Sam the Record Man

Founding

Sniderman's Music Hall was launched in 1937 by Sam Sniderman (d. September 23, 2012) and Sidney Sniderman, as the record department in his family's existing store, Sniderman Radio Sales & Service, at 714 College Street (now home to L Squared Salon) in Toronto, which had itself been established in 1929 by Sidney Sniderman. In 1959, Sniderman's Music Hall moved to Yonge Street in order to compete with A&A Records, and was located in the basement of Yolle Furniture Store at 291–295 Yonge Street. On Labour Day 1961, the new store moved north to its location at 347 Yonge Street, two doors down from A&A, where it became a Toronto landmark. The flagship store of the competing A&A Records chain was located nearby at 351 Yonge Street. Steeles Tavern, a popular nightclub and live music venue, was between the two stores at 349 Yonge Street until it closed in 1974.

1960s

A third floor was built onto the back portion of the original 347 Yonge Street store sometime in the 1960s and a basement stockroom was excavated. It served as the Third Floor Bargain Basement for many years before becoming the first video department for the store. Concert tickets were sold there for a time as well.

An additional property was purchased several stores to the north (371 and 375 Yonge?) which became Sam the Tape Man (formats open reel, 4 track, 8 track, and cassette) with Sam the Chinese Food Man upstairs. When Sam found out that his favourite Chinese restaurant was being demolished to make way for the new Toronto City Hall, Sam offered the restaurant the upstairs of his Sam the Tape Man store as a new location. It served as the venue for many flagship store, franchise, and record industry functions over the years. In the early 1970s, Sam the Tape Man was relocated to the 347 Yonge store and the space rented to an adult bookstore. The restaurant was eventually closed and the building sold and fully renovated into two Asian restaurants.

1970s

The parking lot behind the adjoining Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) at Yonge and Gould St. was purchased in the early 1970s and an annex built which housed the classical department and later added the tape department (now only cassettes and 8-tracks), when it was incorporated back into the 347 location. CIBC restricted the height of the annex building to slightly below the height of the bank building, which prevented the addition of a second story, though a low-ceiling mezzanine was included for use as a stock area.

1980s

Steeles' Tavern at 349 Yonge Street closed in 1974 and the building was acquired by Sniderman in the early 1980s; however, the ground floor was rented out to a stereo equipment store. After cutting access doorways through the walls to the existing store, the second floor became the CD department and a greatly reduced-in-size Bargain Basement. Eventually the ground floor and basement of 349 Yonge Street were incorporated via doorways cut through the walls into the adjoining record store, with the 45s department moving to the back of 347 Yonge St. The ground floor of 349 Yonge became a greatly expanded CD department, the second floor became the video department, and a third floor was added to the back portion of the building to house the video rental library, staff lunchroom, and new staff washrooms. The Bargain Basement was restored to the third floor of 349 Yonge Street. When CDs were incorporated into their respective departments, the video store was relocated to the ground floor of 349 Yonge Street.

1990s

The chain branched out into computer software and games in the mid-1990s and a new department, Sam The Interactive Man, was created on the now-adjoined and renovated third floors to house it. It was later moved briefly to the ground floor, prior to the expansion of the store into the CIBC property.

In 1991 the CIBC property (341, 343, and 345 Yonge Street) was purchased and the store was reconfigured yet again with the Pop/Rock department moving to the ground floor of the new property. New cashier stations were installed at the front of 347 Yonge where the pop/rock department had been. A two-stage plan of renovation/construction involving the CIBC building and the classical annex were drawn up but only the first stage of the reconstruction was completed. The renovations comprised the creation of doorways from the CIBC building into the classical annex, the addition of stairs and a mezzanine which became the new location for Sam The Interactive Man. When the interactive department was closed it became the Nexx Level, which comprised the relocated R&B/Soul/Rap/Electronic department. The Jazz department was moved to the second floor of 349 Yonge St. and the Pop Vocal and Instrumental departments moved to the second floor where jazz had been. Huge outdoor video screens were installed by an advertising firm on the (rented) lower portions of the roof of the former CIBC building. Extensive neon signage, including a replica of the original neon sign for Sniderman Radio Sales & Service, was installed in the former CIBC building. The third floor was turned into offices and fulfilment area when the store expanded to online sales.

2000s

Major renovations followed the re-consolidation of the company after bankruptcy (January 2002). Much of this work was redecoration of the sales areas in terms of painting, lighting, flooring, and the inclusion of vintage fixtures such as a bar with mirrors, a wood-and-glass display cabinet, and a barbershop counter/mirror. Classical was moved to the newly renovated ground floor of 349 Yonge Street and the Jazz, Blues, & Folk department was temporarily moved back to the second floor of 349 Yonge St. while redecorating took place, then moved back when the renovations were completed. The former classical annex was transformed into a new DVD department, complete with a chandelier, theatrical spotlights, drapes, popcorn machine, 5.1 sound system, video monitors, neon sign, and theatre marquee. A small stage was also added for in-store performances. Renovations were also done on the ground floor of 347 Yonge, primarily the addition of a magazine section and a new cashier desk. The Pop/Rock Department and Nexx Level were also renovated. The former parkette (Hacksel Place) and chess tables on Gould Street were made over and incorporated into a café added to the Pop/Rock department. At one point limited menu food service was provided by Lick's hamburger chain.

The flagship store in film and music

The double-disc neon sign is frequently visible in films shot in Toronto that use Yonge Street as a location. Recent examples include the 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, which features the signs prominently during the final battle sequences, and the CTV/CBS series Flashpoint, which is set in Toronto.

For a brief time in the 1910s, 347 Yonge Street was the location of music publishers Chappell & Co, now Warner/Chappell Music.

Yonge Street flagship store closes

On May 29, 2007, Jason and Bobby Sniderman announced that the iconic flagship store, on Toronto's Yonge and Gould Streets, would close permanently on June 30, 2007. They stated that "their decision reflects the increasing impact of technology on the record industry." There was also increasing pressure to rent out some of the property or sell it to Ryerson University, known today as Toronto Metropolitan University.

On May 30, 2007, supporters started a Facebook group to save the store's neon spinning record signs titled "Save the Sam's Sign!!!". The group, and its attached online petition, garnered over 18,000 members. On June 14, 2007, it was announced that the signage, fixtures, and memorabilia from the store, would be auctioned on June 27. The remaining stock was reduced to sell but was not sold at the auction.