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This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022

 

Flagship London store to close

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This post has 31 Replies | 2 Followers

355f
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355f Posted: Wed, Aug 17 2016 2:23 PM

The b&o flagship store just off new Bond Street will close very shortly

Duels
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Duels replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 2:26 PM
Rent in Knightsbridge must be hellishly expensive.
Paul W
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Paul W replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 3:44 PM

Is that the one opposite Harrods? I always thought that was so silly having one there when Harrods sold the same stuff! Gotta say, the Harrods staff on B&O has always been truly fantastic. The manager used to greet and shake my hand whenever I merely walked past the section on my way to the HMV in there!

I never went in the B&O shop as it looked small and uninviting to me. I guess that's the problem of having a shop that only sells B&O. 

BEOVOX141
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BEOVOX141 replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 5:20 PM

Paul W:

I never went in the B&O shop as it looked small and uninviting to me. I guess that's the problem of having a shop that only sells B&O. 

Spot on!

That goes for most of the dedicated stores, With the dwindling number of products they are rather uninspiring. 

Actually to the point where you sometimes feel sorry for the sales guys in the usually empty store, when you as B&O recommends, "contact your dealer" for free technical assistance! That is properly not going to take care of his mortgage.

On a side note: Years ago, in the town where I live there were FOUR shops carrying the B&O lineup, today NONE!

...Although three stores still sell TV and Audio gear!  

Presence is everything!

malcolm welborn
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new bond st not Kensington so take it one near harrods still open

malcolm

seethroughyou
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This shop was on one of busiest shopping streets in central London. A deeply concerning sign of the times.

.

 

 

Present: BL90, Core, BL6000, CD7000, Beogram 7000, Essence Remote.

Past: BL1, BL2, BL8000, BS9000, BL5, BC2, BS5, BV5, BV4-50, Beosystem 3, BL3, DVD1, Beoremote 4, Moment.

.

9 LEE
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9 LEE replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 5:34 PM

It's the Hanover Square branch you're talking about.

Astronomically expensive, but to some degree necessary!  A premium brand should have a premium presence.

However, there may be things here we don't know about..  Leases, Premiums, Relocation - who knows.

I'm still of the mind that you don't buy something expensive you've never heard of - and a worrying amount of people have never heard of Bang & Olufsen these days.

Lee

355f
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355f replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 5:47 PM

Yes Hanover square

markiedee
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markiedee replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 6:30 PM

Have to say the one opposite harrods, is where i got my beolab17s from and later my lab14s the staff have treated me with nothing but the upmost respect and i rate them highly.

I like places where they don't judge you on your appearance colour or what they think you have in your pocket, but treat you as important as the next person. At that store is exactly how they treated me staff are good to deal with there.

Beoplay A2

Jeff
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Jeff replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 7:15 PM

My "local" dealer (if you can call an hour and a half drive away local but he's the only dealer in the state) is located in the highest end mall in the city of Atlanta, Phipps Plaza. Rent there has to be completely eye bleeding, and he has a small space that has only one room that is really setup to be acoustically good, the one where the 85 inch Avant is located. The rest of the auditions are on an open floor that doesn't really show off the equipment well, but it is attractively displayed. As for the dealer himself and his staff, always very friendly, and very helpful. When I first went there it was to try and find a connector adapter so I could plug an FM antenna into my BS9000, as I'd lost mine. He went in the back and just gave me an entire antenna, dipole with a long cable ending in the right connector. I've bought all of my Play stuff, only two pieces (H6 and Beolit 15) from him. He and his staff are exactly what I'd expect from a high end maker like B&O, attentive, helpful, polite, no snobbery. But every time I've been there I've maybe seen one other person wander thru the shop which is not great.

 

Jeff

I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus. Sad

Paul W
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Paul W replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 7:21 PM

That's really nice MarkLeeDee. I looked in the window many times at the A8 before I bought one from the Apple store a while back. To me, it just did not look inviting. But seriously, these people are simply selling dead, materialistic products. Any fool can buy something. I guess it's human perception. Now if they were selling a prevention for cancer or ageing or offering to pay for me to study for my PHD, then i'd understand ;)

PhilLondon
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The store belonged to B&O themselves. (Like the Selfridges store)

The day I wanted to visit the store for the first time I went passed it 3 times without seeing it!

I was always well served well there.

Beoworld app with direct photo upload and emoticons.

