Hi,

The notion that the likes of Liverpool, Bath and Worcester were "profitable and successful stores" is laughable, frankly. Roundhay was a decent, moderately profitable store, not wildly so by any means, but it did solid, though unspectacular, business. You can choose to believe that or not, but it's a fact.

As I wrote, it's simply a question of how best to use your time. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the Bang & Olufsen business model, but it requires a lot of skill and hard graft to make really good money, particularly in the current climate. If you can do something else and make considerably more money for considerably less work, you'd be a fool not to.

I'm always a bit saddened when any B&O store decides to call it a day, for any reason.

Thing is, this has happened before in Leeds and probably with a much higher profile, anyone remember De Cobains in the St Johns centre,  that's where I got my 6500 system - I still treasure the reciepts ( odd what Beoworlders are like I suppose).They also had a branch in Bradford I believe.

 Before that there was a dealer on Vicar Lane, it became the Sony centre. There was also that place on Easterly Road( Millers - just rembered), they sold all sorts of stuff and were not a franchised dealer, but it was so long ago that maybe there was a differant business structure.

 I'm trying to think of other B&O outlets in Leeds past, I think it was either Lewis's or Schofiled who also sold the Beosystem 5000 but didn't stock anything after that, I also vaguelly something in or around the Merrion centre.

Stuff changes, comes goes for all sort of reasons.

There was one in Wetherby, and its the only one I was pleased to see go down, I went in looking to buy and was ignored and then condescended toward, and I actually had the readies to spend.

The irony of the Vicar Lane store, for those who know the current ending, is that the Sony store changed, it now a B&O store again.

There are not many dealers making money out of the B&O franchise . The notion that B&O as a company is 'buying up' the successful stores in the UK is of course a complete nonsense.

Obviously, its not good policy for a company to allow the shutters to fall on so many shops so better to keep some open than closed.

beocraig:

Hi all,

Director and shareholder of the store here. Some of you are thereabouts, most are utterly clueless, so here goes...

Good luck with whatever you're doing next, Herbie.

However, if the store was that profitable and successful, B&O would take it over (like they have with the Bath, Liverpool and Worcester stores, amongst others), then revamp them to be re-allocated to another franchisee. Whilst we might be 'clueless' in your opinion, it's not too difficult to figure that a single Leeds centre store if probably more than sufficient, in B&O UK's opinion, to cover the needs of the surrounding area.

Sorry you feel that some of us here are clueless Herbie - I hope that kind of high-handed attitude didn't percolate down to your sales staff, as if it did, no wonder you had to close the store. The fact remains that Roundhay is miles out of the town centre, and I'd be surprised if your sales figures didn't take a huge knock when the city centre store opened. Are you expecting us to believe that they didn't? 

Had a customer call me this morning saying that Roundhay had a pair of BeoLab 5, BeoLab 9, and a BV4 50" HD with BeoSystem 3 all with 25% off..  It has been confirmed this is indeed true.

Bad news for B&O, good news for the customers!

Lee