Author Topic: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)  (Read 13260 times)

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Offline Mr. Hankey

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R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« on: Oct 01, 2017 at 04:23 PM »
My friend passed by V-Mall this morning and Astrovision V-Mall was closed already. Papered up, stocks being removed from the shelves.

I'm sad. This has been around since I was in high school/college! They used to be on the third floor of Virra Mall, and I would buy Beta and VHS format tapes from them. And rent LaserDiscs. I spent HOURS in that shop! Their initial sales staff were the ones who ended up as managers in their branches that subsequently opened in other malls. Almost all of them knew me by my name, or at least by face.

This was also the very last physical store that sells DVDs that I still visited, albeit less and less frequently. But I'd surely do even just a quick stop every time I'd make it to the area. If not to buy a DVD or even some peripherals, then to chat with Violy and catch up about life. I even brought my little girl there to introduce her to a store that meant a lot to me when I was still single.

I'm sad I didn't get to say a proper goodbye to Violy and the rest of the staff. This is really the end of an era.

Thank you for the decades of sales and entertainment! You will be missed.

#ripdvds #ripastrovision
« Last Edit: Nov 08, 2017 at 08:11 PM by Mr. Hankey »
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Offline syoti

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #1 on: Oct 01, 2017 at 06:54 PM »
Maybe they just moved to a smaller location? Sales not as good anymore due to the era of digital downloads. Plus the blus they sell locally are far more costly than imported from US. Kumikita nlng sila sa audio video accessories. Wala ng bumibili ng dvds. Although i have to admit mas nagtatagal un mga locally bought dvds and blus ko kht 10years na than imported ones. Madami nkong region 1and As na nagrot na... Dont know why..  Other stores like in RP manila lilipat lng dw sila sa mas maliit... Pati un sa Moa, lumipat sila sa cyberzone in a smaller stall

Offline coastal

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #2 on: Oct 01, 2017 at 07:10 PM »
Even the one in Trinoma had already closed down for some time now.

Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #3 on: Oct 01, 2017 at 07:37 PM »
Darn, first place i always visit when i go to virramall, even if i don't buy anything.

I'm so sad, sayang.

Ya maybe they just moved to a smaller place.

Offline Dan

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #4 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 12:48 AM »
The one at Robinsons Manila has also closed. And I think the one at MOA as well. The one at Glorietta is still open.

Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #5 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 06:47 AM »
The one at Robinsons Manila has also closed. And I think the one at MOA as well. The one at Glorietta is still open.

Wow seriously? The one at rob manila? I frequent that too, but not recently.

The one in moa moved to cyberzone area. A smaller place.

Offline raptor

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #6 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 07:05 AM »
kahit sa Greenbelt wala na yata, recent lang ... yung Odyssey parang pawala a rin
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Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #7 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 08:27 AM »
Sad nga. I go to these stores to release stress. Look at music cds sometimes and gadgets. Not necessarily blu movies or dvds.

Offline traveler69

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #8 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 08:59 AM »
For those of us who found Astrovision a go-to for CDs, VHSs and DVDs back in the day, the news is indeed sad.   

Same feeling I had when Tower Records, at the time facing bankruptcy issues, started to vanish in Manila.

Offline Dan

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #9 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 09:12 AM »
Wow seriously? The one at rob manila? I frequent that too, but not recently.

The one in moa moved to cyberzone area. A smaller place.

Yes. For nearly 15 years halos every week ako nasa Astro Rob Manila. I feel the same way Mr. Hankey does. Di man lang ako naka-pag goodbye sa staff, lalo na kay Bossing, yung manager nila. She used to set aside some of the collector's editions for me.

Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #10 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 12:30 PM »
Yes. For nearly 15 years halos every week ako nasa Astro Rob Manila. I feel the same way Mr. Hankey does. Di man lang ako naka-pag goodbye sa staff, lalo na kay Bossing, yung manager nila. She used to set aside some of the collector's editions for me.

Oh yes, she is so cool. Darn, i still can't believe it. Sad too. Btw this is my meeting place too pag buy and sell anything from our marketplace.

Offline syoti

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #11 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 10:29 PM »
nakita ko si Bossing sa Moa store. asks if she's there for good sabi nya pansamantala lng dw.. she will be back at rob place when they have moved to a smaller place

Offline sdsmds

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #12 on: Oct 02, 2017 at 11:08 PM »
Used to go there too to buy cds. Sad indeed

Offline curvis

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #13 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 12:16 AM »
bakit ba kasi ang mahal ng BDs locally. kung naging competitive pricing lang sana ok pa business ng physical media.

