His Master’s Voice from London to reopen after four years
After a four-year close, the authentic central London His Master’s Voice branch will reopen this year.
After going into administration, the century-old music store chain closed its central shop in 2019. Afterwards, Sunrise Records assumed control of it.
It said the comeback to 363 Oxford Street was due to a “scenic turnaround”, with HMV back to earnings in 2022. The shop will have different branding and a new design.
His Master’s Voice commenced in 1921 and became a world-famous presence on London’s busiest shopping lane, hosting some of the most incredible acts in the music industry, such as the Spice Girls.
In recent years, the store has widened its emphasis to include products, music tech, live music and in-store signings amid declining demand for DVDs and CDs.
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HMV said it would get the new layout, HMV Shop, to 24 recent locations and 14 existing shops by the end of 2023.
Sunrise Records’ owner Doug Putnam stated the “new concept” shops were “really working”. He continued that new shops would also open in Europe in 2023, a “launchpad for an exhilarating new generation for HMV”.
Councillor Geoff Barraclough, Westminster City Council’s cabinet associate for planning and financial development, said: “The comeback of this well-known name is assurance that there’s a buzz back in the West End.”
Several big Oxford street stores, including Debenhams, BHS and Top Shop, have shut down recently.
