Skip to main content

Bose to close all of its U.S. retail stores in pivot to online shopping

Bose is set to close all 119 of its brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia “over the next several months,” the company revealed on Wednesday, January 15.

Recommended Videos

The Massachusetts-based audio equipment maker said the decision was prompted by what it described as “a dramatic shift” to online shopping. Pressure from e-commerce in recent years has seen retailers shuttering numerous store locations across the country, with some falling by the wayside altogether.

Job losses at Bose are inevitable, though it said in a statement that it won’t be revealing how many positions are going as a result of the closures. To support those affected, Bose is intending to make severance payments and also offer help to find new work.

“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,” Colette Burke, Bose’s vice president of global sales, said in a release. “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.”

Burke described the decision to close so many stores in key markets as “difficult” because the move “impacts some of our amazing store teams who make us proud every day … Over the years, they’ve set the standard for customer service. And everyone at Bose is grateful.”

But not all of its stores are closing down. In China, India, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and the United Arab Emirates, all of Bose’s 130 physical stores will remain open, at least for now.

Bose opened its very first U.S. store in 1993 to offer personal demonstrations for Wave music systems and Lifestyle home theater systems. As smartphones changed the industry, the company’s focus turned to mobile, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi solutions.

“Today, Bose noise-canceling headphones, truly wireless sport earbuds, portable speakers, and smart speakers are increasingly purchased through e-commerce, including Bose.com; and Bose is a larger multi-national company, with a localized mix of channels tailored for a country or region,” the company said.

While it’s always sad to see a big name exit the retail market, and awful news for those who work at Bose, audiophiles who like to try before they buy will still be able to find Bose gear at big-box stores and other retail locations in the countries that the company is exiting.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Watch Spotify’s tour of its plush U.S. headquarters
watch spotifys tour of its plush us headquarters spotify manhattan refurb

Spotify has offered curious folks a look inside its newly refurbished -- and very plush -- U.S. headquarters at 4 World Trade Center in New York City.

“Featuring two new floors with areas dedicated to different types of working and the different needs of our people, there's plenty of space to work and play as we shape the future of audio,” Spotify said in comments accompanying the video. “The views are pretty spectacular, too.”

Read more
Toyota announces site for its first U.S. battery plant
2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback

Toyota is doubling down on its electric vehicle ambitions with the building of a $1.3 billion battery production plant in North Carolina, its first such facility in the U.S.

The Japanese automaker announced the plan on Monday, December 6, revealing that it will build the plant in the Greensboro-Randolph area about 80 miles northeast of Charlotte.

Read more
How to watch Fury vs. Wilder 3 online in the U.S.
Fury vs Wilder 3 weigh in and face to face picture.

Millions of boxing fans around the globe are getting ready to watch Fury vs. Wilder 3 tonight, and if you're one of them, then you've come to the right place. This high-stakes heavyweight trilogy bout is shaping up to the boxing event of the year and it's not one that you want to miss. The Fury vs. Wilder live stream is a pay-per-view event, though, but there's still time to sign up for ESPN+ so you can watch Fury vs. Wilder 3. Then read on to see everything you need to know about this titanic matchup, and get ready to witness boxing history.

What time does Fury vs Wilder 3 start?
It's all going down shortly, with the pay-per-view show starting at 9 PM ET (6 PM PT). There are three other fights on the card aside from the 12-round main event, which we expect will begin at or before 11 PM ET. This is when you can expect to see lineal heavyweight champ Tyson Fury and former champ Deontay Wilder do their ring walks, although the exact timing will depend on how long the three undercard bouts last.
Is there a free Fury vs. Wilder 3 live stream?

Read more