Best Buy Launching New Home Theater Retail Sections

[Audioholics]

Call it "Extreme Makeover: Retail Edition."

Three Best Buy stores in Colorado will launch a "store-within-a-store" concept today, in a move to attract and better serve small-business owners and home-theater aficionados.

The renovated stores are in Lone Tree, Broomfield and Lakewood. One hundred fifty stores nationwide are part of the rollout, with official grand openings June 8.

The stores will feature a Magnolia Home Theater store, a section of Best Buy that sells high-end video and audio products and custom home-theater installation services. Best Buy purchased Magnolia Hi-Fi, a high-end home-theater chain, in 2001.

Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy is also launching its "Best Buy for Business Center," a portion of the store that caters to small-business owners. The centers will offer in-store and at-home computer and software training, as well as in-store networking opportunities in partnership with area chambers of commerce.

Consumers at the Lone Tree location had mixed views on the concepts.
"It sounds good," said Jesse Bequette, owner of Elizabeth real-estate appraisal company Ponderosa Appraisals, while shopping for a desktop computer. "Hopefully, it will help me find what I need more quickly."

John Matousek, owner of Centennial music mastering company Masterworks, said he dislikes pushy salespeople and worried that business-center employees would intrude on his shopping experience.

 

[BMXTRIX]

We already have one of the 'custom' setups here in Springfield, VA and I gotta say that while it looks good it still has the typical retail issues.

1. The products keep getting switched out so there is not a solid up-and-running display going on all of the time.

2. When a new projector comes in, they don't move the mount (or can't) so the image doesn't always fit the screen. Lame

3. The salespeople in that area sit at a counter and only ask if you have questions if you come up to them (Thumbs UP!)

4. The environments are nice, but don't seem to go overboard with user interaction. It is tough to see & use any of the receivers, speakers, systems, etc. There is an unprogrammed Pronto remote, and dim lighting. Meh

5. There are several environments setup - a bar, family room, theater... It is a really big PLUS to see some good ideas and decent architecture used within a Best Buy to show off product as it could be used 'real world' instead of on a ton of displays. Another thumbs up for that use.

I am always glad to see that stuff in there, but definitely find that the lack of more home theater projectors on display is a VERY significant issue. They have half a dozen business projectors on the floor, and ONE on display for home theater use. WTF?!? With at least a dozen high quality home theater projectors on the market, I am very surprised they don't show at least a few different models.

They also still have more typical components in there which never really reach into 'high end'. Some is good, but most is mediocre at best. It would be awesome to see more high end stuff make its way into the Best Buy stores, but then they might need to have some employees that know what is going on as well.

Hopefully the talented employees that care will end up in that department.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Can't believe nobody has jumped in on this..

I just went to Best Buy today and walked the store and it was the first day of the Magnolia section being open. Turns out the store above that I talked about was a pilot site for ideas on how the stores would work. This one was an actual Magnolia section and while I did not like the layout as much as the other store, there were a few things that really did impress me.

1. InFocus ScreenPlay 4805 setup on a Stewart Firehawk tab-tensioned motorized screen - and as far as I could tell, it was properly calibrated. Dope!

2. Pioneer - Elite - Receivers, plasmas, etc.

3. Martin Logan loudspeakers mmmmmm

4. Definitive Technology Loudspeakers - half mmmmmm

5. Denon AVR-2805 & 3805 - right there - in Best Buy!

6. Sonos digital music server... For a stand alone unit, it is a pretty nifty idea. Needs to be more integratable though.

A good automated setup for running different speaker configurations with some salesperson help and sales guys dressed up with ties on instead of blue shirts. I spoke to a couple of guys and one guy I spoke with for 30 minutes - he didn't seem to be talking out of his butt like many of the typical floor guys.

I think the overall testament for this is not the first impression, as good as it was, but how good it will be in a year or two after displays have been switched and new product moves in. It will be amazing to see this level of organization maintained and sustained for more than a few months with how often Best Buy usually runs over employees.