Mr 10Percent
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Maybe  they should consider adding a few extra products that will match the local clientele needs better;

B&O Branded Spring-water in a bottle

B&O Branded Gym Equipment

B&O Branded Gym Mirrors

B&O Branded Lycra

B&O Branded Tanning Supplements

B&O (Rebranded GNC) Protein supplements

That’ll pack’em in fast and boost the P+L sheets.  And maybe they can collar a few punters with some new earphones too.

9 LEE
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9 LEE replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 9:24 PM

Paul W:

That's really nice MarkLeeDee. I looked in the window many times at the A8 before I bought one from the Apple store a while back. To me, it just did not look inviting. But seriously, these people are simply selling dead, materialistic products. Any fool can buy something. I guess it's human perception. Now if they were selling a prevention for cancer or ageing or offering to pay for me to study for my PHD, then i'd understand ;)

Am I the only person to think that post was, ummm, baffling?

Why did you buy a B&O product from the Apple Store for starters, when your local B&O dealership needs the money far more than Apple?  

Secondly, if B&O are simply dead, materialistic products - why do you buy them, and come on here to talk about them?!

Lee

 

Duels
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Duels replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 9:33 PM
9 LEE:

Am I the only person to think that post was, ummm, baffling?

Nope.
StUrrock
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StUrrock replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 9:50 PM

Paul W:

 

That's really nice MarkLeeDee. I looked in the window many times at the A8 before I bought one from the Apple store a while back. To me, it just did not look inviting. But seriously, these people are simply selling dead, materialistic products. Any fool can buy something. I guess it's human perception. Now if they were selling a prevention for cancer or ageing or offering to pay for me to study for my PHD, then i'd understand ;)

 

 

Have you been drinking or taking any other mood altering substances?

StUrrock
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StUrrock replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 9:57 PM

The world is changing fast, I applaud B&O for changes in order to be up to date.

However, their store concept business (for privately owned stores ) seems to be so far out of touch it is unreal.

In the central London, I believe  B&O themselves own Harrod's and Selfridges concession, Knightsbridge, Hanover Square and I think the Play store in Marylebone High St.

Sorry with those overheads they must be losing bundles of cash. Fot the current state of Play (pardon the pun!) that is by far too many stores!

FYI here are the accounts of Authenticity;

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01434270/filing-history/MzE0MzcxODg5NmFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0

elephant
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elephant replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 10:15 PM
355f:

Yes Hanover square

Wasn't this the store they open a year ago as a brave new start in marketing Surprise

BeoNut since '75

Duels
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Duels replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 10:31 PM

deleted

vikinger
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vikinger replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 10:57 PM

StUrrock:

The world is changing fast, I applaud B&O for changes in order to be up to date.

However, their store concept business (for privately owned stores ) seems to be so far out of touch it is unreal.

In the central London, I believe  B&O themselves own Harrod's and Selfridges concession, Knightsbridge, Hanover Square and I think the Play store in Marylebone High St.

Sorry with those overheads they must be losing bundles of cash. Fot the current state of Play (pardon the pun!) that is by far too many stores!

FYI here are the accounts of Authenticity;

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01434270/filing-history/MzE0MzcxODg5NmFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0

Accountants treated it as a Going Concern on the basis that there was a parent company letter??? In my experience parent company letters, letters of intent, parent company guarantees etc are often of questionable value.

Graham

mcm
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mcm replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 11:34 PM

I have nothing but praise for the B&O store opposite Harrods - allways helpful and very knowledgable about B&O products past and present. So I am glad that this store is not the one closing down. The one in Hannover square is hidden away behind the cross rail construction mess and is not very obvious when you pass by (small sign and very small shopping window), so I am not surprised that this store is closing or relocating...the footfall cannot have been very large which kind of defies the whole idea of a flagship store.

vikinger
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vikinger replied on Wed, Aug 17 2016 11:44 PM

mcm:

I have nothing but praise for the B&O store opposite Harrods - allways helpful and very knowledgable about B&O products past and present. So I am glad that this store is not the one closing down. The one in Hannover square is hidden away behind the cross rail construction mess and is not very obvious when you pass by (small sign and very small shopping window), so I am not surprised that this store is closing or relocating...the footfall cannot have been very large which kind of defies the whole idea of a flagship store.

Maybe they will have a loss of profits claim against CrossRail.

mike2016
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mike2016 replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 7:30 AM

This is my local B & O store. The staff have always been incredibly helpful. Very sorry to learn it's closing. The only consolation is that there are several more in London.

