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wummcunoulm-Wadmma. 2012- 11 l Sam I am * I I . I 011 Zurbrigg was the man behind the musu: at local Sam the Record Man By BoaVquwu: “A , i . that was the day that music really ’ l ‘ an i ‘ “It took the kids out of the wave of nostalgia swept "a. ‘ l music," said Zurbrigg, “They didn't Aim-r music lovers with the . . -, t .y, have 20 bucks to spend on music passing of Sam "Hie Record 3 ”I every week, and that's what Napster Man“ Sniderman last week. and , 1 t, wasallabout. (Bill Zurbrigg didn‘t mind being ' U , ‘ . “When people could start copy- carried along for the ride. .. ’ ~ ‘ ing CDs on to their computers. l Zurbrigg was the local face of w my“ ‘ ' told my cohorts that there was the Sam The Reconi Man chain for -~ technology out there that was going more than 40 years, lie did the tokillus." same for local music lovers that Zurbrigg, who still counts being Sniderlnan did for the flagship ~ named Retailer of the Year in 1994 Toronto store. as a career accomplishment, saw “As he started franchising and ’ ‘ those demographic shifts affect his stores would open in the smaller own business He closed up shop in cities across Ontario, everybody Kitchener and moved to Conestoga had that opponunity to experience Mall in Waterloo. That loop was the Yonge Street store. just not on finallyclosed in 2002 when the Sam the same level,” said Zurbrigg. The Record Man name disap- The Sam The Record Man fran~ peered forever locally. chise grew to more than 130 stores “When the opportunity came across Canada and was the place to Gil Zurbrigg, the former owner of the local Sam the Record Man stores, reminices about the musical mecca and for me to sell. I took it.” said Zur- go to get the latest record or find its founder Sam Snidennan, who passed away last week. The ”man cave' in his home still contains mementos brigg. “I saw it Coming five years that obscure musical gem with from that colourful past. and his love for the music continues to this day. ammo before it happened. more than 400,000 titles available , ,1 . , But the store did capture a s irit from the parent store. 1970. and l was the manager ofthe business side. And those were pre- of music more important than the that many people from this frea "I would make weekly trips to store. by 1973 and bought it in internet days. so i had to don lot of mufic itself. still remember. Zurbrigg still has Toronto to fill special WW3 and 1977. reading and keeping up with One of my favourite sayings fond memories ofthoaetimes. see Sam every week _ he was By that time. the store had things. it wasn't as easy as it was became: I love that am theysold One that sticks out for him is of always there.” said Zurbrigg. 'He moved to its more familiar down- today. We didn‘t know everything. a lot and i never had to listen to his earliest foraging trip to the big would have everything you were town Kitchener location and fea- but i tried to hire staff who could them.” said Zurbrigg "it's kind of a store in Toronto, and not finding a locking fornnd ifhedidn‘t. helmew lured the red-and-white neon complement what i didn't know" joke. but the industry changed that rare 45 in Sam Sniderman‘s huge where to get it” record logo that became synony- The business obviously changed wayoverthe years" . . collection. mm snack out to a Zurbrigg was just a kid himself mous with the chain. The reason over the years He remembered a But hethinks thefinal nail in the nearby competitor and found the when the first Sam's opened up on for the move seems a little ironic time when the cover art of an coffin for traditional record stores record. The problem __ how to “"8 Sum in luiy 1970 in uptown these days. ‘Downtown Waterloo album was just as important as the like Sam The Record Man came sneak it back in to Sam's without Waterloo. instead ofits more mem- was dead and we wanted to move music itself. with the advance of the lntemet. anybody noticing? arable King Street location in the to a place that had a lot more tnf- it also put him at the forefront of Zurbrigg is no technophobe, he -I went downstairs and to the heart of downtown Kitchener. A 5‘" “M m . the trends in the music W 'â€" present V works for a company left is the washroom. so i thought music to“, who got hooked on The fact that a music lover was from selling ticketstoconcerts fora called Library Bound that complies id 80 downstairs and zip into the Rock N‘ Roll in his pie-teen m in charge made." a meeting place new service called Ticketmaster to music and video and transfers washroom and that would bethat,’ Zurbrigg found himself hanging of sorts for musics! minds, and the the advent of new technology like them to ditches“ for 'public said Zurbrigg. "Well i walk into mound the store looking for discussions you d expect over compendium libraries. The man cave in his Sam. and l’m downstairs in his nuggets to add to his Beatles and music and the influences of the As digital recording- got better. home also hasthelateat in technol- store with an AM’: bag, and he Stones collection while picking the artist: would flow. Becoming a the sound got better, said Zur- ogy. lettinghim stream hisfavourite looks at me and m 'What's with brains of the people who worked musical library ofaom also meant brigg. ”The only thing i miss with videoand music tohisWupotairs thebag?’ there. Zurbriggbecameacquaintedwith vinylnowisthegraphia Buthethinksthcmusiccompa- 'Hegrabbeditfmmmeuidwas “I came from a musical family other genres such as classical 'A big part of browsing W nies fell behind the times when on the phonewith the record com- andmysisterandluscdlolistento musicanddevelopedahard-core albumswasthecoverartandyou theyeliminatedthingsliketheCD panyaakingwhyhedidn’thaveitl mordsallthetimesolstartedcol- groupofmunicphileawhowould mighttakeachancftonaomenew single.whichwereacheapwayto thwugolngtoptflred.” lecting and it obvioust became a come in forhiarecommendadom music becauaeofit. get the next generation ofklch into Zurbrigg didn’t, and he counts we“: said Zurbrig, 'l was hung My musical knowledge is Zurbrigg s a big believer that music. That forced them to buy memories of meeting musicians irigarotuiddiestoreamandthe somethinglthouditlhodmingfor vidcodidinfactldlltheradiostarJt Miolealbtmuinsteedoftheaonp likeEricClaptonamongaomeof WW a friendofmine. me. said Zurbrigg, who admit: also did a number on the music they wanted. it led to the creation his best. 'lt didn't feel like work 'He hired me in September of there was a learning curve to the industry by making the marketing of lntemet sites like Napster and mitigiritodiestorn'heaid. .. ' uâ€"‘Q _ -\~ ---t - '~ - c.‘» v 'V- ‘7“ ‘.- v I ~. - - -’ o . ‘FALL INTO SA VINGS‘ATCAMBRIDGE KIA‘ *‘ - r E i 3 a. " l < a \ '2; .4 " I f 4 \ ‘ ‘ ’ It as: ' _ . \ ”a 2010M”! morn-m D10“ . 2011"“ ”I". ”M” . ‘ / “Aw” “ammo and“ mud.” mt“! *“W ’M. ~ utimwm “Sim"flw autumn." vie-$15.95." iii-”MS-“ “Sim-” m." -7 1171.1 -,I i; :41; in» 11.0%.“, u; r ' 3 ; -:: sin 1: A; we 1 " 31.: E :1 l‘: m...