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Sanity Closing Down

Last of the Iconic Sanity Music Stores Have Closed Down


After more than three decades of being the go-to spot for Aussie music lovers, the last Sanity store has officially closed its doors. But don’t go sobbing into your CDs just yet. They’ll still be slinging products online, so if you need a cheeky Blu-Ray for Nanna’s birthday, don’t fret.

For those born before the turn of the century, Sanity has been a staple for Australian music fans. During its peak, the brand boasted over 200 stores across the country. However, its glory days have long passed, and the closures have been expected for some time. Sadly, The Music reported that the last two remaining Sanity stores, located in Brisbane and Bundaberg, officially closed down over the weekend.

Sanity Closing Down
Image: Zoe Askew/Gippsland Times

Shoppers have reportedly taken advantage of the sales as stores shut nationwide. The company has been offering massive bargains for punters in recent months, including a 75 per cent off storewide sale to get rid of the last of its products in its remaining stores. Businessman Ray Itaoui, who purchased Sanity 13 years ago, said the brand had little choice except to close its physical stores because of how music consumption has changed.

“With our customers shifting to digital for their visual and music content consumption, and with diminishing physical content available to sell to our customer, it has made it impossible to continue with our physical stores,” Mr Itaoui said in a statement earlier this year. “Our online business – sanity.com.au – will continue to operate, and will service the many loyal customers the brand has continued to be dedicated to over the decades.”

“The business prospered and remained successful for many years, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our entire team,” Mr Itaoui added. “I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the Sanity team, past and present, and express my pride around their achievements, as well as thank them for their hard-work, dedication, and relentless commitment to ensuring they exceeded customer service expectations. Without this, Sanity would not have lasted as long as it has, and it’s this I am most proud of.”

The first Sanity-branded store was established in Doncaster, Melbourne in 1992 by Brett Blundy, a renowned business leader. Interestingly, Blundy’s first music store, which was called Jetts, opened its doors in 1980 and was primarily focused on selling vinyl records and cassette tapes. In 2008, the company made an attempt to venture into the online music subscription service market by launching LoadIt, but unfortunately, the service was discontinued a few months after its debut. Eventually, in 2009, the Sanity brand was sold to Mr Itaoui. Three years later, Spotify launched in Australia

Although it can be disheartening to witness our cherished brick-and-mortar stores being consumed by the internet, there is still hope. In fact, we have received news that the former video rental behemoth Blockbuster may be staging a comeback, proving that anything is possible for us retro enthusiasts.

Sanity Closing Down
Image: Zoe Askew/Gippsland Times