Electronics giants operating their own retail stores has always been a weird proposition. Apple made it work by offering a retail experience that you just can’t find anywhere else, but others haven’t been so successful. Sony is one of those companies, and now its US retail presence is getting decimated.
Sony announced this week that it will be shutting down 20 of its 31 U.S. retail stores this year. The stores being closed are in areas that you wouldn’t expect to see Sony stores in the first place – like Virginia and Pennsylvania. Those that will remain open are primarily located in California and New York with two locations in Florida and one location in Texas remaining open as well.
“While these moves were extremely tough, they were absolutely necessary to position us in the best possible place for future growth,” said Mike Fasulo, President and COO of Sony Electronics. “I am entirely confident in our ability to turn the business around, in achieving our preferred future, and continue building on our flawless commitment to customer loyalty through the complete entertainment experience only Sony can offer.”
Here’s the full list of stores being closed:
Tysons, VA
University Village, WA
Galleria Dallas, TX
Forum Shops, NV
Pentagon, VA
Boca Raton, FL
Menlo Park, NJ
Las Americas, CA
Camarillo, CA
Aurora, IL
Gilroy, CA
Wrentham, MA
Pleasant Prairie, WI
San Marcos, TX
Cherry Creek, CO
Dolphin, FL
Century City, CA
Valley Fair, CA
Comcast, PA
Central Valley, N.Y. (Woodbury Common Outlets)
Alongside the announcement of the above store closings, Sony also announced that it will be laying off 1,000 employees by the end of the year. These 1,000 employees are part of the original 5,000 employees that Sony previously announced it would be laying off. There’s no word yet on when the other 4,000 will be getting the axe or which parts of the company they’ll come from.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
