27:
621:
141:
635:
405:
restart it." A&B, on its website, wrote a letter to its employees and customers stating that they had to restructure their business to work in today's market, so the business itself believed it would continue on. However, A&B dropped its A&B credit card from Wells Fargo
October 15, 2008, and as expected, no replacement was issued.
240:(2000). In 2001, Nick Steiner stepped aside as president, retaining his role as chairman, and long-time CEO Tim Howley became president and CEO. A number of locations, such as those in Calgary, also included bookstore sections, though by the start of the 2000s decade most of these sections had been removed.
152:
in a building once used as that city's first hospital, and later as a brothel. This building is now home to a number of businesses and the
University of Victoria's poverty law clinic, known as the Law Centre. In 1980, the company's Vancouver location expanded to three floors, followed in 1981 by the
368:
location was also closed around this time. On
December 15, 2007, a new location opened in Langford (near Victoria). On January 4, 2008, the Delta store, which had re-located from Surrey, was closed. In early 2008, A&B was planning to open a new store in Chilliwack, located not far from the local
419:
Since the final store closed in late 2008, A&B Sound's remaining inventory was in limbo, with a briefly advertised sale in its
Abbotsford location cancelled without explanation. However, in late June 2011, the inventory resurfaced; Able Auctions in Vancouver was liquidating the remaining stock
404:
The collapse of A&B Sound was predicted by retail analysts during the summer of 2008. Retail
Analyst David Ian Gray was quoted as saying, "I think they're done. They had to close stores, for sure, but they're getting to a point where their brand is lost, and I just don't see them being able to
313:
Technology Inc., based in
Richmond and led by Paul Girard. He announced that they planned to close down or relocate some of the branches that were losing money and focus on the BC and Alberta markets. That year and the next, a number of employees were laid off, and several locations were closed,
380:
On July 23, 2008, management made the decision to close the
Nanaimo location. Several days later, on July 29, 2008, the decision was made to abruptly close the once-profitable Calgary North location as well, leaving A&B with no remaining presence in Calgary, as the south location had been
263:
newspaper, it is noted that A&B Sound's aggressive pricing policies resulted in
Vancouver having the lowest record prices of any Canadian metropolis. These low prices were not only blamed for the failures of other chains, but may have been one reason for some chains not opening stores in
257:, which was unable to penetrate the Vancouver market with as much success as it had in eastern Canada. A downtown Vancouver location of Sam the Record Man was located next door to A&B Sound's Seymour Street location until late in 2000, when it was closed. In a 1993 article in
272:
finally opened stores in the
Vancouver area in 1993, HMV Canada's then-president, Paul Alofs, said that breaking into the Vancouver market would be difficult. "A&B is certainly a very strong competitor, and we have a lot of respect for what they do."
131:
A&B Sound was founded by Fred
Steiner in 1959. The first store was located at 571 Granville St., and in 1970 it moved to 556 Seymour Street. The store initially sold televisions, stereos and radio equipment, adding music later that year.
248:
For years, A&B Sound maintained a reputation in the western Canadian music market for having the lowest prices and best selection on records, cassettes, and later, CDs. Often, the chain would out-price other major retailers, including
381:
dismantled a few months earlier after only a year in its new location. Employees and management at both branches were greeted to a locked front door and a message stating that the location had been shut down, with no prior notice.
377:
On April 3, 2008, it was announced the historic Victoria location would close. On April 8, 2008, A&B Sound said that it would be joining the Audiotronic chain, but nothing further came of this.
515:
537:
676:
337:
store was also closed in February 2005, although that city maintained locations in the northeast and deep south. Meanwhile, new locations were opened in the city of
408:
On November 7, 2008, A&B Sound officially announced that it had gone out of business, joining a number of other now-defunct Canadian music chains, including
671:
588:
523:
696:
176:(1990). Fred Steiner died in 1991, the same year that the East Hastings location moved into a larger property at the corner of Hastings Street and the
656:
686:
397:
October 23, 2008 - The South Edmonton and Abbotsford store were closed, although both re-opened briefly later in the week for liquidation sales.
681:
309:
was announced, but this sale was not approved by A&B's creditors. Instead, the company was purchased by Canadian computer manufacturer
384:
Over the next few months, the remainder of the A&B Sound chain collapsed, with its remaining branches closing on the following dates:
661:
545:
310:
297:
entered the marketplace as well, the latter having purchased Future Shop in the early 2000s decade. In early 2005, with a debt of
281:
In the 1990s and 2000s decade, A&B began to face increasing competition for music, DVD and electronics sales. Vancouver-based
691:
369:
Future Shop. In July 2008, all signs for this location were removed, and plans for the Chilliwack location were scrapped.
