Landmark Sam the Record Man sign on the rise again in downtown Toronto

TORONTO – A giant neon sign that once drew visitors to Toronto’s landmark Sam the Record Man store is rising again and will soon light up a busy downtown hub in the city.

The sign, composed of two enormous spinning discs on a red background, used to adorn the Yonge Street business owned by Sam Sniderman, who was a major promoter of Canadian music.

The store received heritage status from Toronto in 2007, when it closed, to preserve the cultural value of the sign.

Ryerson University, which is located nearby, purchased the store property one year later and initially planned to showcase the iconic sign on a new building planned for the site. It later decided it would place the sign two blocks away and began restoring it in June.

Crews started installing the sign early Friday morning at its new home atop the Toronto Public Health building, overlooking Yonge and Dundas Square.

“We’re really excited to see it back up … and to follow through on our commitment to have the sign shine again,” said Ryerson spokesperson Johanna VanderMaas.

She said a public lighting ceremony with city officials and the Sniderman family is in the works, but a date has yet to be set.

Sniderman’s sons have previously expressed enthusiasm at the sign going up once more.

The beginnings of Sam the Record Man date back to 1937, when Sniderman and his brother opened a small store in Toronto. That original store eventually grew to a chain with shops across the country.

The now-closed flagship store with the famous sign opened on Yonge Street in 1959. The site is now a Ryerson student centre.

Sniderman, who was born in Toronto, died at the age of 92 in 2012, and was known for playing a key role in the country’s music industry.

He pushed for Canadian content broadcast regulations established in 1970 and helped organize the first Juno Awards to celebrate the country’s musical talent.

He also founded a music archive and musical manuscript library at the University of Toronto.

Sniderman was named a Member of the Order of Canada, received a Governor General award, and Honorary doctorates from Ryerson and the University of Prince Edward Island.