After an seven-decade run as one of the nation’s premiere record store chains, Sam Goody has announced the closure of its final two brick-and-mortar locations.
The stores are located at the Ohio Valley Mall in St. Clairsville, Ohio and the Rogue Valley Mall in Medford, Oregon. According to WTRF, the Ohio location will close first, with its final date set for sometime in February 2025 — until then, prices will be reduced. No timeline has been given for the closure of the Oregon location.
Founded shortly after the introduction of long-playing records, Sam Goody became a household name for discount vinyl sales in the ’50s, and a mainstay of malls across America and the United Kingdom in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
In recent years, though, the brand’s popularity has waned, due to factors like digital music sales, streaming, mismanagement, and more. After an acquisition in 2006, many Sam Goody stores were rebranded as f.y.e. stores, with only a handful of Goodys staying in operation since 2012.