J&R closing their doors

Sad News - J&R closing their doors, posted on April 10, 2014 at 22:41:52
DaveT Audiophile Posts: 1126 Location: Mid Atlantic (Wash, DC Area) Joined: September 25, 2000	I spent many a lunch hour wandering the various J&R stores on Park Row when I worked a contract in lower Manhattan in the late 90s. I have purchased electronics and music online from J&R since and returned home from Manhattan. Sorry to see the demise of a brick and mortar landmark, but glad to know they will remain an entity online. DaveT

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 04:44:34

middleground

J&R is still doing business on the interweb. I a have ordered a new cartridge on Wednesday and it was shipped yesterday. Can't wait for Monday!

Maybe folks should read the attached.

Mind you it could be just another dream that will not materialize, but at least, please, tell the whole story.

http://www.jr.com/information/contentb.jsp?contentPath=/Cont

Are they?, posted on April 11, 2014 at 05:51:49
Bromo33333 Audiophile Posts: 3502 Location: Ipswich, MA Joined: May 4, 2004	The announcement didn't say they are closing their doors permanently, but will be redeveloping the building. EIther Bloomberg got information J&R didn't put on thier website, or they are leaping to a conlcusion. ==== "You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you." ~ R A Wilson

RE: Are they?, posted on April 11, 2014 at 09:35:33
BlueMac Audiophile Posts: 100 Joined: January 11, 2001	End of an era. I learned about a lot of music from the knowing staff once postured there some 20 years ago. It was a pleaure to learn and talk music with them. Often, they'd bring performers and have small concerts right on-site. And prices? Their red/yellow sticker sales were amazingly cheap. Too bad. Sad to see the continuing end of brick and mortar music stores.

Hmm, dunno what the hell they really mean., posted on April 11, 2014 at 09:36:35
Rick W	I didn't find much wrong with J&R as presently constituted, and sure as hell don't have any need/desire for them to become a "social mecca". I'll hope for the best.

RE: Hmm, dunno what the hell they really mean., posted on April 11, 2014 at 11:39:03
sudz1234@yahoo.com Audiophile Posts: 2956 Joined: February 20, 2011	End of an era.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 12:08:58

Scottson
Audiophile

Posts: 706
Location: New York
Joined: July 13, 2004

As the article in today's New York Times suggests, there's no indication from J&R's statement (or in response to direct questioning) that the redevelopment will prioritize music or AV equipment retailing. What the statement said is that it will represent “an unprecedented retailing concept and social mecca.” The company refused to be more specific in response to questions about the nature of that retailing concept. IMO, it's very likely that the future development will reflect the imperatives of land values in that part of Manhattan. In other words, I think a return of a traditional (music) retail outlet on the scale of the recent incarnation of J&R is very unlikely.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/11/nyregion/patrons-ponder-neighborhoods-without-j-r-and-pearl-paint.html?ref=nyregion&_r=0

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 14:22:57
middleground	UR quite right, but since J&R still exists for Interweb sales the news of its death has as an entity been greatly exaggerated.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 14:47:51
Scottson Audiophile Posts: 706 Location: New York Joined: July 13, 2004	Yes, indeed, it still exists as a retail outlet on the web - but there it has (happily) plenty of competition. My post was just about the bricks & mortar version which was pretty much a one-stop shop for A/V needs in NYC.

Say it ain't so, posted on April 11, 2014 at 16:02:35
Alex F. Audiophile Posts: 877 Location: Florida Joined: February 29, 2004	Now I understand why their online selection of televisions is almost nonexistent. I have made purchases from J&R for many years. They were great for everything except high-end audio. Yesterday I went TV shopping there and the usual vast inventory was gone. If they do not return as a major AV retailer, I will now say thank you for the many years of enjoyable shopping!

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 16:15:02
fantja Audiophile Posts: 15524 Location: Alabama Joined: September 11, 2010	Thanks! for sharing.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 11, 2014 at 20:35:04
Bill the K Audiophile Posts: 8385 Joined: June 3, 2006	Just one of them stores like the ones on Canal and Chambers except they could advertise in NY Times. Bill

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 05:24:42
middleground	Name names then.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 06:58:02
Gary Audiophile Posts: 1296 Location: New York, NY Joined: April 21, 2000	That's completely untrue. J&R offered a very wide array of equipment choices backed by good prices. Their level of customer service was well beyond that offered by the stores in the areas you mentioned.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 07:13:09
Bill the K Audiophile Posts: 8385 Joined: June 3, 2006	Dont exist anymore. Chambers street guys razed to the ground by the urban renewal. Canal street guys have changed from the black robes to business suits and gone to Wall St. Cheers Bill

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 13:35:25

Chazro
Audiophile

Posts: 178
Location: W. Palm Bch, FL
Joined: March 14, 2008

It's kinda sad for me. I never bought a single piece of gear from J&R, but man, I bought a shitload of music from them back in the day. Their only competition back than was Tower Records. It became even more fun to go record shopping when I moved away fro NYC, gave me an excuse to go visit one of my favorite places on the planet, downtown Manhatten. Going up those scrungy stairs to get to the Jazz dept. always made me happy as I never knew WHAT I'd find, but I'd always find something! But I haven't visited in years. Just thinking how yesterday I spent some time buying tunes online, found some great stuff, but the buying experience is nowhere near as much fun!

Obviously he can't. nt, posted on April 12, 2014 at 13:37:32
Rick W	nt

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 13:48:06
Cameraman Audiophile Posts: 396 Location: 33701 Joined: September 25, 2011	I went almost every day since the very beginning, some of the music sales people were very knowledgable. Lets see what happens when they come back?? Thanx

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 12, 2014 at 17:52:02
suretyguy Audiophile Posts: 3022 Location: western Missouri Joined: October 9, 2001	Your comment is simply not true, especially if the subject is the selection of music available at J&R in its heyday. None of the stores on Chambers or Canal had anything like J&R's comprehensive inventory in virtually every genre. And none of those stores had anything even remotely like J&R's breadth and depth of electronics.

RE: J&R closing their doors, posted on April 14, 2014 at 14:52:32

JoeKool
Audiophile

Posts: 896
Location: NYC
Joined: May 9, 2003

The inescapable march of "progress"...burp.

They had their run, totally enjoyed their presence on Park Row, their sponsored free outdoor concerts across the street, saw Kenny Garret and many others back in the late 80's and 90's.
I bought my AR The Turntable there in the late 80's and boatloads of records.
But by the turn of the century, they had their share of 'dumb' sales folks, and when they installed the Bose sound room...well...figure it out.

We all miss the familiar.

General Asylum

J&R closing their doors

71.59.217.145