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Trans World Entertainment
Type	Public (NASDAQ: TWMC)
Founded	1972
Headquarters	Albany, New York
Industry	Retail
Products	Music and DVD stores
Website	www.twec.com

Trans World Entertainment Corporation is a chain of entertainment media retail stores in the United States. It currently operates over 800 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.

In February 2006, Trans World acquired the Musicland Group, which owned Sam Goody, Suncoast Motion Picture Company, and Media Play.

In September 2006, Trans World made bid for the bankrupt Tower Records^[1] but lost to Great American Group, a liquidator.^[2]

In 2001, Trans World unified its mall-based stores under the brand name f.y.e. or for your entertainment, after buying out the mall-based Camelot stores. During 2001, a major re-branding campaign made f.y.e. the brand name for the entire group of mall-based retail stores owned by Trans World Entertainment. However, some freestanding or strip center stores continued to operate under their regional brands such as Strawberries.

Trans World stores deal with CDs, DVDs, video games, and other entertainment products. They also buy, sell, and trade used CDs, DVDs, and video games.

Beginning in 2006, Trans World began transitioning buildings that were once home to Media Play outlets near Salt Lake City, Utah and Buffalo, New York into f.y.e. superstores.

In late 2007, Trans World Entertainment Corp. announced that all shopping mall-based and free-standing Sam Goody stores will be converted into f.y.e. around 2008.

• f.y.e.: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Spec's Music: Florida
• Saturday Matinee: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia
• Coconuts: Chicago area, New Jersey, New York, and Mid-Atlantic States
• Suncoast Motion Picture Company: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Wherehouse Music: Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington

• Camelot Music
• CD World / Streetside Records: Missouri and New Jersey
• Harmony House: Michigan
• Media Play: Nationwide
• On Cue: Nationwide
• Planet Music: Virginia Beach
• Record Land: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Record Town: Nationwide (mall-based)
• Sam Goody: Nationwide
• SecondSpin.com: California, Colorado
• Strawberries: Maryland and New England states
• The Wall: Mid-Atlantic
• Wall To Wall Sound & Video / Listening Booth: Mid-Atlantic

1. ^ Trans World bids for Tower Records
2. ^ Tower Records to be liquidated

• Trans World Entertainment
• f.y.e.

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