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Trans World Entertainment Corporation is a chain of entertainment media retail stores in the United States. It currently operates just over 350 freestanding and shopping mall-based stores under several brand names.

Based out of Albany, New York, Trans World was founded in 1972 by Robert Higgins. It opened its first store, called Record Town (formerly Record Land), in 1973. The company went public in July 1986 and has expanded through acquisitions of a number of smaller or failing companies including Strawberries, Camelot Music, and Wherehouse Entertainment.

On September 23, 2000, Trans World signed a definitive agreement to acquire the assets of WaxWorks, and the deal was expected to close by the end of October.

In February 2006, Trans World acquired the Musicland Group, which owned Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company, and former online store Media Play. This also included a handful of On Cue stores.

As of August 2011, Trans World's total number of stores stands at 442, down from about 540 in August 2010.

On Thursday, March 1, 2012, Trans World reported its first fiscal year net income since 2006. Trans World swung to a $2.2 million profit in fiscal year 2011, compared to a net loss of $31 million in fiscal year 2010. The turnaround at Albany, New York-based Trans World came about from cost-cutting, as the company continued to close unprofitable locations, and higher gross margins on the products it sells.

On Monday, May 7, 2012, Trans World received a glowing endorsement from Guy Gottfried of Rational Investment Group. Gottfried stated that the company is underfollowed and is physically unable to lose money at this point in time.

On Thursday, May 17, 2012, Trans World reported a Q1 net income of $2.8 million, which is a $5.3 million improvement from Q1 in 2011. Trans World's stock price ended up 18% on the day.

On Wednesday, June 27, 2012, Trans World was upgraded from a 'hold' to a 'buy' by Jim Cramer's "The Street." The stock responded with a 2.31% increase.

On Monday, July 9, 2012, Trans World announced that it named John Anderson as acting Chief Financial Officer. Anderson has served in positions of increasing responsibility at Trans World for over 18 years, most recently serving as Controller since September 2006.

On Thursday, August 16, 2012, Trans World announced their Q2 results; the company reported a $5.4 million decrease in its net loss to $1.9 million, or a loss of $0.06 per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $7.3 million, or a loss of $0.23 per diluted share, for the same period last year. These results reflect the tenth consecutive quarter of improvements.

Also on Thursday, August 16, 2012, Trans World announced that they plan to open several new packaged-media retail stores entering the fourth quarter, including a high-profile location at Annapolis Mall in Maryland starting at the end of September.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, Trans World had two big announcements. First, they sold real property that they owned in South Beach, Miami, Florida, for $30 million. Prior to the sale, Trans World has been leasing the property to Walgreens. They purchased the property for just $7 million back in 2007. Secondly, they announced a $0.47 per share special cash dividend, payable to shareholders as of December 10, 2012. Trans World will pay out $15 million in cash to shareholders in this dividend payout, which will be made on December 26, 2012. The stock rose 8% on the news.

Chains

• Saturday Matinee: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania
• Suncoast Motion Picture Company: Nationwide (mall-based)
• SecondSpin.com: California, Colorado (focusing on purchase and resale of used media products)
• Manifest Discs and Tapes: South Carolina, North Carolina
• f.y.e.: Nationwide (mall-based and freestanding)

Defunct

• Camelot Music
• CD World: New Jersey and Missouri
• Coconuts: Chicago area, Indianapolis area, New Jersey, New York, and Mid-Atlantic States (some stores still operate as Coconuts)
• Disc Jockey: Southern U.S. (mall-based)
• Harmony House: Michigan
• Media Play: Nationwide (closed in 2006)
• On Cue: Nationwide
• Record Land: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Record Town: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Sam Goody: Nationwide (mostly freestanding; most mall-based stores have been re-branded as f.y.e. stores)
• Spec's Music Inc.: Florida
• Square Circle: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Strawberries: Texas, Maryland, New England and Mid-Atlantic States
• Tape World: Nationwide (mall-based)
• The Wall: Mid-Atlantic States
• Wall To Wall Sound & Video / Listening Booth: Mid-Atlantic States, later converted to The Wall
• Planet Music: Virginia Beach
• Wherehouse Music: Arizona, California, Colorado (formerly Rocky Mountain Records), Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington
• Streetside Records

References

1. "Trans World Invests In Brick-And-Mortar". {{cite web}}: no-break space character in |title= at position 12 (help)
2. DeMasi, Michael. "FYE owner Trans World reports first fiscal-year profit since 2006". The Business Review. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
3. Conway, Brendan. "Dispatch from Omaha: TWMC Pops on Investor Endorsement". Barron's. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
4. "Trans World Entertainment Announces First Quarter Results". Retrieved 2 June 2012.
5. "Trans World Entertainment returns to profit in 1Q". MSNBC. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
6. Wire, TheStreet. "Trans World Entertainment Stock Upgraded". Retrieved 1 July 2012.
7. Newswire, PR. "Trans World Entertainment Names John Anderson Acting Chief Financial Officer". MarketWatch. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
8. The, Street. "Trans World Entertainment". The Street. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
9. Gruenwedel, Erik. "Trans World Entertainment Opening Stores". Home Media Magazine. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
10. DeMasi, Michael. "FYE parent Trans World sells Miami real estate for $30M and announces cash dividend". The Business Review. Retrieved 29 November 2012.

External links

• Official website
• f.y.e.
• The Consumerist: FYE Baits and Switches Wii Buyer
• Nintendo Purchasers Complain of Gamesmanship
• New York Times Trans World Entertainment page

• Companies based in New York
• Music retailers of the United States
• Companies established in 1972
• Companies based in Albany, New York