Sam Goody, once a major record store chain in the United States, has announced the closure of its last two physical locations. At its peak, Sam Goody operated over 800 stores nationwide and was a common feature in malls, serving as a popular destination for music enthusiasts. The rise of digital downloads and streaming services significantly impacted the brand, leading to a decline in physical sales. Since 2022, only two stores have remained open: one in the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville, Ohio, and the other in Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, Oregon. Both stores are now slated to close permanently. Rick Polanski, the long-serving manager of the St. Clairsville store, expressed his disappointment, noting the store’s past success as a $2 million establishment. The St. Clairsville location is set to close in February, while the closure date for the Medford store has not been disclosed.
Sam Goody was founded in the 1950s by Sam “Goody” Gutowitz, starting as a single store on 49th Street in New York before expanding nationwide. In 1978, Gutowitz sold the chain to the American Can Company, which merged it with their existing Musicland record store brand. Subsequent acquisitions, including the Southern California chain Licorice Pizza, helped Sam Goody become one of the largest music retailers in the country. However, the brand faced financial difficulties in the early 2000s, changing ownership multiple times as companies like Best Buy, Trans World Entertainment, and Sunrise Records attempted unsuccessfully to revitalize it.