Ontario-based Sunrise Records will take over the two-level, 20,000 square foot HMV store in West Edmonton Mall including two sound stages.
The announcement was made Monday.
The company will take over a total of 70 previously owned HMV locations in malls across Canada.
It’s the only Edmonton location to be announced so far, but the company says other locations will be announced in the coming days once more details are finalized.
“We are excited to bring Sunrise nationwide, and would like to thank all of the suppliers and landlords who worked so closely with us to allow us to be a destination for physical music in Canada,” said Doug Putman, president of Sunrise Records.
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The news comes on the heels of the HMV Canada music chain being put into receivership after recently announcing the closure of all nationwide stores.
In court documents filed last month, HMV painted the image of a hemorrhaging business where sales were projected to slide to $190 million in 2016, after gradually weakening over the previous couple of years.
Overall, HMV said it was losing $100,000 a day.
“It’s an absolutely huge number,” Putman said.
Sunrise Records plans to broaden the assortment of music that HMV carried, with a planned 50 per cent increase in CD sales. The company also plans to bring in apparel, music merchandise, pop culture figures, licensed figures, plush characters and an assortment of board games.
Part of the expansion includes a commitment from Sunrise to hire HMV employees who want to continue their career in music retail.
Stores will start opening in early April 2017.
Sunrise Records currently has nine stores in Ontario.
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