buy stuff.

On a side note, it reminds me about Currys and PC World. We had a 2 big megastores near me that were open next to each other, so you could look at TVs say, in both and be able to get one cheaper usually. Now their joined, it's one big overpriced store haha.

It's a shame, because internet shopping is great and easier, but it was good to get out and look for things lol.

[Foggy]

Woolworths was my place to go for Blu-Rays and DVD's

All I've got is HMV up Blackpool, and a shit ton of used trade it places

[DaveSimonH]

I used to love Music Zone, had some great DVD prices.
I feel sorry for people unable or unwilling to shop online, if HMV is basically the only place they can buy from. Its hard to defend them when a blu-rays are often £6 or £7 on their own website, then £15 instore.