NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) has announced that Rachelle and Joe Friedman, founders of New York retail icon J&R Music & Computer World will be honored with the organization's Independent Spirit Award during the Awards Dinner Finale at the 53rd Annual NARM Convention at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 12. This year marks the 40th anniversary of J&R's rise from a 500 square foot store into the largest single location home entertainment, electronics and computer megastore in the country, occupying more than 300,000 square feet of selling space.
The J&R stores now occupy an entire block on Park Row in Lower Manhattan, across the street from City Hall Park. There is also a location in midtown Manhattan, J&R Express, in Macy's Herald Square showcasing the best and latest in technology and entertainment. J&R's award winning web site, www.jr.com, enables customers from all over the world to enjoy the unique J&R shopping experience in the comfort of their homes or offices.
J&R's importance to the community has been recognized by the many civic and business organizations who have invited the company to sit on their boards: the Better Business Bureau of Greater New York, NYC&Co (the official New York City tourism bureau), the Downtown Alliance of New York and the Regional Advisory Board of JPMorgan Chase.
The husband and wife team have recently also been inducted into the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Hall of Fame. At the 2010 CES show, Rachelle joined the Women in Consumer Electronics Hall of Fame. She has served twice on the Host Committee of the Grammy Awards and has been re-appointed to the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress. J&R was recently elected to the Dealerscope Hall of Fame.
Past recipients of the NARM Independent Spirit Award include Don Van Cleave, formerly the President of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS); and Tommy Boy Entertainment's Founder & CEO Tom Silverman. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
