Sunrise Records (retailer)

Sunrise Records Ltd.
Private
Industry Retail
Predecessor HMV Canada
Founded 1977 (1977)
(Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Headquarters Ancaster, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Number of locations
 80
Area served
 Canada
Products Books
Film
Television
Music
Technology
Merchandise
Cinema
Owner Doug Putman
Website sunriserecords.com

Sunrise Records Ltd. (also known in Quebec as Les Disquaires Sunrise) is a Canadian record store chain based in Ancaster, Ontario. Currently owned by Douglas Putman (whose family also runs Everest Toys), it operates 82 locations in 7 Canadian provinces. After starting small, with only 9 locations in Ontario, in February 2017, the chain announced a major expansion under which it purchased leases for 70 locations occupied by the bankrupt HMV Canada. Almost all of these are now open.

History

The company was founded in Toronto in 1977, with a location on Yonge Street. It was bought in 1978 by Malcolm and Roy Perlman.[1] For a period, Sunrise was considered one of the five major record store chains in Canada, alongside HMV Canada, Music World, Sam the Record Man, and A&A Records. However, by the 2000s, with the shift towards online music stores and other factors (including the dominance of HMV), most of these smaller chains downsized or shut down. In 2014. Sunrise closed its flagship store in Toronto.[2][3][4]

In October 2014, the chain was acquired by Douglas Putman; under Putman, the chain opened new locations, expanding to 9 within Ontario.[5][1] In January 2017, HMV Canada entered receivership, and announced that it intended to close all stores by the end of April.[6] On February 26, 2017, Sunrise Records announced that it had negotiated to purchase the leases for 70 of HMV's locations from landlords to convert them to Sunrise stores, including major locations such as the Square One Shopping Centre, Promenades Saint-Bruno. Polo Park, West Edmonton Mall, and Metropolis at Metrotown, and that it would try to retain as many former HMV employees as possible. Putman felt that the bankruptcy of the chain was a major opportunity to expand the regional Sunrise chain into a national brand. He noted that record labels had become concerned by the closure of HMV because they would not have a prominent location to stock their physical product; the company's announcement quoted Universal Music Canada president Jeffrey Remedios, who felt that record stores were still important to fans and artists, and that they were "a community hub where passions are shared, art is explored, and lasting journeys begin." Putman added that "it is really sad to see HMV go. They were a great retailer and they really helped the physical business in Canada."[5]

Of the converted stores, Sunrise planned to stock a larger and broader array of music in comparison to HMV, including larger selections of vinyl records and music by local independent artists, as well as expanded offerings of music and entertainment apparel and merchandise.[5]

Locations

Sunrise Records pre-expansion

HMV takeover locations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec


New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland & Labrador

References

  1. 1 2 "Sunrise Records Taking Over Dozens of Closed HMV Stores Across Canada". Billboard.com. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  2. ↑ "As sun sets on Sunrise Records, a musical era fades away". Niagara This Week. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  3. ↑ "NO MORE RECORD STORES? Internet, big box competitors spell trouble for traditional retailers, but does anyone care?". YorkRegion.com. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "Sunrise Records to move into 70 closing HMV locations". Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 "Sunrise Records Goes National With HMV's Demise". FYI Music News. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  6. ↑ "HMV in receivership, stores to close by Apr. 30". Toronto Star. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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