Local Music Store Rock Corner Is Shutting Down

It was inevitable, but it doesn't make this any less sad.

Come 2 September, what used to be one of Malaysia's most prominent music store chains will be opening its doors for the very last time.

After 11 years in operation, Rock Corner's last remaining store in The Gardens Mall - which is also the music store chain's first flagship outlet - is closing down for good.

Rock Corner itself has been around for 28 years since starting out as a humble store at the Kota Raya shopping complex in 1990. Soon, it began expanding to several outlets in major malls across Klang Valley in the late 1990s.

The two-storey Rock Corner outlet in Mid Valley, circa 2010.
It was the go-to place for music and film enthusiasts, some of whom would spend hours sifting through the racks of CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, vinyls, and even official merchandise of their favourite artists.

In its heyday, the chain operated nine outlets in Klang Valley, including Suria KLCC and an impressive two-storey outlet in Mid Valley.

However, as digital streaming quickly took over the entertainment industry, sales of physical albums rapidly declined as well, forcing Rock Corner to close most of its outlets in the past few years

Rock Corner @ The Curve
The formerly bustling outlets in Suria KLCC and Mid Valley were closed a few years ago, followed by branches at The Curve, Bangsar Village, and Subang Parade last year.

In an interview with The Star, co-founder and co-owner Frankie Eng attributed the chain's decline to "declining physical music sales, the high rental, and nearly all the major music labels concentrating on streaming."

With just a few days left 'til the end of the line, Rock Corner The Gardens is currently holding a clearance sale for its remaining inventory

You can get CDs and DVDs for as low as RM5 per pop, Blu-rays are going for RM20 each, and all vinyls are being sold with a 60% discount.

Choices may be limited at this point, but it's still worth dropping by to mark the end of an era. :')

Goodbye, Rock Corner. Thank you for your 28 years of service and stellar music selections. :')