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A RECORD store that has been based in Banbury for 22 years is shutting up shop and instead will be run over the internet.
Chalky’s owner Richard White said he could run the business more cheaply and supply customers at reduced prices over his website.
The store recently moved into Castle Quay from High Street, but it has not proved as lucrative as Mr White hoped.
Chalky’s the store will close at the end of August and three staff will be laid off.
But two will keep their jobs and run the website business, which will still be based in Banbury.
Mr White said the move was necessary to keep up with the changing market which saw more online record stores and more consumers buying from the web.
He said: “I have decided to close the retail side of the business and concentrate on the mail order side of the business which makes more money and can be run with much less overhead costs.
“I believe that as cds are such an easy item to post they are an easy item to buy online, we have found that out ourselves by selling vast amounts of cds online over the last few years.
“The shop has served me well over the years but now is definitely the time to make the move.
“My overheads were pretty high in the High Street and even higher here in the shopping centre, so after 22 years of running a retail business I have decided to progress to the next level, this decision should will save me a small fortune in rent and rates etc.
“I moved in to the shopping centre at the beginning of March and to be honest, I thought I would discover a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but on some days, we are not that much more busy than we were in the High Steet and that is a testament to all my loyal local customers who have been extremely supportive throughout the 22 years, hopefully a lot of them will follow me on to the web where we actually sell items cheaper than we do in the store.
“This is not the end of Chalky’s but most definitely a fresh start for Chalkys.com.”
