HMV rocks back to life with new flagship store

HMV is back in Dublin – but not as you know it.

The well-known music retailer has made a return to Ireland following a turbulent decade that saw all shops across Ireland close down amid the streaming boom.

HMV shut their doors for good in 2016, but in the meantime, physical media has seen something of an unlikely comeback.

Canadian businessman Doug Putman took over the company in 2019, and against all odds, helped turn a profit for the retailer.

Once a hotbed for films, games, television boxsets, and CDs, HMV has accordingly moved with the times.

Putman pivoted towards catering to fan culture and merchandise as a way to help HMV adjust to the brave new world of fans calling the shots in pop culture, with the master stroke coming in the form of championing local acts with the “Live and Local” series of in-store performances.

Acts such as Cian Ducort, KLDD, Nessa McHugh, Eppie, and Ava performed during the first weekend of the shop’s new life, and knowing that there is a steady stream of local up and coming acts ready to strut their stuff at the local HMV is incredibly tempting for music fans across Dublin.

As soon as you enter the Henry Street shop you are greeted on the left with a wall of cute plushies designed to make you go “aww” and on the right, your eyes are drawn to the NECA action figures of horror movie icons Jason, Michael and Ash as well as a generous helping of Dungeons and Dragons merchandise.

A wall of Funko Pops adorns the wall the deeper you go into the shop, with a healthy serving of band t-shirts completing the ground floor experience.

On the floor below that, superhero fans are well-served by a bustling graphic novels section along with enough action figures to make you daydream about winning the Lotto so you can afford all of them.

In comparison to Tower Records, which occupies the top floor of Eason’s on O’Connell Street along with its flagship shop on Dawson Street, HMV is gunning for the mainstream as opposed to the niche, but it has an ace up its sleeve.

HMV has not forgotten its music roots, and there is still a strong music heart to the beloved retailer, but the focus on merchandise and other elements of fan culture could be something of a culture shock to someone who walks into HMV expecting 3 floors of music.

Indeed, all your music needs are fulfilled on the third floor where a stage is present, along with an extensive and exhaustive army of vinyls and turntables for purchase.

A fun detail is a notice board to the left of the stage where bands can place flyers promoting their upcoming concerts, and it feeds into the High Fidelity/Almost Famous dream of having a dedicated place for looking, talking, and breathing music with like-minded people.

Tables of books that were made into films along with books from famous rockstars sit near the checkout, which leads to the beautifully odd situation of seeing a Chuck Palahniuk novel next to Robby Krieger’s autobiography or a book by Noah Chomsky occupying the same space as writings by John Lydon and Vladimir Nabokov.

The new iteration of HMV has somehow managed to thread the needle between catering to the demands of modern fan culture, while also remaining true to the spirit of the HMV that came before.

Everyone from metalheads, jazz fans, reggae aficionados, K-pop enthusiasts or people who want to buy the latest releases from Taylor Swift or Harry Styles are catered for.

There is a tangible buzz from being in the music section and indeed brings back memories of browsing HMV shelves in the pre-streaming era looking for the new Kings of Leon or MGMT album.

The lack of a physical media section for film and television seems like something of a missed opportunity, especially in the era where there is no guarantee that films and tv will stay on streaming services forever and the multiple streaming services that necessitate using a flowchart to see what film or show is on what service – in this instance, simply going to HMV to pick up a film you can’t find on streaming would help endear itself to the streaming generation.

With that said, there is still room for HMV to grow, and the Dublin store is brimming with potential and possibility for it to become your one-stop shop for all things entertainment.

A young, vibrant staff buzz around the store floor, stocking shelves with vinyls or t-shirts and are pleased to assist with any inquiries you may have.

A visit to the checkout to buy A Nightmare On Elm Street t-shirt results in a lively conversation with the youthful cashier who admits they are a horror fan but has never seen it.

Spirited discussion about the state of modern horror versus the classics ensues, which reaffirms that the resurrected HMV has the same soul as what came before.

In the era of being able to buy just about anything you could want from the internet, there is still an authenticity in having an authentic interaction with the cashier that online will never replicate, and that, in of itself, is true to the spirit of rock and roll.