High end stores closing do you really care


In the last 5 years alot of high-end audio shops have closed or made there emphasis home theater. At first I was really concerned by this but now I could care less. In the past month I have been shopping for interconnects and record cleaner. I have talked to my local stores and they either don't carry what I'm looking for or don't really care. It's easier for me to call the Cable company in Pa (I'm in Ca) And have them send me some cables to Audition. Or to call Music Direct or Acoustic sounds for record fluid. There is only 1 or 2 descent places to get an audition of equipment in general and there brands are limited or they never have anything in stock. One dealer admitted to me that if he didn't have capital from other sources he would of closed down years ago. As much as I love high-end audio the reality
is once guys my age get ready for retirement there will be very few buyers and not enough to keep a brick and mortal store open. The only way the high-end will survive is by mail order and internet sales and I still think it will be a very small market. Like my father always used to tell me " Nothing is forever"
taters

Showing 1 response by jmcgrogan2

My local high end shop closed in the Fall of '04. To be honest, I don't really miss it, as I never felt comfortable in there anyway. I bought a few items in there over the years, but not enough for the salesmen to treat me like a human being. Sure, they fawned over the guys who threw mega bucks in their direction, I guess that's just human nature. I do miss being able to see/hear the latest toys, though the hear part is a stretch, as I much prefer listening to gear in my system than in any dealer's showroom. I' do not miss the snobbery though.

I do agree with Jab that the death of B&M stores ties in with the squeezing of the middle class. You can see it everywhere in society today from the Wal-Marts to all of the new sport stadiums with their abundance of luxury boxes. Compared to 20-30 years ago, there are many more rich and many more poor, while the middle class has shrunk.
Many need two incomes these days to make ends meet, unlike 30 years ago. Time marches on, it is called progress, isn't it???

John