Magnolia A/V to close 7 stores on the West Coast

[ivansfo]

Didn't see any discussion on this so thought I bring it up.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2009/02/14/best-buy-taking-direct-control-of-magnolia-closing-7-standalone/

Locally to me, the Palo Alto and Emeryville stores are closing. I just dropped by to Palo Alto store to see what's left. Most of the high end stuff is gone but still some left such as Denons, Macs, Sonus, Viennas, Monitor Audio, and Def Tech. I wanted to see if they had any Pioneer Kuros but all the ones they had on display were marked sold.

Seems all speakers and electronics are 40-50% off. A/V funiture is 75% off.

Anybody pick up any deals?

[zingo]

As far as I know, the Seattle ones are staying put, so no big sales for me...

[Danny Tse]

Magnolia closed its Colma, CA store last year as well....purchased a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze B2 for $250.00 right before everything was shut down.

[obieone]

Well, when you follow the example of Tweeter & CC, this is EXPECTED to happen.
They can close all the ones in SC, because the people that work there are F*(KTARDS!

I know more about their products, than they do.

[polkatese]

This is the stand-alone store, right? I can't see that they shutdown those Magnolia inside BB.

[mantis]

BB did not roll that out well. They don't have a single person working in there at any given time. The one at Oxford Valley , Pa is horrible. I went there and stood around for 30 minutes and no one helped me or asked me anything. I even picked up the Install guides and read them. Still no help. They are terrible and I'm not into bashing anyone but they desire it fully.

This is the part where I usually get upset about any audio video anything doing bad but they earned the right.

Eff them.

Dan

[thsmith]

AGree, I had the same experience. WHat cracks me up is their listening rooms they have all these AVRs you can sample but not one of them with auto calibration had ever been ran/setup.

WHats the point.

[dborzz]

I agree about the whole standing in there for 30 minutes and never being helped thing. I should of just started carrying stuff outta there and gave it away for karma on here. Some how I don't think anyone would have noticed. Not to mention everything they have in there you can get for half the price online and probably get better help with your questions.

[sucks2beme]

The Magnolia rooms will soon be the latest casualty of the downturn.
I'm betting BB shuts down all the dedicated rooms in their stores by
next year. Too much like Tweeter. Half *ssed high end isn't going to
impress anyone. They'll either buy the regular store stuff, or go
somewhere else.

[ivansfo]

I think all of the 7 closing are stand-alone Magnolia A/V stores.

I've only dealt with the Palo Alto and the old Colma stores. Both of them had good people who were knowledgeable and helpful when I needed assistance. I'm sorry to see them close because Magnolia was one of the few places remaining where I could go look and hear some nice gear without having a salesman hoovering over me wondering if I would be the one to add to his sales commision.

[Rivrrat]

Magnolia A/V started going downhill when Magnolia Hi-Fi started expanding from the first store on Roosevelt Way in Seattle, and then changed their name to Magnolia A/V.

After that it was all downhill. I walked into one once in a BB and it was sad.

[Shizelbs]

Best Buy has done nothing good with Magnolia.

[obieone]

Y'know, it's funny. When I started looking at A/V equipt. 3+ years ago, I got really pissed off by some overzealous commissioned sales guy at Tweeter, because I told him what my budget was($1,000+) and he still showed me the 'highend' room.
Compared to the indifference I've seen at Magnolia, I miss those passioned sales people.