HMV only winner in Garth Brooks debacle

The store saw 15,000 CDs sell out within the last month alone.

Caroline Crawford

Businesses are set to lose millions and fans have been left bereft but there is one clear winner in the Garth Brooks debacle – music store HMV.

The entertainment retailer was inundated with fans seeking anything even remotely Garth Brooks related, resulting in them selling out their entire stock of CDs at every store in the country.

The store saw 15,000 CDs sell out within the last month alone.

Such was the demand that for two days none of the HMV stores or Xtravision outlets around Ireland had any Garth Brooks CDs as they desperately awaited a new shipment.

“There was such demand that about two weeks ago we couldn't keep them in stock. They were flying off the shelves. It was right across the board in all our stores. We were out for about a day or two but we put the pressure on and got a full shipment in,” said Larry Howard, Chief executive of Hilco Capital Ireland which owns HMV and Xtravision.

He estimated that the stores were selling close to 1,000 Garth Brooks CDs or DVDs a week since news of the tour first broke back in January.

“It was great for us, he brought out his back catalogue and we had a limited quantity of Garth Brooks box sets. They all sold out. I'm not sure how in demand they will be now but I imagine HMV will be the only place for fans to here Garth Brooks in Ireland this summer,” he added.