Former HMV employee opens new music shop called 'HVM'

Former HMV employee Tony Cregan has found himself in a legal tug-of-war with his former bosses after opening a new shop in Derry called ‘HVM’.

Cregan worked at the city’s Richmond Centre for 10 years before it closed earlier this year following the company’s recent financial strife. He decided to launch a shop of his own following what he deemed the unfair closure of the Derry branch, pointing at constant profits at the store and over 15,000 signatures on a petition to keep it alive.

“We thought, what is the point calling the new shop Local CDs or whatever, we’ll just call it HVM. HMV is gone,” Cregan said of the new venture.

But, predictably, HMV’s legal team came knocking – forcing Cregan to change the shop’s name. He did budge, but simply flipped the sign upside down to read ‘WAH’. The sign now contains a speech bubble alongside it that reads: ”His Master’s Voice has told us to change.”

Cregan remains defiant even as HMV are threatening legal action over the similar colour scheme used to that of their brand. ”It’s like David and Goliath. People are saying to fight them.”

[Photo via The Guardian]