UK's Famed Dress Circle Theatre Store Faces Closure

The Stage News reports this morning that Dress Circle, the "longest-running showbusiness and musical theatre shop in the world" is in danger of closing unless immediate investment funds can be raised. The historic shop, located in London's theatre district of Covent Garden, first opened its doors in 1977 and has since been the go-to place for theater merchandise and memorabilia, sheet music, libretti, musical theater CDs and things of the like.  It has also hosted many book and CD signings with countless stars.

Says Dress Circle owner Murray Allen of the situation: "I'm very much struggling to keep the shop open," he told The Stage. "I'm probably a couple of months [away from closure], if that. It's very soon. By the end of June I've got to either be rescued or become a website, an online store only...The demand is there, but it's more to do with the manufacturers and production companies not releasing London cast recordings like they used to, and not having a range of merchandise like they used to. We've got The Wizard of Oz, Betty Blue Eyes and Umbrellas of Cherbourg but the range is no way near as much as they used to make. I think as far as merchandise goes, the last major show that opened that had a huge and a good range of merchandise was Mary Poppins, and that closed about two years ago."

To read the full report in The Stage, click here.

The shop was founded with the intention of providing an unrivalled selection of musical theatre and cabaret related merchandise. In addition to selling official merchandise from West End and Broadway shows, musical theatre cast and soundtrack CDs and DVDs, Libretti printed music and books, backing tracks and theatrical posters, Dress Circle frequently organizes theatre evenings that include: a top price seat at a specified West End show or cabaret performance, a private pre-show drinks party held in the basement of the shop, a discount voucher for any items bought at the shop prior to the performance, and frequently a voucher for a free interval drink at the evenings performance, a free souvenir programme or brochure of the selected performance, and an opportunity at the end of the performance to meet the cast.

Stars who have held signings at the Dress Circle include fan favourites such as Elaine Paige, John Barrowman, Kerry Ellis, Jodie Prenger, Julie Andrews and Idina Menzel.