![]() Factors cited were the heavy debt incurred during its aggressive expansion in the 1990s, growing competition from mass discounters and Internet piracy. Tower Records entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time in 2004. From 1983 until December 2002 Tower Records published it monthly, 222 issues in all. After nine years, in 1992, the magazine began national distribution with a cover price of $2.95, but it was canceled when the company discontinued U.S. ![]() Initially, it was given away free in their stores to promote their record sales. In 1983, the company began publishing a music magazine, Pulse!, which contained record reviews, interviews, and advertising. In addition to compact discs and cassette tapes, the stores sold DVDs, electronic gadgets like mp3 players, video games, accessories, and toys, and a few Tower Records locations sold books as well, such as those in Fremont, Brea, Mountain View, and Sacramento, California, as well as stores in Austin, Boston, Massachusetts, Nashville, New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Seattle. The program was free of charge and allowed a customer to receive a membership card that could be scanned with each purchase, allowing the customer to receive coupons and notification of special deals via e-mail. In 2006, the company introduced the Tower Insider program. In the years that followed, this model of listening station was still used at the Arizona-based chain Zia Records. These stations allowed customers to listen to audio samples from CDs and to search for particular songs, albums and artists. In 2005, the company began using "scan and listen" stations in its stores. It is estimated that between 19 customers were overcharged by nearly $500 million and up to $5 per album. Īs part of a 2002 settlement with 41 states over CD price fixing Tower Records, along with retailers Musicland and Trans World Entertainment, agreed to pay a $3 million fine. Because of the store's proximity to Music Row, country music stars could occasionally be seen performing or shopping there. The location was famous for their late-night Monday events that culminated at midnight on Tuesday when staff started ringing up sales of new releases. The strip mall next door contained a separate Tower Books. The area in the back housed videocassette sales and rentals, PC and console games and music paraphernalia. ![]() The old showroom floor in front was devoted to CDs, cassettes and vinyl. The Nashville location on West End Avenue (across from Vanderbilt University) was in a former Packard dealership. There was also a location in the basement of Trump Tower, and a small clearance annex on 86th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Their location on the Upper West Side, near Lincoln Center on 66th Street and Broadway, was a magnet for those working in the field of musical theatre. The third store, Tower Video, was located on the southeast corner of East 4th and Lafayette Street, and specialized in video and the second floor of this location also sold books. The Tower Records Annex was in the same building, located at the southwest corner of East 4th and Lafayette Street. The main store was located at the southeast corner of East 4th Street and Broadway. In New York City, Tower Records operated a suite of stores on and near lower Broadway in Greenwich Village. History Īn advertisement from WQXR promoting CD compilation for Tower Records, 1986 On November 13, 2020, Tower Records announced that it had returned as an online retailer with plans to open future physical locations. ![]() Tower Records was purchased by a separate entity and was not affected by the retail store closings. From 1960 until 2006, Tower operated retail stores in the United States, which closed when Tower Records filed for bankruptcy and liquidation. Tower Records is an international retail franchise and online music store that was formerly based in Sacramento, California, United States. For the building also known as Tower Records, see 360 Newbury Street.ĭVDs, compact discs, videos, video games, records, posters, books, collectibles, accessories For the 1960s record label, see Tower Records (record label). This article is about the retail music chain. ![]()
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