It’s truyly the end of an era for lovers of physical media. After 71 years in operation, the legendary mail order business Columbia House is going out of business on September 15, 2026.
A statement announcing the closure appeared and was then removed from their official site, but CNN has since confirmed with company reps that the business is indeed ceasing operations next month.
Columbia House began as a record club in 1955. “As technology changed, it pivoted from vinyl to reel-to-reel, 8-tracks to cassette tapes and, finally, CDs and DVDs. At its peak in the 1990s, it had millions of members. It was pulling in $1.4 billion in revenue,” NPR reports.
As advertised in print ads and TV commercials, consumers could join Columbia House at an initially absurd low price – in 1985, you could get any 11 records or tapes for a penny – to become a monthly club member where you could then buy additional music at the regular price. (As currently advertised on their site, consumers could start their membership by getting their first two DVDs for $9.95 each.)
Alas, the rise of digital music services like iTunes paved the way for the company’s long, slow decline.
Columbia House’s parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2015 before the brand was acquired by Edge Line Ventures.
In the end, though, Columbia House managed to outlast the penny and many of the print media outlets they advertised in.
