[SSLL]

That's not good news for Toronto's Virgin Megastore plans (at Metropolis). Isn't there one nearby it already? I hate how HMV is driving everyone else away, it's getting near anti-competitive. Tower Records cited HMV's dominance as one of the two reasons it closed its two stores in the GTA, the other reason being their own financial troubles.
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HMV to Open Canada’s largest store dedicated to music and DVD

For Immediate Release. Toronto, ON. June 28, 2005

HMV Canada Inc, Canada’s leading music retailer and fastest-growing DVD chain, announces today that it will open the country’s largest store dedicated to music and DVD, on the site currently occupied by Virgin Megastore in Vancouver, B.C.. As a result, Virgin’s only Canadian Virgin Megastore, located on Vancouver’s Burrard Street, will cease from trading under the Virgin brand name on September 4th, 2005. as Virgin Entertainment Group has decided to withdraw from the Canadian marketplace to enable resources to be fully focused on its retail business in the United States

The 40,000 square foot, three-level store is located on the corner of Robson Street and Burrard Street in central Vancouver, the city’s busiest and most prestigious retail destination.

When it opens for business on September 4 2005, the new HMV flagship location will offer the most extensive selection of CD’s and DVDs in a single store in Canada, with access to a range of more than 400,000 different titles.

With eight stores already located in the greater Vancouver area, and a further two stores opening in Burnaby the summer of 2005 in Lougheed Town Centre and Metrotown Centre, HMV will be the city’s number one music retailer and fastest-growing DVD chain.

Humphrey Kadaner, President of HMV Canada, commented:

“Vancouver is a key market for HMV. Not only is it Canada’s third largest city, but Vancouver also has a great music and movies tradition, making it a fitting location to open HMV Canada’s biggest store to date. Our prime retail location on the corner of Robson and Burrard puts HMV right at the heart of a city which is preparing to ‘welcome the world’ for the 2010 Olympics, and we are delighted to offer Canada’s biggest selection of music and DVD from our new store.”


Employees of the Vancouver Virgin Megastore will be offered continuous employment with HMV. Virgin Entertainment Group wishes to thank all of its staff, customers and suppliers for their support of the Vancouver Virgin Megastore.

About HMV
With over 80+ years of music retailing history, 370 stores worldwide and 102 stores in Canada and growing, HMV is the world's premier retailer of music. HMV is Canada's leading music retailer and it's fastest growing DVD destination. HMV has proven itself as an innovative leader in Canada since 1986 and has been named Canadian Music Retailer of the Year for the past 17 years and most recently named Canadian DVD Retailer of the Year - making HMV the only retailer in Canada to receive both honours in the same year. HMV.com, which launched in July 1999, is now powered by Amazon.ca, and offers Canada's largest on-line music and DVD selection.