Mail-Order Media Giant Columbia House Shutting Down After 71 Years
Columbia House, the mail-order media company famous for its penny-per-record membership offers, is closing down after 71 years in business. The company confirmed to CNN that it will cease operations on 15 September 2026, following a since-removed closure notice that briefly appeared on its official website, bringing an end to a business that once symbolised an entire era of physical media retail.
Founded as a record club in 1955, Columbia House shifted its offerings over the decades from vinyl and reel-to-reel through 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs and DVDs. At its 1990s peak it boasted millions of members and generated $1.4 billion in annual revenue, having famously lured customers with deals such as 11 records or tapes for a penny in 1985. The rise of digital music services like iTunes triggered a long decline, leading its parent company to file for bankruptcy in 2015, after which the brand was bought by Edge Line Ventures; it will now shut for good next month.
- Columbia House, the mail-order record and DVD club, closes on 15 September 2026
- Company operated for 71 years, peaking with $1.4bn revenue in the 1990s
- Digital streaming and iTunes drove its decline; 2015 bankruptcy preceded this closure
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Columbia House began as a record club in 1955, selling music by post. Its low-cost introductory offers, including a deal for 11 records or tapes for a penny, helped it attract millions of members at its peak.
Over the decades, the company sold records, tapes, CDs and DVDs, reflecting changes in how people bought and watched media. Its story helps explain the shift from physical products ordered by post to digital services such as iTunes, which contributed to the decline of record clubs.