Puncher
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Puncher replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 7:57 AM

Paul W:

That's really nice MarkLeeDee. I looked in the window many times at the A8 before I bought one from the Apple store a while back. To me, it just did not look inviting. But seriously, these people are simply selling dead, materialistic products. Any fool can buy something. I guess it's human perception. Now if they were selling a prevention for cancer or ageing or offering to pay for me to study for my PHD, then i'd understand ;)

Seriously, just stop.  You are recognised by most as the most materialistic person on this forum, you cannot mention a single item without it having a designer name in front of it, and now you have started posting born again, new-age hippy sh1t. You have become a laughing stock.

If the thought of people owning a large TV or aspiring to new speakers offends your sensibilities then please find a new webhome with people of a similar outlook where your views will be embraced, maybe raffia_shirts.com instead of Paul Smith or papiermache_bicyles.org instead of Cervelo.

Ban boring signatures!

Duels
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Duels replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 8:58 AM
Puncher. Much as I agree with your sentiments I think Paul w is now simply doing this to wind people up.
vikinger
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vikinger replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 9:06 AM

Duels:
Puncher. Much as I agree with your sentiments I think Paul w is now simply doing this to wind people up.

Paul W is just being Paul W. I checked the archive to look for earlier wind-ups, in the days when Paul W was Paul Winn. To my surprise all of Paul Winn's posts have been deleted, and Paul Winn does not exist in the list of members. However a search for Paul Winn brings up all the replies to his posts where the reply included a quote of his original.

Graham

Duels
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Duels replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 2:22 PM
vikinger:

Paul W is just being Paul W. I checked the archive to look for earlier wind-ups, in the days when Paul W was Paul Winn. To my surprise all of Paul Winn's posts have been deleted, and Paul Winn does not exist in the list of members. However a search for Paul Winn brings up all the replies to his posts where the reply included a quote of his original.

Graham

I will bow to your greater experience of this phenomenon Graham!
vikinger
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vikinger replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 3:25 PM

Duels:
vikinger:

 

Paul W is just being Paul W. I checked the archive to look for earlier wind-ups, in the days when Paul W was Paul Winn. To my surprise all of Paul Winn's posts have been deleted, and Paul Winn does not exist in the list of members. However a search for Paul Winn brings up all the replies to his posts where the reply included a quote of his original.

Graham

I will bow to your greater experience of this phenomenon Graham!

It's all still there. If you use Google rather than the Beoworld search function it all comes up.

moxxey
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moxxey replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 3:33 PM

355f:

The b&o flagship store just off new Bond Street will close very shortly

Am I right or wrong in saying that this store has only (fairly) recently opened? 2015?

Slightly worrying if B&O themselves - making more of a profit from their own products - can't make their own store work. Doesn't give out a great signal to potential new franchise owners!

Did someone say there's a Play store in Marleybone? I might pay that store a visit on Monday when I'm in London. Where's it located?

BeoMegaMan
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9 LEE:

Paul W:

That's really nice MarkLeeDee. I looked in the window many times at the A8 before I bought one from the Apple store a while back. To me, it just did not look inviting. But seriously, these people are simply selling dead, materialistic products. Any fool can buy something. I guess it's human perception. Now if they were selling a prevention for cancer or ageing or offering to pay for me to study for my PHD, then i'd understand ;)

Am I the only person to think that post was, ummm, baffling?

Why did you buy a B&O product from the Apple Store for starters, when your local B&O dealership needs the money far more than Apple?  

Secondly, if B&O are simply dead, materialistic products - why do you buy them, and come on here to talk about them?!

Lee

 

 

Exactly! Get him! Angry

Ah, you know... A little B&O here, a little there 

Jeff
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Jeff replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 4:36 PM

The Beoworld search function is almost as bad as the one on a big simulation project I worked on. It was supposed to be an integrated development environment where all the specs and use cases and such were documented and easy to look up. In reality if you searched for something it returned everything but what you searched for, it's as if you Googled "B&O" and it gave you every electronic makers pages except B&O.

As for PaulW, I think Paul is actually flappo when he's on his meds and slightly less insane. Think about it. Stick out tongue

Jeff

I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus. Sad

KMA
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KMA replied on Thu, Aug 18 2016 4:43 PM
BeoMegaMan:

Exactly! Get him!

Ah, you know... A little B&O here, a little there

Easy now: I'm sure 4K surf videos are spectacular on a small screen.

KMA

B&O product history since 1991: Ridiculously long to list in a signature.

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