319:. Both HMV and Virgin looked at stores but decided not to purchase. In July 2003, southern England-based music retailer Powerplay bought four stores (Lowestoft, Bedford, Hull and Loughborough) from the administrators. The company purchased a further two (Hereford and Worcester) in September 2003. All stores have since shut their doors and Powerplay now concentrates on online sales under the name Powerplay Direct although it has now opened a new store in Leicester.
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289:. Following a disappointing Christmas in 2002, Gray decided to go back to his roots and started to sell imports at cut-throat prices. Thousands of titles were slashed in price in January 2003, many normally retailing at £10.99 were reduced to £6.99, and £15.99/£16.99 became £10.99/£12.99. Around this time, the chain had a minor facelift with new styling and decor in most stores and new uniforms for staff.
162:. Initially, Andy's Records was well known for undercutting competitors by importing records from Europe at a bargain price and then passing the savings on to customers. The chain's expansion was slow and steady, and by the early 1980s the company had 12 stores across the east of England with two shops in
338:, from Bury St Edmunds (actually behind the old Andy's Records head office). The initials 'BGO' are shared with 'The Beat Goes On', the name of Andy's former second-hand, rare and deleted specialist shop in Cambridge. BGO is now the fourth largest reissue label in the UK and specialises in niche genres.
282:, the chain started to flounder. When major competitors, such as HMV or Virgin, were present, their campaigns were better than Andy's, and recent chart albums were available at much lower prices, due to their bulk buying power. The chain's marketing was not up to the standard of the bigger chains.
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The company, buoyed by the relatively new formats of VHS and CD, started to aggressively expand out of the Anglia region. Deciding that southern
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After some immediate closures due to unprofitability, the chain was whittled down to 10 and started to sell all of its stock at discounted prices. All stores eventually shut on
Saturday 13 September 2003, although the
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By the mid-1990s, the company had climbed into the Top 500 of UK companies and boasted a portfolio of more than 30 stores. By this time, Andy's
Records had stopped selling cheap imports and started to compete with
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After more store closures in 2001 and 2002, the chain was down to a roster of just under 30 stores and lost its claim to be the largest independent chain, being replaced by the up-and-coming
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The directors realised that they would be unable to meet the next quarter's rental payments and called in the administrators RSM Robson Rhodes in conjunction with
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pier in 1969 and within five years had acquired a stall on
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New stores started to be opened as Andy's, dropping the
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Independent
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as a premium music retailer. The chain was too small to compete with these two, but too large to undercut competitors.
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431:Categories
342:References
287:Music Zone
272:Warrington
240:Music Week
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392:22 August
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164:Cambridge
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