It was definitely a huge step forward for Best Buy and for those of us with a little more know-how you will find yourself repeating these words over and over: "I can't believe this is actually in a Best Buy."

Very cool and fun.

 

[Takeereasy]

I hope they bring this idea to Canada. It would be nice to pay some chain store prices on the good stuff for a change.

 

[nick_danger]

I spoke to a couple of guys and one guy I spoke with for 30 minutes - he didn't seem to be talking out of his butt like many of the typical floor guys.

That's always a good sign, I'm sure Best Buy is not oblivious to the high-end crowd's disdain for their employees. There was a setup similar to this in the Libertyville, IL Best Buy when I was down there last August. I really liked it, and the salesman in the section was very knowledgeable. He could actually describe in excellent detail how DLP works. I don't recall exactly which products they had then, but it wasn't as impressive as the CO store.

The final nail in Ultimate's coffin.

 

[Mega2000]

i wish they had yamahas in there too, but only denon. There are 3 best buys in my area that have the magnolia inside. Kinda cool, the demo rooms are nice and from what I can tell the sales people inside seemed to know what was up.

plus i am able to use my best buy card and get same as cash for 6 months. that rocks

 

[JJMP50]

Local Competition

The Best Buy store near my offices is in the process of adding the Magnolia store. What I find interesting is that within a half a mile there is a Tweeter store and a Gramophone store (www.gramophone.com). That makes 3 Martin-Logan dealers within less than a mile radius. I just wonder if there is enough high end business to support all three of these stores. By the way, check out Gramophone's photo gallery for some dream set-ups.

 

[shokhead]

Call it "Extreme Makeover: Retail Edition."

Three Best Buy stores in Colorado will launch a "store-within-a-store" concept today, in a move to attract and better serve small-business owners and home-theater aficionados.

The renovated stores are in Lone Tree, Broomfield and Lakewood. One hundred fifty stores nationwide are part of the rollout, with official grand openings June 8.

The stores will feature a Magnolia Home Theater store, a section of Best Buy that sells high-end video and audio products and custom home-theater installation services. Best Buy purchased Magnolia Hi-Fi, a high-end home-theater chain, in 2001.

Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy is also launching its "Best Buy for Business Center," a portion of the store that caters to small-business owners. The centers will offer in-store and at-home computer and software training, as well as in-store networking opportunities in partnership with area chambers of commerce.

Consumers at the Lone Tree location had mixed views on the concepts.
"It sounds good," said Jesse Bequette, owner of Elizabeth real-estate appraisal company Ponderosa Appraisals, while shopping for a desktop computer. "Hopefully, it will help me find what I need more quickly."

John Matousek, owner of Centennial music mastering company Masterworks, said he dislikes pushy salespeople and worried that business-center employees would intrude on his shopping experience.

Interesting,i'm in lakewood and nobody is in the hole where the speakers are.

 

[Duffinator]

Can't believe nobody has jumped in on this..

I just went to Best Buy today and walked the store and it was the first day of the Magnolia section being open. Turns out the store above that I talked about was a pilot site for ideas on how the stores would work. This one was an actual Magnolia section and while I did not like the layout as much as the other store, there were a few things that really did impress me.

1. InFocus ScreenPlay 4805 setup on a Stewart Firehawk tab-tensioned motorized screen - and as far as I could tell, it was properly calibrated. Dope!

2. Pioneer - Elite - Receivers, plasmas, etc.

3. Martin Logan loudspeakers mmmmmm

4. Definitive Technology Loudspeakers - half mmmmmm

5. Denon AVR-2805 & 3805 - right there - in Best Buy!

6. Sonos digital music server... For a stand alone unit, it is a pretty nifty idea. Needs to be more integratable though.

A good automated setup for running different speaker configurations with some salesperson help and sales guys dressed up with ties on instead of blue shirts. I spoke to a couple of guys and one guy I spoke with for 30 minutes - he didn't seem to be talking out of his butt like many of the typical floor guys.

I think the overall testament for this is not the first impression, as good as it was, but how good it will be in a year or two after displays have been switched and new product moves in. It will be amazing to see this level of organization maintained and sustained for more than a few months with how often Best Buy usually runs over employees.

