DTD Virgin Megastore Rumor Revisited

[rodkenrich]

,

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If they ever pull the plug on DisneyQuest, that building too is a natural fit for a Dave & Busters.....perhaps even more so than Virgin.

BobK/Orlando

 

[DC7800]

Dumb question time: What is a Dave & Busters?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Dumb question time: What is a Dave & Busters?

See http://www.daveandbusters.com/

Dave & Buster's is a "big box" restaurant, bar, and play zone aimed at 20- and 30-somethings. They have around four dozen locations across the United States.

There's nothing "Disney" about it. I hope this rumor is wrong.

Even though I have no desire to go to an ESPN Zone, at least an ESPN Zone would make some sense at Walt Disney World.

 

[doconeill]

Dave and Busters is a chain of restaurant/arcade combos:

http://www.daveandbusters.com/

However, when I last heard of the rumored closing of the Virgin shop, the proposed ESPN Zone (a similar concept) was to move there instead of taking the DisneyQuest location. I would think Disney would want to keep in the company first, but then again with what they seem to be doing with DTD...I'm suprised DisneyQuest wasn't also included in the 9/27 closures.

 

[DC7800]

There's nothing "Disney" about it.

So it would fit right in at Downtown Disney, huh?

Indeed, I hope that little rumor is wrong too.

 

[YoHo]

Exactly. In fact, it's more Disney than most of DTD.

I'll also say this, the handful of Dave and Busters that have the old Battletech Systems are really awesome. If DTD got one of those systems (they can't) I'd be much more inclined to book a trip.

 

[Another Voice]

Even though I have no desire to go to an ESPN Zone, at least an ESPN Zone would make some sense at Walt Disney World.

And, pray tell, what is exactly Disney about ESPN?

Are you a fan of Disney's history, Disney's style of entertainment, Disney's creative style - or are you just a cheerleader of a corporate balance sheet.

Just because its owned by The Walt Disney Company doesn't make it any more Disney than slapping a picture of Mickey Mouse on a bag of carrots.

 

[mitros]

Virgin Megastores throughout the country, including DTD, WILL be closing this summer. CEO Simon Wright announced today.

 

[disneyfan67]

Virgin Megastores throughout the country, including DTD, WILL be closing this summer. CEO Simon Wright announced today.

Downloading music over the internet has made music stores obsolete. It makes no business sense to have these mega stores trying to sell rack after rack of CDs, etc, when the i Pod generation doesn't buy Cd's anymore. I can't see too many conventional music stores surving anymore.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Virgin Megastores throughout the country, including DTD, WILL be closing this summer. CEO Simon Wright announced today.

Sorry to hear this. Here is the link:
http://www.netcot.com/thesite/2009/03/02/virgin-megastore-at-downtown-disney-to-close-may-31/

 

[zulemara]

My friends and I saw this coming with the big discounts being offered after the holidays. Snatch up the good stuff while they are still there and plan it right and get some good deals on stuff!

Gosh that building sure would make a swell club!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Another Voice-but then the Virgin Megastore was hardly Disney either. Although it would be nice to see something Disney again, it isn't likely to happen.

My guess is that it (or Disney Quest) will turn into a large ESPN Club. At least I might stop in there--we went once to the Virgin store but the god-awful blaring "music" they were playing drove us right back out.

 

[doconeill]

I'd argue that very little of what comprised all of DTD was "Disney" in that case.

ESPN Zone at least fits within the club nature of DTD/PI, and appeals to a group not previously serviced. And at least its a part of Disney The Corporation, unlike most of what's there now.

 

[Metro West]

Here's the link to the Sentinel story from this morning:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-virgin-megastores-disney-closing-030209,0,70301.story

 

[sdickison]

It was announced today that the Virgin Mega Store at Downtown Disney will close by the end of May of this year.



QUOTE=rodkenrich;27120753]Apparently, Virgin Entertainment Group has dismissed talk of the Virgin Megastore closing down, as just rumours. Virgin have no plans to close that store. I don't know if the rumor stems from the fact that the Virgin Mega Store in Times Square is due to close in the new year. The virgin stores in the US are not operated by the Branson group so the DTD location may stay open. Although, according to other sources that Dave and Busters through previous rumors in years past were planning on coming to O-town always seemed to focus on them looking at sites away Disney and closer to the Mall At Millennia or even at Festival Bay and not specifically eyeing the Virgin building. Certainly a building the size of the Virgin Megastore would be large enough to house a D&B site if needed.[/QUOTE]

 

[redrosesix]

I have to think that Disney pairing with Verizon rather than Virgin mobile probably meant that even cell phone and accessory sales were limited at that location. And how many people would purchase a Wii on their vacations?

 

[Tigger2ntinkerbell]

Virgin Megastores, including Disney location, will shut down this summer
Sandra Pedicini | Sentinel Staff Writer
6:18 PM EST, March 2, 2009
Virgin Megastore will close its stores around the nation this summer, including one at Downtown Disney West Side.

The company had previously announced plans to close a store in San Francisco and two in New York City. A company spokeswoman confirmed Monday afternoon that all six, including stores in Denver and Hollywood, will close this summer.

Virgin Megastores, which sell CD, DVDs and books, are part of Richard Branson's empire that includes Virgin Atlantic airlines and Virgin Music.

According to Virgin's Web site, the Downtown Disney store is the largest music and entertainment store in the Southeast, with more than 300 listening stations. It often held live performances and autograph signings.

Employees at the Downtown Disney store referred questions to a manager who was not on premises.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said Virgin's last day would be May 31. The store "enjoyed strong sales," she said, and Disney is in talks with several other retailers about filling the space.

Sales of CDs have been hit hard by not only by the recession but music fans' ability to download music off the Internet.

"There hasn't been any incredible mega-hits to drive customers into the stores," said Britt Beemer, Orlando-based chairman of America's Research Group, a retail polling firm. "The lack of anybody having grand slam music CDs has impacted them. When you add the Internet assault on top of it, you basically have a recipe for disaster."

 

[zulemara]

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez said Virgin's last day would be May 31. The store "enjoyed strong sales," she said, and Disney is in talks with several other retailers about filling the space.

So this is the second time Disney has said something had "strong sales" and yet they are closing. Disney must really think we are complete idiots. Stores with strong sales do not close.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

So this is the second time Disney has said something had "strong sales" and yet they are closing. Disney must really think we are complete idiots. Stores with strong sales do not close.

On this point, I must disagree with you. An individual store within a chain may have strong sales, but that doesn't matter if the entire chain is experiencing weak sales, or if the business that owns the chain is itself in financial trouble. If an entire chain closes, even the most successful stores within the chain will close with it.