Sunday, June 14, 2009

Last day for the Virgin Megastore (and why you will see so many people wearing Virgin Orlando T-shirts)

Just before 10 a.m. today, some 30 people were waiting in line for the last day of the Virgin Megastore on Union Square. I was not one of them. But when the doors opened, I decided to go in... I was ready to take a picture of the crowd entering the store, but a woman carrying a small dog shoved me.



Everything was 90 to 90 percent off.... One of the workers yelled, "Buy everything people!" And I said, Good luck with that, people.



I was unfamiliar with 90 percent of the artists left behind. Well, there was the Jimmy Buffett Christmas record.



The remaining crap for sale was kept to a small space. The rest of the hulking store sat empty. Somewhere downstairs, workers were yelling, their voices echoing throughout the former Megastore. First time that I'd ever been in here without some music or movie blaring from the speakers.






Somehow, people found stuff to buy. Mostly what was left... I'd say 500-800 Virgin Orlando T-shirts...$1 each!

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11 comments:

  1. Alex in NYCJune 14, 2009 at 12:15 PM

    Hmm. I meant to do this, but never got around to it. I went in a few times over the last week, but it was either stripped of anything I might be interested it, or simply too chaotic. Bigger question, though: what will take its place in the space?

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  2. EV GrieveJune 14, 2009 at 2:34 PM

    I think a Nordstrom's discount offshoot is opening here...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeremiah MossJune 14, 2009 at 5:58 PM

    ha, nice. people waited in line for this?

    the last time i bought something there i was struck by the weird way the cashiers said goodbye after the sale. they would say "happy media." there's something very post-apocalyptic about that somehow.

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  4. AnonymousJune 14, 2009 at 7:03 PM

    Jeremiah - sort of how Blockbuster Video is now called Blockbuster Media.

    Virgin Megastore - Gone, and already forgotten. Wow, guess I'll have to find a new landmark in front of which to meet up with dates...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Media glutJune 14, 2009 at 7:45 PM

    Thanks for the report. I just in the mood for disaster imagery.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ken MacJune 14, 2009 at 9:44 PM

    ah....this empty howl of Manhattan corpses..

    ReplyDelete
  7. Laura Goggin PhotographyJune 15, 2009 at 10:38 AM

    You can probably pick up anything that was left for pennies at one of the sidewalk vendors.

    ReplyDelete
  8. hntrnycJune 15, 2009 at 11:53 AM

    Nice pix Grieve, as little as I was interested in buying anything at Virgin after my experience with Tower's closing, I did want to see what the store would look like empty.

    Nice score on the T-shirt, wish you would have snagged one for me.

    Would that Nordstrom concept be a Nordstrom Rack? Another Philenes Basment? I dunno, could be worse.

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  9. Laura Goggin PhotographyJune 15, 2009 at 12:00 PM

    Ooo...let's hope for a mega-cupcake/froyo/beer-garden extravaganza!

    ReplyDelete
  10. EV GrieveJune 15, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    Hmm... How about a place that ONLY caters to pub crawls and scavenger hunts?

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousJune 15, 2009 at 3:53 PM

    Should turn it into a MASH mental
    hospital unit for the young people in
    Union Sq.Park,could pay for itself
    by having a tattoo removal business
    for 40 year olds who realize a tattoo
    is like wearing a tee shirt you can never change.

    ReplyDelete

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