It's the end of an era in Toronto. Sam the Record Man at 347 Yonge Street is closing its doors for good.
I haven't read about this in the press and I haven't heard this news on the radio or television, but I have friends on the inside who have provided me with enough proof that I'm comfortable calling this a sad certainty. Earlier today, Sam the Record Man sent out letters to all their suppliers saying that they wanted all orders cancelled because they will be closing their store June 30th. Employees are actively looking for new work and are aware the flagship Sam the Record Man location in downtown Toronto is about to enter its final month after 46 years at Yonge and Dundas.
This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, but it's still very sad for this long time fan of the store. Unlike HMV at 333 Yonge, Sam's had character. You could read the history written on the walls in the words of the many artists who had visited. The official site stopped selling music online a month ago and is now a static store hour information page. A good indicator a business is about to go under is a barebones or offline website.
Sam the Record Man will most definitely be missed. Here are entries in which I remember better days at Sam's.
- Kurt Cobain
- Sam the Record Man or HMV?
- Not Hip
- Personal Message For Gord Downie
- Guest Blog re: BNL
- The Watchmen
Is there any chance we can preserve those two neon records that have become a Yonge Street fixture?
You realize you killed Sam by going digital, don't you? It's Sam the Record Man, not Sam the MP3 Man.
Time passed Sam by.