666:
285:
added music to its product mix, using the same aggressive pricing structure it did with consumer electronics. Besides
160:
Fred Steiner retired in 1987, and his son Nick became president of A&B Sound. New stores subsequently opened in
596:
306:
265:
217:
149:
97:
468:
561:
354:
161:
338:
388:
August 12, 2008 - Shutdown of the two remaining Vancouver stores, Seymour and Marine Drive.
323:
259:
221:
181:
177:
442:"The rise and fall of A&B Sound: Iconic record store chain went bankrupt 10 years ago"
8:
589:"Able Auctions - Electronics Store Bankruptcy Closure Auction - Saturday June 25th 2011"
441:
413:
254:
169:
358:
319:
318:
stores in 2005, the Hastings Street store in January 2006, and in August 2006, their
213:
400:
November 7, 2008 - The last remaining A&B Sound store in North Vancouver closes.
640:
612:
364:
location closed, with plans to re-open another Edmonton location in the works. The
331:
565:
298:
268:, which had scouted Vancouver as a possible location to expand into Canada. When
469:"[571 Granville Street - A & B Sound] - City of Vancouver Archives"
409:
250:
216:
and a third Calgary outlet in autumn 1998. Also in 1995, a store was opened in
576:
26:
650:
626:
243:
157:. A fourth location opened in 1984 on South West Marine Drive in Vancouver.
342:
229:
446:
282:
112:
302:
209:
208:, followed by south Edmonton (1994), a second Calgary location (1995),
327:
269:
225:
220:. Expansion continued throughout Western Canada, with new stores in
361:
315:
294:
290:
237:
233:
205:
153:
construction of a new store on Hastings Street, near the border of
144:
The former Downtown Victoria A&B Sound founded by Fred Steiner
365:
350:
346:
334:
201:
197:
185:
173:
165:
154:
140:
45:
301:
57 million, A&B Sound filed for protection under Canadian
491:
558:
286:
244:
Impact on Vancouver's record, tape and CD retail industry
135:
372:
616:
391:
August 29, 2008 - Langley, B.C. (Greater Vancouver).
677:Companies that have filed for bankruptcy in Canada
648:
191:
184:. The following year, an eighth store opened in
672:Companies based in Richmond, British Columbia
276:
577:Able Auctions tour of inventory on YouTube
357:stores were relocated. In March 2007, the
123:was a Canadian home electronics retailer.
25:
16:Defunct Canadian home electronics retailer
697:Canadian companies disestablished in 2008
516:"A&B; Sound to shut its doors Sunday"
657:Consumer electronics retailers of Canada
435:
433:
305:regulations. A sale to American company
139:
687:Retail companies disestablished in 2008
649:
439:
196:In 1993, A&B Sound moved into the
88:Filed for bankruptcy, stores shut down
430:
136:Expansion throughout British Columbia
682:Retail companies established in 1959
505:, an issue from March or April 1993.
373:Store closures and second bankruptcy
559:Official announcement of bankruptcy
13:
662:Defunct retail companies of Canada
538:"A&B; Sound shuts city stores"
394:September 18, 2008 - Pitt Meadows.
14:
708:
607:
440:Azpiri, Jon (November 24, 2018).
289:, other retail giants including
148:A second store opened in 1977 in
633:
619:
307:Sun Capital Partners Group Inc.
581:
570:
552:
530:
508:
496:
485:
461:
1:
692:1959 establishments in Canada
423:
200:market, opening locations in
192:Expansion into Western Canada
544:. 2008-08-13. Archived from
522:. 2006-08-26. Archived from
330:locations. Its high-profile
218:Abbotsford, British Columbia
7:
473:searcharchives.vancouver.ca
253:, as well as Toronto-based
72:; 16 years ago
10:
713:
492:Home Page | The Law Centre
277:Bankruptcy and a new owner
150:Victoria, British Columbia
126:
98:Richmond, British Columbia
667:Music retailers of Canada
564:October 21, 2016, at the
251:A&A Records and Tapes
108:
92:
84:
66:
51:
41:
33:
24:
420:on Saturday, June 25.
