Megavizyon’s end just short-sighted
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Aslı Sağlam
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 20, 2008 00:00
Behind the shutters of Megavizyon, first big retail shop for music CDs, books, films and electronics, a sign says, 'closed for alterations.' Although there is no renovation, head of the security department says, 'It will open again’.
The culture and arts sector is suffering from the economic crisis alongside the textile, media and automotive sectors. Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, known as the center of the city’s arts and culture life, has witnessed shops and bookstores shutting down.
Megavizyon, one of the oldest shops for music CDs, books, films and electronics, closed its 14-year-old Beyoğlu branch one month ago. Owned by Mete Sayıcı, Emir and Eren Nil siblings, the 37 percent share of Megavizyon belonging to tourism company Net Holding was withdrawn from the partnership a while ago.
The huge shop is now a dark place with a looted look, with no lights, empty shelves and cleaning supplies left in the corner of the shop waiting to be used. For the last month, people and neighboring shop workers have been claiming Megavizyon closed its Beyoğlu branch after going through bankruptcy.
Although most of the surrounding shops did not want to comment on the closure of the shop, Zafer Türkmen, a vendor who sells colorful slippers next door, said he witnessed enforcement officers, who obtained an order of possession, pulling their minivan up outside Megavizyon to empty the shop. He said it was bankrupt, adding, "The security guards once in a while come to the shop because their job agreements are still on." According to Türkmen, besides the guards, no one has ever stopped by.
It was not only the neighboring shops but also the media who claimed that Megavizyon would not open its doors again in Beyoğlu. Yet, behind the dirty shutters it says, "closed for alterations," on a ruined white peace of paper posted on the window.
Disagreement with landlord
There are no sign of renovations, yet Gültekin Biçer, head of the security department at the Beyoğlu branch, puts up the shutters everyday and guards the evacuated shop. He seems a little depressed, stepping inside an empty shop each day, passing time by reading at least five newspapers and telling Megavizyon’s frequenters that the shop is closed. Yet, he finished his sentence by saying, "We will open up the shop again in one month but the owners of the shop are looking for a partner to support them."
He is not the only one claiming that Megavizyon will open its doors soon, the assistant to the Megavizyon’s executive board chairman Atiye Gülmez said that it would be renovated and opened again soon.
"We had a disagreement with the landlord. This shop is huge and when it was time for the rent contract to be renewed the landlord asked for a lot of money," said Biçer, who did not forget to add that there weren’t any changes in the number of customers. "We still have customers coming from other cities and when they see the shop is closed they come and sit with me and have tea, we also chat with them."
According to Biçer, Megavizyon in Beyoğlu was a cozy and secure place for customers, with most of the customers and the employees becoming friends. Confessing that during the last month enforcement officers took many products from the shop, he said, "We took them all back, and those products were placed in other Megavizyon branches." With an expression of disbelief, Biçer said Megavizyon bought the Lale Cinemas next door and they will also have a caf when it opens again.
Carrying the title of being the first big retail shop, Megavizyon, which offered 130,000 different products, also closed its branch in the Carousel shopping mall. The company still has shops in Istanbul’s Maltepe district, the Natilus shopping mall, three shops in the capital city of Ankara and one in the southern city of Antalya.
Megavizyon, one of the oldest shops for music CDs, books, films and electronics, closed its 14-year-old Beyoğlu branch one month ago. Owned by Mete Sayıcı, Emir and Eren Nil siblings, the 37 percent share of Megavizyon belonging to tourism company Net Holding was withdrawn from the partnership a while ago.
The huge shop is now a dark place with a looted look, with no lights, empty shelves and cleaning supplies left in the corner of the shop waiting to be used. For the last month, people and neighboring shop workers have been claiming Megavizyon closed its Beyoğlu branch after going through bankruptcy.
Although most of the surrounding shops did not want to comment on the closure of the shop, Zafer Türkmen, a vendor who sells colorful slippers next door, said he witnessed enforcement officers, who obtained an order of possession, pulling their minivan up outside Megavizyon to empty the shop. He said it was bankrupt, adding, "The security guards once in a while come to the shop because their job agreements are still on." According to Türkmen, besides the guards, no one has ever stopped by.
It was not only the neighboring shops but also the media who claimed that Megavizyon would not open its doors again in Beyoğlu. Yet, behind the dirty shutters it says, "closed for alterations," on a ruined white peace of paper posted on the window.
Disagreement with landlord
There are no sign of renovations, yet Gültekin Biçer, head of the security department at the Beyoğlu branch, puts up the shutters everyday and guards the evacuated shop. He seems a little depressed, stepping inside an empty shop each day, passing time by reading at least five newspapers and telling Megavizyon’s frequenters that the shop is closed. Yet, he finished his sentence by saying, "We will open up the shop again in one month but the owners of the shop are looking for a partner to support them."
He is not the only one claiming that Megavizyon will open its doors soon, the assistant to the Megavizyon’s executive board chairman Atiye Gülmez said that it would be renovated and opened again soon.
"We had a disagreement with the landlord. This shop is huge and when it was time for the rent contract to be renewed the landlord asked for a lot of money," said Biçer, who did not forget to add that there weren’t any changes in the number of customers. "We still have customers coming from other cities and when they see the shop is closed they come and sit with me and have tea, we also chat with them."
According to Biçer, Megavizyon in Beyoğlu was a cozy and secure place for customers, with most of the customers and the employees becoming friends. Confessing that during the last month enforcement officers took many products from the shop, he said, "We took them all back, and those products were placed in other Megavizyon branches." With an expression of disbelief, Biçer said Megavizyon bought the Lale Cinemas next door and they will also have a caf when it opens again.
Carrying the title of being the first big retail shop, Megavizyon, which offered 130,000 different products, also closed its branch in the Carousel shopping mall. The company still has shops in Istanbul’s Maltepe district, the Natilus shopping mall, three shops in the capital city of Ankara and one in the southern city of Antalya.