The Long, Slow Death Of The Times Square Virgin Megastore Begins Tomorrow

We’ve known that that the Virgin Megastore in New York City’s Times Square is set to close, but finally the death march has a start date; the everything must go signs get plastered into the windows and the stack of pre-thumbed through books and import CD singles get their first in a series of markdowns tomorrow.

Yes, Feb. 19 marks the beginning of what the Virgin chain (soon to be down to five locations… who are we kidding, probably soon just a memory of music retail past, right?) is calling the “the biggest sale in music retail history.” I’m not sure what the competition has been for that title, but I guess it’ll be worth checking things out down there before the Jesus-loving sweatshop paradise known as Forever 21 moves in.

In the end, though, how great will the deals actually be? Any bit of inventory that has some value would seem to be heading either for one of the remaining locations (like the one located about 30 blocks south, for example), or back to the distributor as a return. This isn’t a Circuit City or Tower Records-type situation where a liquidator is trying to milk what they can from their bargain basement purchase. Virgin (for now) will still be around, just not in Times Square. I’ll surmise that this sale will be like most Virgin Megastore events: Prices will be better than normal for sure, but still a good distance away from what I think of as reasonable.

World’s Largest Music Store is Closing its Doors With Biggest Sale in Music Retail History [PR Newswire]