..that is, if your dream is to work at National Record Mart. The famed national music chain, based in Pittsburgh, began liquidation sales just about twenty years ago, and was completely out of business by early, 2002. Before that, NRM was a very reliable source for music, especially back in the days before CDs.

Locally we had NRM stores on Capitol Street, in the Charleston Town Center, The St. Albans Mall and The Huntington Mall. Eventually most of those had closed or were sold to other chains, and the Capitol Street location moved to the Southridge Shopping Complex a few years before the whole chain shut down.

While Budget Tapes & Records was my go-to store, I still have great memories of NRM, too. It’s where I bought Sandanista by The Clash. It’s also where I picked up a few Beatles Imports…and in 1999 it’s where I bought my first Aquabats CD.

The video above is National Record Mart’s training video from the late 1990s, presented for nostalgia, camp and confusion purposes.  It begins with an historical overview of the company, and ends with stern warnings about what will happen if you help people shoplift.  It does end on an upbeat note about how bright your future can be as a National Record Mart associate. Enjoy!