HMV thrown a last-second lifeline and is safe. For now.

It looked grim for HMV UK just a few days ago when it appeared the chain was doomed to a bankruptcy liquidation. Unless a white knight came along, it looked like curtains for the chain that had been around since 1921.

Miraculously, that white knight has appeared in the form of BuyVia, an online discount buying club with about 20,000 members.

Buyvia issued this statement (Via Hypebot):

“HMV has been a major player in the retail entertainment industry for nearly a century,” said Buyvia representative Amy Jordan. “While the company has undeniably struggled in recent years, we here at buyvia feel that plenty of progress can easily be achieved. We are now engaged in talks concerning how some of HMV’s most significant retail presences could be saved from closing up shop forever. We also believe that Buyvia is perfectly positioned to turn HMV into a far more competitive and capable online retailer, as well.”

Okay, but what does this mean? At first, it seems that this will save a number of HMV’s bricks-and-mortar stores from closing. Second, it could (SHOULD) mean that a comprehensive online strategy will finally come to HMV, something that they’ve screwed the pooch on for years.