For nearly 100 years, HMV was once a staple of British high streets, where film and music lovers could purchase the latest releases.
First opening back in 1921, shoppers would speculate over what its initials actually stood for. But in 2019, HMV closed the majority of its branches after becoming unprofitable.
But store bosses recently revealed plans to reopen its flagship store in London, bringing the question of those initials to the minds of customers once again. It turns out that the title has an interesting story behind it, which fully explains how it came to be.
Founded by British composer Sir Edward Elgar, HMV originally ran under a completely different name. But once changed, many had no idea that HMV stands for "His Master's Voice", reports the Mirror.
Prior to this, HMV was previously called the Gramophone Company, which explains part of the store's iconic logo of Nipper the dog listening to the old fashioned record player. This stems from a painting of the same image, by English artists Francis Barraud A.R.A and called 'His Master's Voice'.
According to the HMV website, the painting was purchased by The Gramophone Company, and they made it their logo by 1900. A couple of years later, the company decided to rename the store to the arguably catchier title, HMV.
The world-famous site, located at 363 Oxford Street, was described as "buzzing with life" and was a hub for all things music industry. But in 2019, the store closed due to to rising business rates and dwindling footfall.
But the flagship site is back, with a plan to try and fend off the competition from cheaper online retailers and streaming services. The company say they've got an 'evolved retail concept', ready to stock pop culture merchandise, vinyl, film, TV, and music technology - which is good news for the high street.
HMV plans to bring the new format, called HMV Shop, to 24 new stores and 14 existing sites by the end of the year.
HMV says: "Challenges remain, of course, but as there are music lovers, film lovers, and those who love to share those passions with others, and as long as HMV can continue to provide a space for people to enjoy those experiences, we think the future looks – and sounds – pretty good."
The current owner of HMV, Douglas Putman, described the reopening as "an exciting new era for HMV."
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