145:
264:Vancouver, including
143:
503:The Georgia Straight
260:The Georgia Straight
178:Trans Canada Highway
593:www.ableauctions.ca
314:including both the
180:, close to the PNE
21:
414:Sam the Record Man
255:Sam the Record Man
146:
19:
172:area (1988), and
118:
117:
704:
643:
641:Companies portal
638:
637:
636:
629:
624:
623:
622:
601:
600:
595:. Archived from
585:
579:
574:
568:
556:
550:
549:
534:
528:
527:
512:
506:
500:
494:
489:
483:
482:
480:
479:
465:
459:
458:
456:
454:
437:
80:
78:
73:
62:
60:
29:
22:
18:
712:
711:
707:
706:
705:
703:
702:
701:
647:
646:
639:
634:
632:
625:
620:
618:
610:
605:
604:
587:
586:
582:
575:
571:
566:Wayback Machine
557:
553:
536:
535:
531:
514:
513:
509:
501:
497:
490:
486:
477:
475:
467:
466:
462:
452:
450:
438:
431:
426:
410:A&A Records
375:
339:North Vancouver
279:
246:
194:
138:
129:
104:
100:
76:
74:
71:
58:
56:
17:
12:
11:
5:
710:
700:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
645:
644:
630:
609:
608:External links
606:
603:
602:
599:on 2011-06-17.
580:
569:
551:
548:on 2008-08-22.
542:www.canada.com
529:
526:on 2012-11-05.
520:www.canada.com
507:
495:
484:
460:
428:
427:
425:
422:
402:
401:
398:
395:
392:
389:
374:
371:
278:
275:
245:
242:
193:
190:
137:
134:
128:
125:
116:
115:
110:
106:
105:
102:
96:
94:
90:
89:
86:
82:
81:
68:
64:
63:
53:
49:
48:
43:
39:
38:
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
709:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
680:
678:
675:
673:
670:
668:
665:
663:
660:
658:
655:
654:
652:
642:
631:
628:
627:Canada portal
617:
615:
614:
613:A&B Sound
598:
594:
590:
584:
578:
573:
567:
563:
560:
555:
547:
543:
539:
533:
525:
521:
517:
511:
504:
499:
493:
488:
474:
470:
464:
449:
448:
443:
436:
434:
429:
421:
417:
415:
411:
406:
399:
396:
393:
390:
387:
386:
385:
382:
378:
370:
367:
363:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
336:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
284:
274:
271:
267:
266:Tower Records
262:
261:
256:
252:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
189:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
158:
156:
151:
142:
133:
124:
122:
121:A&B Sound
114:
111:
107:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
69:
65:
54:
50:
47:
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
23:
20:A&B Sound
611:
597:the original
592:
583:
572:
554:
546:the original
541:
532:
524:the original
519:
510:
502:
498:
487:
476:. Retrieved
472:
463:
451:. Retrieved
445:
418:
407:
403:
383:
379:
376:
345:, while the
343:Pitt Meadows
280:
258:
247:
230:Saskatchewan
212:(1996), and
195:
159:
147:
130:
120:
119:
93:Headquarters
34:Company type
447:Global News
283:Future Shop
232:(1999) and
113:Electronics
651:Categories
478:2024-09-02
424:References
303:bankruptcy
210:Lethbridge
328:Saskatoon
226:Saskatoon
170:Metrotown
562:Archived
453:March 7,
362:Edmonton
359:Downtown
349:, south
332:Downtown
320:Red Deer
316:Winnipeg
295:Best Buy
291:Wal-Mart
238:Manitoba
234:Winnipeg
214:Red Deer
206:Edmonton
182:Playland
164:(1987),
109:Products
42:Industry
37:Retailer
366:Burnaby
351:Calgary
347:Kelowna
335:Calgary
202:Calgary
198:Alberta
186:Kelowna
174:Nanaimo
166:Burnaby
155:Burnaby
127:History
75: (
67:Defunct
57: (
52:Founded
355:Surrey
353:, and
326:, and
324:Regina
311:Seanix
222:Regina
162:Surrey
103:Canada
46:Retail
455:2020
412:and
341:and
293:and
224:and
204:and
85:Fate
77:2008
70:2008
59:1959
55:1959
299:C$
287:HMV
270:HMV
168:'s
653::
591:.
540:.
518:.
471:.
444:.
432:^
416:.
322:,
236:,
228:,
188:.
101:,
481:.
457:.
79:)
61:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.svg){kind=logo}
