Tower and Virgin: Both Going Out of Business

This week, I went to both Tower Records in Cambridge and Virgin Megastore in Boston.  I wasn't planning on going to these places, but both are going out of business.  It was a few weeks ago when Virgin Megastores announced that everything in their store must go.  Just last week, Tower Records announced that they are closing their entire chain.

Seems like both the Internet and iTunes killed the record store chain stars.

I bought only two DVDs at Tower back on Sunday.  Both of them contained episodes of the Lone Ranger TV show starring Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels.  The CDs and DVDs were at a discount of 10% off the regular price while magazines were 30% off the regular price.  No wonder they're going out of business.

Tonight, I went to the Virgin Megastore after work.  They had apparel at a discount of 75% off while CDs and DVDs were 50% off.  I bought a DVD of Silver Streak starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, a DVD of Absolute Power starring Clint Eastwood, and a Best of Dean Martin CD.  Why are they going out of business?  These were great deals.  That place is closing on November 4.

I was at the opening of the Virgin Megastore in Boston back in February 2002.  Richard Branson himself was there dressed as the Mad Hatter.  It was his "Boston Tea Party."  All the major TV and radio stations were covering the event.  Bradley Jay was there for WBCN do a live on the spot broadcast of the opening.

Before the Virgin Megastore opened at that location (Newbury Street and Mass Avenue) in Boston, it was the home of the Boston Tower Records which opened on December 17, 1987 (my birthday).  I bought the Monkees' Greatest Hits Part II album there as a birthday gift to myself.  In 2001, the landlord made a deal with Richard Branson and evicted the Tower Records store to the Fenway area.  Then, the Boston Tower Records faded away quickly afterwards.  I only visited the Fenway location a couple of times.  It was a very small store.  The Boston Tower Records was supposed to re-open at the newly renovated Kenmore Square, but it never happened.