Musica (retailer)

Last updated
Musica
IndustryMusic & film retail
Founded1992 (31 years ago)
Defunct26 May 2021
Headquarters
South Africa
Number of locations
59 stores (as of 2021)
ProductsMusic
film
merchandise
technology
video games
books
Owner Clicks Group
Website www.musica.co.za

Musica was a South African-based music and film retailer. The first Musica-branded store was opened in 1992 and later in the same year was bought by Clicks Group for R1.2 million in 1992. [1] [2]

In 2006, under pressure to change its business model due to the growth of online music purchases, the company expanded its range of products to film, video games, electronic accessories, branded clothing merchandise and books. [3] In 2015 Clicks reported that its Musica brand did around R1 billion in turnover with that turnover declining by between 10% and 15% every year thereafter until its closure. [4] The 2020 COVID pandemic and resulting lockdown was reported as the final nail in the coffin. [5]

On January 28, 2021, the company announced that it would be closing all its remaining 59 branches by the end of May 2021. [1] [2] However on May 26, 2021, the chain shut down the last remaining stores a few days before the expected date. The last remaining store, was the store in Canal Walk Shopping Centre in Cape Town.

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References

  1. 1 2 "DVDs for R20 as Musica era ends". BusinessInsider. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  2. 1 2 "Musica shuts down in South Africa after 29 years". www.capetownetc.com. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  3. Apelgren-Coleman, Charis (2019-10-08). "When innovation does not happen, businesses die". The Media Online. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  4. "End of an era as last remaining Musica stores prepare to shut their doors". CapeTalk. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  5. Nkanjeni, Unathi (29 January 2021). "End of an era: SA reminisces about Musica as popular chain closes down". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 2021-01-31.