Musicland history

1957-Pickwick entered the LP market with low-priced records, beginning with their Design label.

The partnership had grown to a chain of 15 stores by 1964, at which time Evenson and Sayre decided to sell their interest.

1967-Pickwick International, now a music and book production, distribution, and merchandising corporation with 300 retail outlets, had a distribution center at 7600 Wayzata Blvd. in Golden Valley.

1968-Musicland merged with Pickwick International.

Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby” (1975) was the first international hit made in Munich—nearly 17 minutes of simulated orgasm that both musically and conceptually prefigured the next two decades of dance music.

1976-Amos Heilicher had a falling-out with the Pickwick board and sold his stake in the company.

1977-American Can Company purchased Pickwick International.

1978-American Can Company purchased the Sam Goody chain.

1980: Jack W. Eugster is hired to head up Musicland.

Sayre, on the other hand, remained with Musicland until 1981.

In 1985, because of RIM and Eugster's other managerial improvements, Musicland was back in the black.

Nonetheless, flush with revenues of $327.5 million and profits of $8.8 million, the subsidiary entered 1986 both comfortable in the knowledge that it was the nation's largest music retailer and hungry for further expansion.

1987-Musicland’s president, Jack Eugster, and 15 other senior managers purchased Musicland from American Can Company and the company became privately-held.

1988: Musicland is taken private, as Musicland Stores Corporation, through a $410 million highly leveraged buyout.

In July 1990 the company entertained plans of going public, believing it could raise as much as $96 million in interest-free capital.

1995-Musicland’s distribution shifted to a new center in Franklin, Indiana.

The company sold the building on Excelsior Blvd. in 1996.

1999: E-commerce sites are launched, one each for the four store formats.

In October 2000, Musicland purchased a 20 percent stake in an 18-store retail chain called Golf Galaxy, which was privately owned and based in Minneapolis.