Colin Robb, MD of Musica, said the Musica brand enjoys broad market appeal and "strategically it makes sense to focus all our resources on one brand."
Robb said Musica Megastores would retain the extensive range of catalogue and import titles of CD Wherehouse while introducing the pricing and value proposition of Musica.
"CD Wherehouse has always been a destination store for people obsessed with music and movies, and we definitely plan to retain this attraction, while also offering customers the best features of Musica.
"We believe the repositioning to Musica Megastore will retain the passionate CD Wherehouse customers while also driving increased volumes owing to the high brand awareness of Musica. Musica Megastore customers will benefit from more competitive pricing as a result of the buying muscle of Musica," he added.
Musica Megastores will be further differentiated through the expertise and advice of staff, while also offering music lovers features such as in-store appearances and signings by artists. Entertainment-related merchandise, including gaming and lifestyle accessories currently offered by Musica, will be introduced into the Megastores over time.
The Musica Megastores are located in Rosebank and Sandton in Johannesburg, Gateway in Durban and the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town. The stores range in size from 650m² to 1 600m².
Robb said Musica's strategy would be to find further locations to open Musica Megastores and also to introduce "the best of CD Wherehouse" into a few large Musica stores.
