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Wallichs Music City

From Alfawiki
Wallichs Music City
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail (music)
Founded1940
FounderGlenn E. Wallichs
Defunct1978
FateCeased operations
Headquarters
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Area served
Southern California
ProductsRecords, sheet music, tickets, musical instruments, television sets


Wallichs Music City was a renowned record shop located in Hollywood, California, established by Glenn E. Wallichs and operating from 1940 until 1978.

Glenn Wallichs

Glenn Wallichs launched a radio equipment store in Los Angeles in 1932, eventually expanding to five additional locations throughout the city. By the mid-1930s, he had also initiated two recording studios. In 1940, he inaugurated Music City at the intersection of Sunset and Vine. Six years later, he transferred ownership of the store to his brother Clyde. Glenn Wallichs passed away in 1971, and the store ultimately ceased operations in 1978.

History

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Situated on the northwest corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street, Wallichs Music City operated from 1940 through 1978. Glenn E. Wallichs collaborated with songwriter Johnny Mercer and former Paramount film producer Buddy De Sylva to establish Capitol Records in 1942, initially from a modest office on Vine Street. By 1946, Capitol Records expanded into larger offices located above the record store. When Capitol Records relocated to the Capitol Tower in 1956, the vacated space became home to Dot Records, which occupied a smaller second-floor section facing Vine Street. This transition allowed for renovations along the Sunset side of the building, updating Wallich's Music City with its distinctive 'googie' architectural style. This redesign was undertaken by Kite & Overpeck Architects of Beverly Hills, who later designed the notable 1962 9000 Sunset Building—a preferred location for music agents and artists such as Jim Morrison of The Doors.

During a time when most music sales occurred through small independent shops, Wallich's Music City distinguished itself as Southern California’s leading record retailer and was recognized as the largest specialty record store worldwide.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, as consumer formats evolved, the store offered a variety of products including tickets, sheet music, vinyl records (starting with 78 rpm discs, followed by LPs and 45 rpm singles), as well as tape formats like 8-track cartridges and cassettes. In addition to music media, they retailed television sets and musical instruments.

Wallichs Music City pioneered several retail innovations: it was among the first to seal albums in cellophane shrink-wrap and display them in browsing racks designed for customer convenience. These tabletop trapezoidal browsing bins—created by Capitol Records’ Frederick Rice—allowed album covers to be viewed easily in a manner similar to a card index. The store also introduced demonstration booths where customers could listen to records before purchasing.

The shop quickly became a central gathering place within Los Angeles' music community. Enthusiasts frequented the store to meet prominent artists such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Johnny Mercer, and Nat King Cole, often obtaining autographs on sheet music for their latest songs. Notably, musician Frank Zappa worked part-time in the singles department during 1965. Radio commercials featured Wallichs himself singing the catchy jingle "It's Music City," set to the opening melody of "Rock-a-bye Baby" accompanied by jazz instrumentation, followed by announcements about specials and upcoming events.

In tribute to the store’s cultural impact, vocal group The Pleasures recorded a song titled "Music City" in 1963 celebrating Wallichs Music City.

Bibliography

  • "Wallichs Announces Plans to Grow Disk Retail Locations." Billboard, December 1, 1956, p. 15
  • Leap, Norris. "How Wallichs Became a Millionaire Overnight." Los Angeles Times, January 5, 1959
  • "Wallichs Acquires Third Record Store in Los Angeles Region." Billboard, April 6, 1959, p. 3
  • Alpert, Don. "Stereo Developments." Los Angeles Times, February 28, 1960
  • "$127 Million Approved for Downtown Projects." Los Angeles Times, June 24, 1960
  • "Wallichs Celebrates Its 30th Year." Los Angeles Times, December 11, 1960
  • Zhito, Lee. "Music City by Wallichs Revises Policy; LP Prices Reduced." Billboard, January 30, 1961, p. 2
  • "Retailers Discuss Views on LP Discounts." Billboard, March 13, 1961, p. 18
  • Zhito, Lee. "Sales Double at Music City Thanks to Earphone Promotion." Billboard, November 6, 1961, p. 22
  • "Music Company Plans Construction in Torrance." Los Angeles Times, June 30, 1963
  • "Clyde Wallichs Sells Stake in Music City to Fellow Shareholders." Billboard, March 2, 1963, p. 8
  • "Grand Opening Draws 6,000 Attendees." Los Angeles Times, November 24, 1963
  • "West Coast Chain Begins Offering Components." Billboard, December 14, 1963
  • "Business Summary." Billboard, July 4, 1964, p. 35
  • Tiegel, Eilot. "Los Angeles Market Experiences Rapid Growth." Billboard, October 17, 1964, p. 40
  • "Airway Market Reaches Saturation Point." Billboard, October 17, 1964, p. 40
  • "Organ Hobby Course Now Offered." Los Angeles Times, April 4, 1965
  • "Music City Expands Through Acquisition of Chain." Billboard, July 15, 1967, p. 19
  • Weber, Bruce. "Opening of Eighth Wallichs Store Announced." Billboard, November 11, 1967, p. 62
  • Turpin, Dick. "'Downtown' Area Undergoing Transformation." Los Angeles Times, March 10, 1968
  • Freedland, Nat. "'New Look' at Wallichs Boosts Music City Chain Earnings." Billboard, December 18, 1971, p. 3
  • "Glenn E. Wallichs of Capitol Records Passes Away." Los Angeles Times, December 24, 1971
  • Dexter, Dave. "Farewell Tribute to Glenn E. Wallichs." Billboard, January 8, 1972, p. 3
  • "Wallichs Music Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection." Los Angeles Times, March 9, 1977
  • Sippel, John. "Bankruptcy Filing by Wallichs Stores Reported." Billboard, March 19, 1977, p. 10
  • Siegel, Barry. "'Bankruptcy Blues' Hits Music City Stores." Los Angeles Times, March 29, 1977
  • Sippel John. "Group of Investors Revives Wallichs Operations." Billboard May 14,1977,p.5
  • Tepper,Ron."'Industry Eyes L.A.Retail Scene.'"Billboard Nov15 ,1980,p.LA-46
  • Ryon,Ruth."'Merv Griffin Acquires Hollywood Property.'"Los Angeles Times Nov3 ,1983
  • Ryon,Ruth."'Developers Bet on Seasonal Market Surge.'"Los Angeles Times Oct12 ,1986
  • Grein , Paul."'Progress Report from the Start.'"Billboard Jun13 ,1992,p.48
  • Hoskyns , Barney.Waiting For the Sun – The Story of the Los Angeles Music Scene, Viking ,1996
  • Various issues of Billboard magazine and relevant archives accessed via Internet Archive and Google Books covering topics related to Wallichs Music City from the late 1950s through the early 1980s

References

External links

Template:History of Retail in Southern California

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