Marbecks announced today that it was selling its Queens Arcade store back to Roger Marbeck, who will run it as a specialist store focussing on Classical and jazz, retaining the classical staff only. Marbecks are also shutting their online store, and Marbecks Digital, as their business partner with digital, Digirama, is shutting down here Digirama also provide FlyBuys Music technology. In late February Marbecks closed their Lower Hutt store, and the manager of that store then opened his own indie store nearby.
Important Announcement for Marbecks Online, Digital & Classical Customers.
"As the Marbecks business continues to develop in the direction of hospitality & food, there are further changes for the existing retail and online businesses.
It is with pleasure that we announce that we have entered into an arrangement with Roger Marbeck to take over the Classical retail business in Queens Arcade. In a true case of back to the future, it was Roger's grandfather Alfie that started Marbecks as a classical store in the Arcade in 1934, and the Marbeck family that built a legendary music retail business there until they sold in 2006. We're sure that customers will be delighted with the news that Roger has decided to step back into retail, also retaining the existing knowledgeable classical staff in Queens Arcade. Roger will be setting up a new store mid-April [right next door to the old] focussing on classical & jazz, and be carrying on the wonderful Marbecks retail service in the Arcade for many years to come.
With this development, the closure of several other Marbecks retail music stores, the continuing declining sales in physical CDs and DVDs, and the change in direction for the current business, it has been decided that our current website selling CDs, DVDs and books Marbecks Online will close for orders on the 30th April 2013.
Marbecks will be looking to develop a refreshed and revitalised online presence with the www.marbecks.co.nz domain as the hospitality business develops, so you will be hearing from us in the not too distant future, but for now, we will no longer be taking orders from 30th April 2013.
As it happens, this coincides with our digital platform provider, Digirama, also announcing that they will be ceasing to offer an a la carte digital service in New Zealand, so the last day of trade for our digital store www.marbecksdigital.co.nz will also be the 30th April 2013.
For all our online customers we are extremely grateful for your custom and support over the years. Without you, we wouldn't have had anywhere near the same amount of fun and passion for music in our lives, and we thank you kindly for all of your purchases over the years.
Roger Marbeck plans to offer a classical online store at www.marbecksclassical.co.nz - and as stated above, you will be hearing from us soon as we redevelop our online presence for the hospitality business.
Customers can redeem existing gift cards online until the 30th April 2013, after that they can continue to be redeemed in our stores in Wall St Dunedin, Riccarton Mall Christchurch, The Plaza Palmerston North and in our Queens Arcade Clearance Store Auckland.
In the immortal words of Douglas Adams "So long, and thanks for all the fish."
Marbecks is now owned by Alfies Records, trading as Marbecks. Alfies is 100% owned by Ode Records (partly owned by Roger Marbeck, who is listed as sole director), according to the Companies Office website.
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