National Record Mart

National Record Mart

Company type	Private (before going public), later Public
Industry	Music retail
Predecessor	Jitterbug Records
Founded	1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Founder	Hyman Shapiro, Sam Shapiro, Howard Shapiro
Defunct	2002
Fate	Filed for bankruptcy in 2001; stores closed by 2002
Headquarters	Pittsburgh , United States
Area served	United States (at peak over 30 states)
Key people	William A. Teitelbaum (owner after sale), Michael Catain (appointed during bankruptcy)
Products	Music retail, including records, tapes, compact discs; owned brands Oasis, Music X, Waves Music, Vibes

National Record Mart, often abbreviated as NRM, was a pioneering American music retail chain. Established in 1937 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it grew to operate over 130 outlets at its height. The company also owned additional retail brands such as Oasis, Music X, Waves Music, and Vibes. After filing for bankruptcy in 2001, the chain shuttered its remaining stores by 2002.

History

The origins of the company trace back to 1937 when Hyman Shapiro and his sons Sam and Howard launched Jitterbug Records in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their initial focus was on selling pre-owned 78 RPM records sourced from jukeboxes. Following the opening of two more locations, the business adopted the name National Record Mart by 1941. Later on, Hyman’s third son, Jason, joined the enterprise. During the 1960s, National Record Mart operated around 20 stores within the Pittsburgh region and began establishing outlets inside regional shopping malls such as South Hills Village and Northway Mall (currently known as The Shoppes at Northway). Expansion beyond Pennsylvania took place in the 1970s with new stores opening in cities including Roanoke, Virginia, Buffalo, New York, and Chicago, Illinois. Hyman retired mid-decade while his three sons continued to manage the company. In 1978, National Record Mart launched Oasis Records & Tapes as a new retail concept.

The Shapiro siblings grew National Record Mart to a total of 76 stores before retiring and selling it to an investment group led by William A. Teitelbaum. Under Teitelbaum’s leadership, plans were made to expand the chain to over 200 locations. Marketing efforts intensified and a mall-based store format called Waves Music was introduced, focusing primarily on compact disc sales. However, significant debt from Teitelbaum’s leveraged buyout forced the sale of 20 stores in 1991 to The Wall, a music retailer owned by British firm WHSmith. In 1993, National Record Mart went public, raising $10 million in capital and securing a new credit line while acquiring nine Leonard Smith Music stores. The company’s recovery earned recognition with a Retailer of the Year nomination from the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (now the Music Business Association). By the mid-1990s, NRM faced growing competition from discount retailers such as Kmart and Walmart, which offered music at lower prices than specialty stores; additionally, chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble began selling music products. During this period, National Record Mart unsuccessfully attempted to acquire the Wherehouse chain while it was under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In response to market changes during the mid-1990s, NRM introduced new store formats including Music X, which specialized in alternative music genres, and Vibes Music, targeting college demographics. The company also launched websites for both National Record Mart and Waves Music in 1998; these online platforms enabled customers to buy used albums, download music tracks, and create customized compilations. That same year saw expansion into Hawaii and California through acquiring Tempo Music. During this timeframe, two of the founding Shapiro brothers passed away: Howard in August and Sam in November.

In 1999, National Record Mart formed a licensing partnership with the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) to offer exclusive merchandise. At that time, the chain operated approximately 175 stores across 30 states. Despite launching e-commerce initiatives, sales continued to decline throughout 1999 and 2000. In June 2001, facing financial pressure from five record labels demanding $19 million owed in royalties and pushing for liquidation, National Record Mart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Creditors sought to remove Teitelbaum from ownership and appoint Michael Catain as his replacement. Ultimately, all remaining National Record Mart outlets were closed by early 2002.