The End Of Sam The Record Man: Your Reaction

It's just a store that sells records, CDs and DVDs. Yet the Sam The Record Man outlet at Yonge and Dundas is a lot more than that. Like the CN Tower and City Hall, it seems to have become a de facto symbol of Toronto, one of those post card capturing photos every tourist has to take to capture the essence of the city. And that's why news of its closing is being taken so hard by those who used to or still do frequent the store.

We asked for your memories of the Yonge St. icon as it prepares to close its doors for good on June 30 ^th. Here are a few of them.

"My first memory of Sam's is when I bought a 45 when I was 15 years old, of Rhapsody In Blue.  That was 40 years ago, since then I've purchased the Beach Boys, The Animals and many other albums there. My son is now 34 years old and has my complete collection, expect for the 45's which I wore out playing them. Sam's was part of my history ... and "Our History".

Bob Cameron

"In the early to mid 70's I purchased my very first vinyl album there (CSN&Y Four Way Street), then turned north a couple of blocks to eat at Topp's (another famous fixture) along Yonge Street .

"While there will undoubtedly be many stories about Sam's, I'm a firm believer that the world famous neon signs hanging above the store, must be saved. My suggestion would be that they remain at the corner of Yonge & Dundas as a reminder of days gone by. I've viewed the new construction that is currently underway at that intersection, and feel that Sam's signage would fit right into the landscape as a retro piece of art."

Barbara Kovell

" I remember watching movies that were filmed in Toronto . Half Baked was one of them. You can see Sam's in the background. It is truly unfortunate that the store will close soon. It's not just any record store you can find in a mall, it is one of the many landmarks of Toronto ."

Freddy Bannayan

"Boxing Day meant the excitement of getting up very early and getting in line at Sam's.  It was a ritual I practised religiously as a teenager and have done the same with my son for many years.  The city has suffered a great loss.  Thank you Sam for providing our music to us for so many years!  Toronto will never be the same."

Paul Greenberg

"I was born in 1959 in Toronto and I used to buy 45s, album records & tapes there, not CDs.  I remember Boxing Day sales in the 1970s & 1980s where you couldn't even move inside that store, it was absolutely jam packed ... The spinning vinyl record has been a part of the Yonge Streetneon lights my whole life. How is it going to feel to walk on Yonge Streets and not see the bright vinyl?  It truly is the end of an era. Sam the Record Man & Honest Ed are the 2 individuals that symbolize the history of a small business that flourished in Toronto. So Sad!!!

Annette O'Hearn-Gaul

And finally two emails that show you don't have to be from T.O. to appreciate the old record store on the corner downtown.

"Sam's closing is a real shame.  As an avid vinyl collector, I spent thousands of dollars at that store.  I recall many occasions coming home with an armful of records in the distinctive thin white plastic bags which were heat-sealed. Somehow by the time you got home, the red lettering rubbed off on your hands as there were no handles, and you ripped apart the bag to get to the records.  My last purchase was just last month on a visit to Toronto from London, England where I now live.  I made a bee-line to Sam's and found a DVD that I couldn't find in the other megastores. It is a shame that a distinctly Canadian brand and a Yonge Street landmark will disappear.  Sam's will be missed."

"I'm devastated to hear that Sam's is closing, and I don't even live in Toronto (or Canada !) Sam's was the first place I ever learned to get to using the TTC by myself, so it holds a very fond memory. The sales people there were fantastic, they were very friendly, knowledgeable, and above all: patient. They answered my ridiculously silly questions in a calm demeanor, and found me the product that I needed. A year later, and I'm planning my big move to Toronto (from NJ of all places)  ... and I was wholeheartedly looking forward to shopping at the only indie record store that I knew of  [in] Toronto . This is especially devastating. I wish I had the money to give to them to keep their store open, I wish I had been involved in a Boxing Day sale, I wish I'd have more than three weeks with them in my life."

Diana Grassi