J&R

J&R

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (electronics, music)
Founded	1971 (1971)
Founder	Joseph Friedman, Rachelle Friedman
Defunct	2014 (2014)
Fate	Closed; redevelopment of flagship store site
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Primarily New York City
Key people	Joseph Friedman, Rachelle Friedman
Products	Electronics, music records, computers, digital accessories

J&R was a prominent electronics and music retailer based in New York City, with its main store located on Park Row in Manhattan operating from 1971 until 2014. Established by Joseph and Rachelle Friedman, Israeli immigrants and entrepreneurs, the business initially focused on LP records before expanding its inventory to encompass a wide variety of electronics under the brands J&R Music World and J&R Computer World. Their offerings included Blu-ray players and numerous consumer electronic devices, demonstrating their responsiveness to evolving market demands.

The company broadened its presence by opening a store at Columbia University, which ceased operations in 2002, and later introduced J&R Express within Macy's Herald Square in 2006. This smaller outlet was designed to capitalize on Macy’s heavy foot traffic but was closed by 2012. Throughout its existence, J&R specialized in merging music retail with electronics sales, establishing itself as a notable competitor in New York’s electronics retail sector before ultimately closing in 2014.

History

In 1971, newlyweds Joseph and Rachelle Friedman, both 20 years old at the time, launched J&R as a modest consumer electronics shop selling stereos and televisions from a 500-square-foot space at 23 Park Row. Originally a side venture while Rachelle pursued studies at Brooklyn’s Polytechnic University, the store expanded its product offerings to include records, tapes, computers, and digital accessories in response to customer interest. By the mid-1990s, J&R had grown significantly, occupying nearly an entire block with multiple storefronts dedicated to different product categories.

A mail order operation began in 1974, supported by a company-owned warehouse located in Maspeth, Queens, which later fulfilled online orders. In 2006, J&R launched a 3,500-square-foot "J&R Express" outlet inside Macy's Herald Square, featuring MP3 players, digital cameras, computers, CDs, DVDs, and mobile phones; this location quietly closed in 2012.

By 2013, J&R consolidated its retail space into two buildings and transitioned to a vertical store layout. Following an underwhelming holiday season that year, the company resolved approximately $15 million in vendor claims by early 2014. The expansive 171,000-square-foot warehouse in Maspeth was put up for sale starting October 2013, with remaining stock and equipment auctioned off by mid-2014.

On April 9, 2014, the flagship Park Row location was shuttered as redevelopment plans were announced. Remaining inventory was sold through auctions conducted in May of that year. The company expressed intentions to develop an innovative retail and social hub at the site.

In August 2014, plans were announced for a new 1,500-square-foot "J&R Express" boutique within Manhattan’s Century 21 Department Store to open by October; it eventually opened in November but the collaboration ended by mid-2016.

Beginning January 2016, several former J&R properties on Park Row underwent demolition or redevelopment primarily for residential projects, including the landmarked Park Row Building. In April of that year, permits were filed for constructing a 53-story residential tower on the cleared site. By late 2018, the location at 25 Park Row had been transformed into a luxury condominium complex with units priced between $1.7 million and $7 million.

The jr.com domain was deactivated between January 5 and January 17, 2017; ownership reverted to Network Solutions for resale purposes. The remaining website [1] became inaccessible after late 2022 but had previously indicated forthcoming updates.

Online sales

Situated close to the World Trade Center site, J&R experienced considerable damage to its electronic inventory as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Nonetheless, growth in its online retail operations played a crucial role in maintaining the company’s viability. J&R collaborated with Amazon.com via an Amazon Marketplace partnership, offering merchandise not only through its own e-commerce platform but also on Amazon. By May 2014, J&R had discontinued its proprietary website yet continued to sell products on Amazon and eBay. During this period, the company appeared focused on liquidating remaining stock through these channels, with only a small selection available in primary product lines such as digital cameras. By June 2014, both J&R’s storefronts on eBay and Amazon had stopped listing items following clearance auctions held at its Manhattan retail location and Queens storage facility.

Summerfest

Beginning in 2002, J&R took on sponsorship of an annual music festival held in City Hall Park, highlighting R&B and other musical genres. The event included performances by artists like Mario, Bobby Valentino, Tank, and Carl Thomas, demonstrating J&R’s commitment to community involvement and enhancing its brand visibility within New York City.

See also

• B&H Photo Video
• P. C. Richard & Son