Suncoast Motion Picture Company
| File:Suncoast - Monmouth Mall Eatontown, NJ July 2019.jpg Store at Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, NJ (This location has permanently closed) | |
| Formerly | Paramount Pictures (1986–1988) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Roseville, Minnesota |
Number of locations | 2 (as of March 2025) |
| Products | Betamax, VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, Blu-ray, CD |
| Parent | Musicland (1986–2006) Trans World Entertainment (2006–2020) FYE (2020–present) |
Suncoast Motion Picture Company (commonly known as Suncoast) is a U.S.-based retail chain focusing on both new and pre-owned physical media formats such as CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, and vinyl records, alongside various collectible items.
Originally established as a subsidiary under Musicland, Suncoast was later acquired by Trans World Entertainment. Following this acquisition, many outlets aligned their inventory with that of their sister brand, FYE. In 2020, after Trans World Entertainment was bought by Sunrise Records, Suncoast became part of the Sunrise Records portfolio.
By 2025, the chain has been reduced to just two operational stores. One outlet is located in the Jacksonville Mall in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The other is a hybrid store combining FYE and Suncoast offerings, situated in The Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek, Ohio.
History
The inaugural Suncoast store launched in 1986 in Roseville, Minnesota under the name Paramount Pictures. This venture was a collaboration between the Paramount Pictures film studio and Musicland, which was then among the largest music and video retail companies in the U.S. When Paramount withdrew from this partnership, Musicland rebranded the store as Suncoast Motion Picture Company in 1988.
In 1999, Musicland introduced online platforms for several of its brands including Suncoast, Sam Goody, Media Play, and Oncue.
Best Buy acquired Musicland, Suncoast’s parent company at the time, for $685 million in 2001.
By January 2003, Best Buy had shuttered 20 Suncoast locations as part of a broader closure that also affected 90 Sam Goody stores.
Later that year in June 2003, Musicland’s liabilities were assumed by Sun Capital Partners following Best Buy’s divestment.
In January 2006, The Musicland Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Southern District of New York. During this period, approximately 80 Suncoast stores were closed.
At the end of March 2006, Trans World Entertainment Corp completed its acquisition of nearly all assets belonging to Musicland Holding Corporation for $104.2 million in cash plus $18.1 million in assumed liabilities. Post-acquisition, Trans World retained the Suncoast brand across roughly 170 stores.
However, on December 26, 2009, Trans World Entertainment announced plans to close 150 Suncoast locations nationwide.
In mid-2023, the Suncoast store at Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska ceased operations. This left only two full-line Suncoast Motion Picture Company stores active: one located in Beaumont, Texas and another in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Additionally, a combined FYE and Suncoast store continues to operate in The Mall at Fairfield Commons, Beavercreek, Ohio.
References
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- 1986 establishments in Minnesota
- American companies founded in 1986
- Minnesota-based companies
- Retail businesses founded in 1986
- Former retail corporations in the United States
- Companies that underwent Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2006
- Defunct retail companies of the United States