HMV Canada

HMV Canada

The company's logo from 2024 to present
Company type	Privately held company
Industry	Retail
Founded	1986; 38 years ago (1986) (original) February 2024; 6 months ago (2024-02) (revival)
Products	Books film television music technology merchandise cinema
Owner	Sunrise Records (2019–present)[a]
Parent	HMV (1986–2017) Toys "R" Us Canada (2024–present)
Website	hmv.ca

HMV Canada is a music and entertainment retailer, operated by Sunrise Records. Since February 2024, it has been a concession in select Toys "R" Us locations.^[1][2]

Previously, from 1986 to 2017, HMV Canada was a chain of standalone retail stores, with its head office located in Etobicoke.^[3]

In 1986, EMI Music Canada purchased the Mister Sound chain.^{[citation needed]} EMI then attempted to rebrand the sites as His Master's Voice stores, but were not granted the rights from brand owners Technicolor SA.^[4] However, EMI were not prevented from using just the 'HMV' initials, which were sometimes initialised to "Hot Music Values" in radio and television commercials in the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

In 1991, EMI opened HMV Canada's flagship store at 333 Yonge Street in Toronto.^{[citation needed]} The flagship store hosted in-store concerts from Puff Daddy, D'Angelo, Green Day, Foxy Brown, Ramones, Guns N' Roses, Backstreet Boys, and NSYNC. A concert hosted by the Red Hot Chili Peppers had the Yonge and Edward Street intersection closed off.^[5][6] The Yonge Street store was also notable for promoting local indie music scene by giving unsigned bands prominent shelf space on the ground floor, as well as hosting in-store concerts and events with Toronto bands.^[6]

The retailer also occupied a two-level, 20,000 square foot store in West Edmonton Mall which included an event stage (known as the Phase IV Stage) in front of the store. The Phase IV Stage often hosted musical performances or autograph signings by artists who were making tour stops in Edmonton.^[7]

In June 2010, HMV Canada launched purehmv, a customer rewards program that offered store discounts and exclusive items across music, film, and gaming in exchange for points gained in-store.^[8] Over 300,000 customers joined the program in its first four months.^[9]

In June 2011, HMV Canada sold its stores for £2 million to Hilco Capital, a British firm specialising in retail restructuring.^[10]

In late 2011, HMV Canada announced closures of its Downtown Vancouver and Richmond Centre stores.^[11]

By 2012, HMV had 113 stores in Canada, down from 121 when it was sold by HMV Group. However, Hilco Capital opened several new stores, including one in Peter Pond Mall in Fort McMurray.^[12] In late 2012, Hilco Capital reported they were successful at restructuring HMV Canada, and that there were no plans to cease operations.^[13] As part of its strategy, HMV Canada focused on growing back-catalogue music and movies not found at discount rivals, while also carrying higher-margin merchandise like gifts, collectibles, clothing and headphones, while removing video games and technology hardware from sale.^{[citation needed]}

By January 2017, the company had $39 million in debt, after running at a loss since 2014.^{[citation needed]} Hilco Capital stated that financial difficulties, combined with decreasing sales, meant the current situation was not sustainable. On January 27, 2017, HUK 10 Ltd., the shell company owned by Hilco employee, business partner of Nick Williams, and owner of HMV UK, Paul McGowan sued HMV Canada in the Ontario Superior Court.^[14] They were successful, and Hilco Capital announced plans to close all HMV Canada locations by April 30, 2017.^[15] HMV Canada locations held clear-out sales of their remaining inventory.^[16] The flagship store on Yonge Street in Toronto closed on April 14, 2017.^[5]

In February 2017, Ontario-based chain Sunrise Records bought the leases of 70 of HMV Canada locations in an effort to convert into Sunrise Records locations, and invited 1,340 former HMV Canada employees to apply for 700 positions. HMV Canada's flagship location on Yonge Street in Toronto was one of the several locations that were not part of the deal, and remained vacant.^[17][18]

On February 5, 2019, Sunrise Records subsequently announced its intent to buy HMV UK out of administration from Hilco Capital for an undisclosed amount, with the possibility of HMV Canada's revival being considered.^[19]

In February 2024, Toys "R" Us Canada (also owned by Sunrise Records owner Doug Putman) announced that it would begin to introduce HMV-branded store-within-a-store departments at its locations, carrying music, home video, and various pop-culture collectibles. The retailer also returned to online trading.^[20]

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