Virgin Megastore Cork is no more

I was just returning from lunch and noticed that the Virgin Megastore in Cork is no more and it is now called Zavvi.

First reactions were Thats horrible!!

The more I thoght about it on the walk to the office, the more I felt my initial thought was correct. The branding is horrible and sparse and not a bit inviting. Virgin Megastore was nice and colourful and with a brand that was recognised.

I remember when Virgin Megastore opened in the Queens Old Castle and it was jointed from the word go. Over the years, I have seen the effects in decreased movie and music sales hitting HMV and Virgin Megastore. A usual sighting outside them now is a paper flip-board with special offers. A walk in there over Christmas showed that video games are now the top seller for them with movies moved to the centre of the store and music pushed down the back.

Of course, last year also we saw the closure of Golden Discs on Patrick Street. I heard rumours not so long ago that Virgin Megastore was being purchased by a group of employees. Is that what happened? Other rumours around town suggest that the HMV shop was sold 9not as a going concern) and will be shutting soon.

My prediction is that this new store Zavvi will not last too long. We may see a closure in less than 2 years. With increased competition online, decreasing DVD and music sales from bricks and mortar stores and the increase in shops such as Game and GameStop, and a terrible new and unproven brand, this last ditch effort will simply not be profitable.