A long-standing mail-order club that famously enticed new members with a deal of 12 CDs for a penny has declared its closure after 71 years. Columbia House, which halted music sales and operations in Canada in 2010, unexpectedly removed the closure announcement from its website on Tuesday.
Music enthusiasts were the first to notice the closure notice over the weekend. The message stated that starting September 15, 2026, Columbia House would cease accepting new orders. Originally established in 1955 by Columbia Records as Columbia Record Club, the company aimed to boost music sales in areas without easy access to physical record stores. Over time, the business expanded to include new technologies such as cassettes, CDs, and even DVDs of movies and TV shows.
The club’s marketing strategy involved enticing early customers with promises of multiple records, tapes, or CDs for just a penny, with the condition that they commit to purchasing a certain number of releases monthly. This approach proved successful, with Columbia House shipping over a billion records and capturing 15% of CD sales by 1994.
However, as online music options became more prevalent, revenue began to decline. In 2010, under the ownership of Direct Brands, Columbia House shifted its focus from music to DVDs only, leading to the closure of its Canadian operations.
While the news of Columbia House’s closure may trigger nostalgia for its once-popular music collection model, the company’s parent, Filmed Entertainment Inc., had previously filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2015. Despite surviving on DVD sales since then, the company has now decided to cease operations.
This development comes at a time when there is a renewed interest in physical media. Recent data from a Music Canada report on global music trends highlighted a surge in vinyl sales in 2025, with record stores experiencing increased business.
Following the disappearance of the closure announcement from its website, CBC News has attempted to contact Columbia House for further details but has not received a response yet.