It was definitely a huge step forward for Best Buy and for those of us with a little more know-how you will find yourself repeating these words over and over: "I can't believe this is actually in a Best Buy."

Very cool and fun.

Don't expect that good experience to last too long. There are a couple free standing Magnolia Hi-Fi's in the Sacaramento area. While they are nice stores with higher end equipment they have problems keeping all their displays connected and operating properly. I recently helped a friend select, and then install, their HT and took him into Magnolia's Roseville store. Not only did the salesperson not know the equipment very well, their slick computerized control center wasn't working properly. While many of their staff is pretty sharp, and this guy was not representative from my past experiences, I have had other visits where they had problems with their control center. If they can't keep it together in their stand alone stores I doubt they will be able to in their BB's.

 

[BMXTRIX]

As a follow up - I just went to the BB in Springfield, VA - they have changed the 'home environments' to something more similar to the Woodbridge, VA store. Not as slick, but more product. Haven't heard of Primere (sp?) before - anyone?

They also had a InFocus 4805 & and 7205 projector setup! That was really cool as it gives people a chance to compare 720p and 480p in a few steps of one another. My guess is that 480p is going to win out a lot.

Spoke to a halfway intelligent guy for a while there - nice to have the hourly employees that aren't in a rush to be 'working' but just can talk for a while about technology. Some kid a couple of days ago was questioning HD discs ever coming out mainstream or the PS3 even being out next year at all - and it not having a 'true' blu-ray disc player in it.

Well, go figure on there remaining some questionable employees who aren't following the technologies that close.

 

[T2T]

The Best Buy store near my offices is in the process of adding the Magnolia store. What I find interesting is that within a half a mile there is a Tweeter store and a Gramophone store (www.gramophone.com). That makes 3 Martin-Logan dealers within less than a mile radius. I just wonder if there is enough high end business to support all three of these stores. By the way, check out Gramophone's photo gallery for some dream set-ups.

Ouch! That is a pretty tight area to provide ML speakers. I do live in the DC area, and have intended to visit Graphophone, but they're not open on Sunday. I did spend 5 minutes or so browsing the Fairfax/Fair Lakes BB store where the Magnolia recently opened. I guess I really don't see myself making a purchase there.

I'd like to believe that if I were going to make a purchase, I'd like to make it from someone who is more local - and where the profits don't go towards executive bonuses, etc. But, the concept of finding such a retailer is a bit hard. If it came down to making a purchase locally, I'd consider Tweeter or Myer Emco first. Through all of my visits to those stores, I've received some very good assistance from those who work there.

Now, we just need to keep our eyes peeled if Circuit City goes private. There may be lots of good things that come about from them, too. I guess I wouldn't hold my breath, though.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

The Best Buy store near my offices is in the process of adding the Magnolia store. What I find interesting is that within a half a mile there is a Tweeter store and a Gramophone store (www.gramophone.com). That makes 3 Martin-Logan dealers within less than a mile radius. I just wonder if there is enough high end business to support all three of these stores. By the way, check out Gramophone's photo gallery for some dream set-ups.

Wow. Those are some nice installs. Those are some really nice houses, too. Now I need to buy a more modern house with a greatroom for a bigger and better HT setup. Colonial homes with the family/living/dining rooms just don't do it for HT. My living room has turned into a playroom for the kids. T.G. I finished the basement before the kids were born. Pool table, air hockey, ping pong, darts, QB football "toss" game, and a 25" Zenith on the ceiling. Not to mention the vintage Yamaha 2 channel setup. The WAF is very low down there, but it's a great escape for the guys. The kids will enjoy it as they get older.

 

[b_panther_g]

Thanks for the article Clint.

I think this could be a good thing for hi-end audio/video. After all since hi-end companies seem to have a phobia about advertising, BB might just be a the thing this industry needs.

As long as the store doesn't screw up the calibration too much, buyers might actually get a chance to hear what they've been missing.

I hope this works.

Later,
Panther