FYE
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Entertainment products) |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Founder | Bob Higgins |
| Fate | Acquired by Sunrise Records in 2020 |
| Headquarters | Albany, New York , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Bob Higgins (founder, former CEO) |
| Products | Entertainment products (music, movies, pop culture merchandise) |
| Owner | Sunrise Records (since 2020) |
2428392, Inc., operating under the trade name FYE (For Your Entertainment), is a U.S.-based retail chain specializing in entertainment products, with its main office located in Albany, New York. Established in 1993 and once owned by Trans World Entertainment, it grew by acquiring and rebranding numerous mall-centered stores, including Camelot Music, Sam Goody, Spec's Music, Strawberries, Record Town, Coconuts Music & Movies, DiscJockey, Saturday Matinee, The Wall, Suncoast Motion Picture Company, Musicland, Media Play, and HMV. As of 2023, FYE continues to operate under 2428392, Inc., maintaining its original headquarters.
History
The inaugural FYE outlet was launched in 1993 at Trumbull Mall in Connecticut, with further expansion reaching New York by 1997. Following the acquisition of Camelot Music in 2001, Trans World unified its mall retail operations under the "f.y.e." brand to consolidate its market presence. In 2016, the company refreshed its branding to the simplified "FYE."
From 2006 through 2009, Trans World converted former Coconut and Media Play locations into FYE superstores. However, between 2009 and 2012, more than 150 outlets were shuttered due to shifting market conditions. In 2016, FYE introduced new store concepts emphasizing pop culture products and vinyl records while scaling back selections of Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CDs.
Bob Higgins, the founder and CEO responsible for establishing the FYE brand and steering it to profitability as a leading music retailer, passed away in March 2017.
In November 2018, FYE was subject to federal accusations concerning misleading billing practices related to "free" loyalty programs and improper sharing of customer information. That same year saw the closure of 68 stores as financial difficulties mounted.
For the fiscal year ending February 2020, FYE reported losses totaling $50.7 million—more than twice the amount from the previous year. Later in 2020, Canadian company Sunrise Records purchased FYE from Trans World Entertainment with plans to maintain its footprint within the U.S. entertainment retail sector.
Nameplates
Although most retail chains acquired by parent company Trans World Entertainment were fully rebranded as FYE stores (many of which have since closed), several locations continue to operate under their original brand names while functioning similarly to traditional FYE outlets. These include:
- Coconuts Music & Movies: located in Evansville, Indiana (closed in 2025)
- Sam Goody: situated in Medford, Oregon
- Suncoast Motion Picture Company: found in Jacksonville, North Carolina
- A hybrid FYE and Suncoast store remains operational at The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, Ohio.
See also
- Suncoast Motion Picture Company
- Sam Goody
- Camelot
- Spec's Music
- Musicland
- Media Play
- Sunrise Records
- HMV