HMV has opened a new store at The Meadows Shopping Centre in Chelmsford, Essex, on June 26, ending an eight-year absence from the city. The iconic music retailer, which fell into administration in 2018, was rescued by Canadian billionaire Doug Putnam, a vinyl enthusiast who also owns Sunrise Records.
Store Details and Inventory
The new outlet occupies a 3,930 sq ft space formerly used by Next. It stocks over 20,000 items including 3,000 vinyl records, 7,500 CDs, 5,500 film and TV boxsets, and 3,000 collectibles. The merchandise also features Star Wars memorabilia, KPop Demon Hunters items, and more than 200 T-shirt designs.
Phil Halliday, Managing Director at HMV and Fopp, said: "The search for a new home is over, and we couldn't be happier to bring HMV back to Chelmsford. The shop looks brilliant and is a testament to all the hard work the team have put into it over the past few weeks."
History and Revival
HMV first opened on Oxford Street, London, in July 1921, with classical composer Sir Edward Elgar officiating the launch. The brand's name stands for "His Master's Voice," and its logo features a dog named Nipper listening to a gramophone. After collapsing in 2018—its second crisis in six years—Putnam acquired the chain and has since expanded to over 120 locations across the UK and Ireland, as well as trading in Belgium and the Netherlands through Sunrise Records.
