Beloved Aussie music retailer, Sanity is shutting its remaining 50 stores and moving online. Owner says, “it’s impossible to continue.”
Last chance to grab your favourite The Veronicas album…in-store, at least. After more than four decades, Sanity is shutting down its remaining 50 bricks and mortar locations by end of April 2023; after which it will operate entirely online.
For many of us, walking into this delightful place brings back beautiful memories of first-time album purchases and questionable bedroom posters. So it’s safe to say that we’re all feeling a little emotional right now.
According to present-day owner of Sanity, Ray Itaoui, the ongoing rise of digital music consumption has forced the company to make this decision: “With diminishing physical content available to sell to our customer, it has made it impossible to continue with our physical stores,” he says.
Not all is lost, however. Itaoui has confirmed the business will continue to operate online, and all those who have placed orders will have them fulfilled, even if their local store closes before their items become available for collection.
First it was Frankie’s Pizza, now it’s Sanity. How much more pain can our music-loving hearts take? As can be expected, mourners nationwide have flocked to social media to express their thoughts on this sombre news, as Sanity’s departure in physical form well and truly marks the end of an era.
“Sanity closing down their remaining music stores hits different,” writes Joe Khan on Twitter. “Nothing will come close to the satisfying feeling of saving up to buy my first ever CD there at age 10, even if it was jet-get born (lol).” See more heartfelt sentiments regarding Sanity’s closure below.
My first job was at a sanity during Christmas time and it was like I had died and went to heaven, getting to work in a music shop as someone who was/still is music-obsessed. Amazed it lasted as long as it did, it’s a shame physical music stores are so unique these days. https://t.co/Dv3h0TGmcf
— melissa (@melissapisan) January 4, 2023
The news about sanity closing actually makes me so sad because that was my part time job that got me through five years of uni and I made so many lasting friendships from working there 😢
— maddy (@oatmilkmads) January 4, 2023
sanity closing down their remaining music stores hits different. nothing will come close to the satisfying feeling of saving up to buy my first ever CD there at age 10, even if it was jet – get born (lol)
— Joe Khan (@joekhan__) January 4, 2023
