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MUSIC RETAILER DOLPHIN Discs will close after 40 years in its store on Talbot Street, Dublin, the owner said today.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, owner Paul O’Reilly said the decision was made to close the store over the last couple of months as sales declined between 30 and 40 per cent in the last three years.
“People just don’t have the same disposable income they had before to spend on music and DVDs and with people downloading, the business just isn’t there”, he said.
O’Reilly’s father originally set up the music store in Dolphin’s Barn 1948 and the shop continued to be a family business as he joined his father in the 70s.
“It is sad, because it’s been a family business, even my own children have been involved in it but it has become a burden”, O’Reilly said. “We’re not alone in this though, a few music stores have had to close because people just don’t have the money anymore.”
Irish names like Gerry Ryan and Bono have shopped in the Talbot Street store over the years as well as some international stars like Gregory Peck, Prince and in the last year Bruce Springsteen.
O’Reilly said this is not the end for him in music retail as he plans to bring the business online by Christmas.
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Shame, damn you iTunes!
Can’t really blame iTunes for this one. Digital downloads were about beforehand. Apple just found a way of getting people to pay for em. Problem exists as the attitude towards music has altered. Albums are perceived as free, and gigs are where the losses are recouped
I know Eoghan, i still hate iTunes though. Anyone who thinks Steve Jobs was a master of usability has obviously never suffered it deleting your music library and your contacts.
Damn you iTunes!
Sad to read this, browsing in a record or book shop is more enjoyable than clicking a mouse,
A Shame they are closing. i used to buy a lot of 12″‘s in their back in the 80′s. I wonder why the owners left it so long to have an online presence. The writing has been on the wall for independent retailers for at leas the past 7/8 years. Also my buying habits have changed over the years, i shop on-line for CD’s/DVD’s
Sign of the times, Recession or no recession these place are just dying out.
*dieting
God famn auto correct i give up.
Yup, online music purchasing is killing off family stores like this. Shame.
Ah here leave it bleeding out (sorry)
So sad to hear this :(
How about record companies actually make the physical CD a viable option by putting more content into the packaging and not taking things out to bring down the price? Most CDs now have a slim booklet with no lyrics and hardly any artwork. The point of the CD is physical ownership so how about making it worthwhile and separate it from MP3?
What about video content on the disc? Limited edition prints? Better booklets with lyrics exclusive artwork and pictures? Physical memorabilia or additional discounts on the artists other work?
Id happily buy CDs if they put the effort into them because purely based on price the digital format wins hands down
Any business that sells anything that can be bought digitally – music, movies, books etc – is in trouble. Adding extras won’t make any difference. The number of people who actually want to physically own the disks or books is falling at a big rate and those that are left will not be enough to keep these shops in business. The result of this will be the profits being focussed on a few global companies – Amazon, Apple etc – and a big loss to local businesses. The same is happening with clothes – peoples initial reluctance to buy without trying them on is fading and the move online is happening there too…..
Have to disagree Diarmaid, Classic Rock magazine have put together some incredible offerings at reasonable prices for new albums the past two years and have been enormously successful. Slash’s new record came with poster, badges, full magazine, and an exclusive booklet along with exclusive bonus songs. I was very excited about it and rushed out to buy it, and I’m a regular downloader!
And that’s not to say I disagree with your entire post! Just the part about effort to sell physical copies not making any difference whatsoever! I agree with the inevitable move toward the mega suppliers Amazon, Apple etc.
plus one on that Jonathan, have a load if vinyl 12′s from Dolphin here.
Aside from the records it was a Dublin landmark.
Good luck with the online business.
I think it’s only partially recession related. It’s far more about online retail, particularly iTunes and even just streaming music from YouTube.
Physically selling music media is really something that’s turned from mainstream into a very niche business. There will always be a market for it, but even that’s largely being met by online retailers with obscure back catalogue stuff.
It’s a shame to see these businesses disappear, but I think it’s just a reflection of a very dramatic change in technology.
It’s just a classic and very dramatic marketing paradigm shift. The whole distribution model has changed and the old ways of doing business just no longer make sense. It’s a bit like how neighbourhood cinemas disappeared when television arrived.
Sorry to read about this closure, was always a great stockist of quality Irish music. Good luck with their online business.
Another nail in the coffin for home grown companies
It was no Road Records but sorry to see any independent record shop closing.
Shame… Bought some nice vinyl there. Shops like this one – and Road Records – will be missed!
I can remember browsing in there in the late 70′s early 80′s- flipping through all the vinyl records. Although I think I bought my music in golden discs. Those were the days.
Xtra vision will be next, mark my words…
Really people, this is going to happen more and more.
Haven’t bought a CD or DVD in years.
Joy of physical disc in your hand or smell of books is easily replaced by convenience of having so much material on a phone or computer and having instant access to downloads and no storage space at home required.
It’s the future of the business and not all downloads are illegal or free.
call me old fashioned but there is nothing like owning your own disc or l p now there is something most of those commenting don’t even remember I do agree that added extras may benefit but I don’t want to even try understanding why kids today think that getting free music off the internet does affect all those in the music industry and I am not just talking about the front men I am talking about the engineers the producers the lady who cleans the studio the staff in back up the printers who do the sleeves etc it goes on and on and it is sad to think that the youth of today don’t seem to understand the economics of the whole thing and the amount of people truly affected by illegal download so am saddened that dolphin discs is to disappear and feel that the Dublin of my youth slowly fades into memory and the streets I loved are dying under the worst economic downturn in the last 100 yrs
I’m sorry to hear yet another business close, and have to agree with Cathy, I’m a mad reader and no Kindle or the like could ever replace the feel and smell of a book, and you get to keep it, physically!
GREAT SHOP!!!
Sad to see it go
Its very sad to see so many great shops closing down and not one Government Minister doing anything about it
Maybe our Ministers should get out of Our Mercs. and go for a walk down the streets of Ireland and talk to the owners of these businesses and give them some Help instead of Bending over Backwards for these Large
Multinationals that are using this Country as a Tax Heaven can these Ministers not see whats going on. The way things are going at the moment the only Shops that will be left in Ireland will be Knocking Shops,
WAKE up Ministers and do a bit of Work?? ( Work!! sure they woulden’t on Batteries)
Xtra vision will be next, mark my words….
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