Offline t-bone

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #14 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 12:38 AM »
bakit ba kasi ang mahal ng BDs locally. kung naging competitive pricing lang sana ok pa business ng physical media.

Mahal ang rent sa Malls.  Looking at the Astrovision store size at V-Mall, their rent would be around 250,000 to 280,000 a month.  :o
« Last Edit: Oct 03, 2017 at 05:39 AM by t-bone »
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Offline ninjababez®

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #15 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 03:58 AM »
Mahal ang rent sa Malls.  Looking at the Astrovision store size at V-Mall, their rent would be around 250,000 to 280,000 a month.  :o
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Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #16 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 06:51 AM »

Mahal ang rent sa Malls.  Looking at the Astrovision store size at V-Mall, their rent would be around 250,000 to 280,000 a month.  :o

For me nga mga lessors ng malls are the ones ruining the economy. They are so rich, at least no more take on percentage on sales. Babaan konti ang rent.

Offline Verbl Kint

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #17 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 06:57 AM »
The mall business in the Philippines is actually still in a bubble these days.  The US is showing us what the future potentially holds when e-commerce improves in the Philippines.


Tower Records still survives in Japan, btw.

Offline newwaveboy

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #18 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 07:12 AM »
For me nga mga lessors ng malls are the ones ruining the economy. They are so rich, at least no more take on percentage on sales. Babaan konti ang rent.

Indeed. They care little if the tenants make a buck or not - they'll throw him out and just give the slot to the next in line. It's money to them, either way.

I miss TOWER RECORDS.   :(

Online jas

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #19 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 08:47 AM »
Tower Records, Music One, Odyssey.....and now Astro..... :(

Offline sdsmds

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #20 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 09:25 AM »
The mall business in the Philippines is actually still in a bubble these days.  The US is showing us what the future potentially holds when e-commerce improves in the Philippines.


Tower Records still survives in Japan, btw.
Japan is a different breed when it comes to music/records. They're the Mecca of the recording artists. Mahal na mahal ng mga musicians.

Offline sdsmds

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #21 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 09:29 AM »
Yung sa smnort the block & annex prang open pa. Prang mahal pricing dito kaya very seldom ako bumili. Madalas preloved cds na Lang.

Offline dibidi

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #22 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 10:06 AM »
Tower Records, Music One, Odyssey.....and now Astro..... :(

parang wala na rin section ang sm department stores. more on videoke equipment ang benta.

Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #23 on: Oct 03, 2017 at 02:39 PM »
The mall business in the Philippines is actually still in a bubble these days.  The US is showing us what the future potentially holds when e-commerce improves in the Philippines.


Tower Records still survives in Japan, btw.

For me, i dont think the mall business is in trouble here because

1. People still like to go malls. Nothing to do here but to spend sa mall.

2. Return policy is still not like in america.

Offline Koolkat

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #24 on: Oct 04, 2017 at 06:52 AM »
I also have fond memories din with Astrovision. Sa Astrovision Megamall ako madalas bumili ng Sega megadrive games back in the early 90's. Early 2000's to late 2012 Lagi ako dyan bumibili ng DVDs.

Nowadays, Pumapasok na lang ako dun to browse the latest releases. Hindi na talaga ako bumibili ng kahit ano dyan. Maybe that's the reason na rin kung bakit maraming Astrovision ang nagsasara. Parang Powerbooks din. Nalulugi na.
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Offline syoti

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #25 on: Oct 05, 2017 at 07:55 AM »
How bout the branch at podium.. Dun ako bumibili sale ng dvds before.. Dyan pb un store?

Online jas

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #26 on: Oct 05, 2017 at 08:28 AM »
^  Have not been to Podium for quite a while, but yes, the Astrovision Podium Sale Events were one of the highlights of DVD collecting back in those days....

Offline Dan

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #27 on: Oct 05, 2017 at 12:23 PM »
^  Have not been to Podium for quite a while, but yes, the Astrovision Podium Sale Events were one of the highlights of DVD collecting back in those days....

During the Astro Podium sales I would come away with 10 to 20 DVDs because they would always stock the ones that are not available at any of their other branches. And at sale prices pa!

Offline Moks007

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #28 on: Jan 15, 2018 at 01:30 PM »
Passed by glorietta yesterday. Wala na din yun astro dian near the landmark bridgeway/ luk yuen.

Pa isa isa nawawala. Tsk tsk. Sad

Offline aszamora

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Re: R.I.P. Astrovision V-Mall (October 1, 2017)
« Reply #29 on: Jan 15, 2018 at 05:16 PM »
Sa Cash & Carry Mall meron pa but I don't know how long it will stay open. Sa MOA yata meron pa rin