Sunrise Records in Conestoga Mall permanently closing

An iconic music store is closing its doors. CTV’s Karis Mapp has more on an end of an era for Sunrise Records.

Staff and customers at Waterloo’s Sunrise Records in Conestoga Mall are preparing for a final farewell with the store closing on Dec. 31.

The store specializes in music and movies, being one of the few local places that still sells CDs and vinyl records.

Employees say customers have shared their sadness to see the store go.

“It makes me emotional every time because people are so heartbroken about it, just like we said,” said Erin Witt, who has been working at the location for the last three years.

Though staff say they don’t know much about why the store is closing, they have heard it has to do with lease negotiations.

“Sales have been great. Customers, we got a lot of positive feedback,” explained 14-month employee Dalton Saddon. “So, it’s a complete and utter shock.”

Waterloo’s closure announcement will make the second local location to close in the last three years. Kitchener’s store in Fairview Park mall closed its doors for good in February 2022.

CTV News reached out to Sunrise Records’ marketing team, as well as their corporate email to learn more about the decision to close the store, but didn’t receive any responses.

“I don’t know if it was for the same reason, but I believe it’s just the lease payment going up in the mall,” said Skyler Reardon, who’s also worked at the store for three years.

The closest Sunrise Records stores are now at Cambridge Centre mall and Stone Road Mall in Guelph. But, some of Waterloo’s regular customers said they won’t be making the commute.

“It’s a bit far, especially for the older customers we have and the teenagers in the area with their schools,” said Saddon.

The closure not only means current employees will be without a job, but also that a hole will be left in the local music community.

“Everyone has Spotify [or] Apple Music, but having a physical record, there’s nothing like that. Same with a CD,” Reardon said.

The store’s final day for sales is the end f the year and staff said all inventory needs to be gone by Jan. 14.