Sam Sniderman
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Sam Sniderman | |
|---|---|
 The Record Man shown in his flagship store in 1979 with stacks of records. | |
| Born | June 15, 1920 |
| Died | September 23, 2012 (aged 92)[1] Toronto, Ontario |
| Resting place | Mount Sinai Memorial Park, Toronto [2] |
| Other names | Sam the Record Man |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Sam the Record Man retail chain Promoter of Canadian music and leading advocate for Canadian content broadcast policies. |
| Awards | Order of Canada |
Sam Sniderman, CM (June 15, 1920 – September 23, 2012) was a Canadian businessman best known as the founder of the Canadian record shop chain Sam the Record Man. Sniderman was also a major promoter of Canadian music including involvement in pushing for the Canadian content (CANCON) broadcast regulations and creating the Juno Awards.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sniderman grew up in its Jewish enclave known as Kensington Market.[3] He attended high school at Harbord Collegiate Institute and started selling records in his brother Sidney's store, Sniderman Radio Sales and Service, in 1936.[3] In 1959 he opened his first store on Toronto's Yonge Street, and then moved it to the iconic 347 Yonge Street flagship store location in 1961.[4] In 1969, he started franchising the store.
He retired in 2000 and turned over ownership of the business to his sons, Bobby and Jason, and Sid's daughters Lana and Arna. The flagship Toronto store that bore his name closed in 2007 and its distinctive façade was declared a heritage site by the city.[5]
Following the closure, Sniderman expressed his support for Ryerson University's bid to expropriate the Yonge Street property if his children and nieces failed to negotiate a deal to sell the property to the university.[5] In the end, Ryerson (now called Toronto Metropolitan University) reached a deal to purchase the property from the family.[6]
The last remaining Sam The Record Man store still operates in Belleville, Ontario.
