A long-standing mail-order club, known for its offer of 12 CDs for a penny to new members, is closing its doors after 71 years. Columbia House, which stopped music sales and its operations in Canada in 2010, recently removed the closure announcement from its website.
Enthusiasts noticed the closure notice over the weekend, stating that after September 15, 2026, The Columbia House would no longer accept new orders. The club, initially established by Columbia Records in 1955 as the Columbia Record Club, aimed to reach consumers in areas without access to record stores. Over the years, the business expanded its offerings to include cassettes, CDs, and eventually DVDs of movies and TV shows.
Attracting early customers through magazine and newspaper inserts promising multiple music items for a penny, Columbia House saw significant success. By 1994, it had shipped over a billion records and accounted for 15% of CD sales. However, with the rise of online music options, revenue declined, leading to a shift in focus to DVD sales in 2010 under new ownership.
The parent company of Columbia House, Filmed Entertainment Inc., previously filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. in 2015, continuing to operate on DVD sales until now. The company reported its revenue peak in 1996 at around $1.4 billion US.
The announcement of Columbia House’s closure comes amidst a resurgence of interest in physical media. Data from Music Canada highlighted a successful year for vinyl sales in 2025, with record stores experiencing increased business.
While many had bid farewell to Columbia House’s nostalgic music model after the 2015 bankruptcy, this recent news has sparked a wave of social media tributes and jokes among music fans. Some users humorously reminisced about unpaid fees owed to Columbia House, reflecting on the company’s iconic past.
CBC News has attempted to reach out to Columbia House for further details following the removal of the closure notice from its website but has not yet received a response.