The British music retailer’s biggest store is back, thanks in part to a resurgence in vinyl sales.
After a four-year hiatus, music retailer HMV is preparing to reopen its flagship store on Oxford Street. The store was closed in 2019 after the sale of the HMV chain to Sunrise Records owner, Doug Putman. Under Putman’s ownership, HMV has shifted its focus to a fan and community-oriented offering, which includes live performances and vinyl records. The new store is expected to stock a wide range of pop culture merchandise, vinyl, film, TV, and music technology.
The store’s reopening represents years of hard work, and Putman sees it as a launchpad for a new era for the brand. By 2024, half of the stores will feature HMV’s new ‘HMV shop’ concept. In July 2021, on HMV’s 100th birthday, the new layout and offering were first introduced in a store located in Solihull. Over the past year, HMV stores in the UK have attracted household names such as Charli XCX, Shania Twain, Stormzy and Ellie Goulding for signings. The central London store will host performances from up-and-coming artists and performers through the HMV Live&Local programme.