Bose in big store closing move; cites ‘dramatic’ shift online

High-end audio equipment maker Bose plans to dramatically reduce its brick-and-mortar footprint.

The company plans to close its 119 stores in North America, Europe, Japan and Australia during the next several months.  Bose cited the “dramatic shift to online” in specific markets as the reason behind the store closings, in a statement reported by The Verge. 

Bose will maintain a retail presence in other parts of the world. Approximately 130 Bose stores in Greater China and the United Arab Emirates will stay open, along with stores in India, Southeast Asia and South Korea. 

Bose opened its first store in the U.S. in 1993.

"Originally, our retail stores gave people a way to experience, test, and talk to us about multi-component, CD and DVD-based home entertainment systems," stated Colette Burke, VP of global sales, Bose Corporation. "At the time, it was a radical idea, but we focused on what our customers needed, and where they needed it — and we're doing the same thing now. It's still difficult, because the decision impacts some of our amazing store teams who make us proud every day.”

In addition to its own stores and website, Bose products are carried by other retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy and Target.