New York — J&R Music & Computer World has closed its e-commerce site, marking another milepost in the retailer’s 43-year history.
The brand continues to do business through reseller stores on Amazon.com and eBay, but its JR.com site has been reduced to a sole landing page announcing the closure of its Lower Manhattan store last month.
The company, founded by namesakes Joe and Rachelle Friedman, began as a basement record shop in 1971 and grew into a storied retail destination drawing music fans, celebrities, guest performers and tourists.
Its Amazon storefront currently lists about 950 items, largely CE accessories, while the eBay store, with over 3,000 SKUs, offers an even more diverse mix that includes dishware, cash registers and Little League baseball bats in addition to computer and A/V accessories. Both marketplace sites are supplied and fulfilled by distributors.
In an open letter on JR.com, the Friedmans said they plan to transform the business and their Park Row real estate into “an unprecedented retailing concept and social mecca.”
They also expressed their gratitude to “customers, staff and vendors for what has been an incredible 43 years and helping make J&R Music & Computer World the legendary iconic store that makes us so proud.”
