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It's a sad day for people who habitually kill time by trying out vibrating chairs they have no intention of buying. Sharper Image, the hottest store of 1996, which filed Chapter 11 in February, is pulling the plug on its remaining stores; it'll be a catalog and online-only operation from here on out. Among the victims of the Sharper slaughter is the New York City flagship on West 57th Street, a block that's been purging middlebrow stores in favor of ritzier retailers of late. So you can rest assured that the emporium of foam pillows, handheld Shiatsu foot massagers, and electronic chess boards will be replaced by a jewelry store that only Euro-armed tourists can afford.