J&R in the News
- October 20, 1996
"Listening To Their Customers Was Key"
How "The Country's Most Celebrated Electronics Store" started in a 500 sq. ft. store.
A quarter-century ago, fresh from college with their science degrees, Rachelle and Joe Friedman got married in grand style. But instead of pursuing their respective careers in chemistry or engineering sciences, they pooled their wedding gift money and dumbfounded friends by opening a tiny electronics store across from City Hall. It was just 500 square feet, the size of a small Manhattan studio apartment. In that space, the couple built the country's most celebrated electronics store -- known today as J&R Music World. The emporium for bargains in everything from computers to the latest jazz release or camera, is 600 times larger than the original spot, and it takes almost the entire block on its Park Row location. It's the nation's biggest single computer store and has scores of employees.
How did Rachelle, a chemistry graduate from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, and Joe, an electrical engineer from CCNY, decide on a life in retailing?. When The Post sat down with Rachelle, the first thing she said was:
"As far as I'm concerned, the title of this article is wrong! Joe and I have always felt that our success wasn't ours alone. It really was, and is, a team effort - and it's a very big team made up of our intensely loyal staff, our vendors, and even our customers."
Starting as novices, Rachelle and Joe said they learned how to sell, and what to sell, from the first customers who strolled into their tiny shop in the early days. "We've built our business on a foundation of very strong, personal relationships with hundreds of people," Rachelle says. "We remember well our modest startup 25 years ago. We were two kids trying to make it on a passion for the business and our customers," she says. "In those early years, it was our original staff of family-like employees, many of whom still work with us, and our customers who made us what we are.
"Those customers told us what they wanted and taught us what a good store should have. Suppliers shared the wisdom of years of experience with us to help us get started. We listened," she says.
"Looking back, it turns out that our naive - but passionate interest and trust in our customers and employees - was a successful approach to business. We worried about the details. We wanted to be loved as a good store."
"We discovered the secret - be good to customers, treat them right and they'll support you."
Rachelle said she and Joe years ago found a credo they have followed to this day:
* The six most important words are: "I admit I made a mistake."
* The five most important words are, "You did a good job."
* The four most important words are, "What is your opinion?"
* The three most important words are, "If you please."
* The two most important words are, "Thank you."
* The most important word is "We."
Rachelle added, "The least most important word is 'I'. Substituting the word 'We' in its place will help make anyone more successful whether in business, marriage or a relationship."
A quarter-century ago, fresh from college with their science degrees, Rachelle and Joe Friedman got married in grand style. But instead of pursuing their respective careers in chemistry or engineering sciences, they pooled their wedding gift money and dumbfounded friends by opening a tiny electronics store across from City Hall. It was just 500 square feet, the size of a small Manhattan studio apartment. In that space, the couple built the country's most celebrated electronics store -- known today as J&R Music World. The emporium for bargains in everything from computers to the latest jazz release or camera, is 600 times larger than the original spot, and it takes almost the entire block on its Park Row location. It's the nation's biggest single computer store and has scores of employees.
How did Rachelle, a chemistry graduate from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, and Joe, an electrical engineer from CCNY, decide on a life in retailing?. When The Post sat down with Rachelle, the first thing she said was:
"As far as I'm concerned, the title of this article is wrong! Joe and I have always felt that our success wasn't ours alone. It really was, and is, a team effort - and it's a very big team made up of our intensely loyal staff, our vendors, and even our customers."
Starting as novices, Rachelle and Joe said they learned how to sell, and what to sell, from the first customers who strolled into their tiny shop in the early days. "We've built our business on a foundation of very strong, personal relationships with hundreds of people," Rachelle says. "We remember well our modest startup 25 years ago. We were two kids trying to make it on a passion for the business and our customers," she says. "In those early years, it was our original staff of family-like employees, many of whom still work with us, and our customers who made us what we are.
"Those customers told us what they wanted and taught us what a good store should have. Suppliers shared the wisdom of years of experience with us to help us get started. We listened," she says.
"Looking back, it turns out that our naive - but passionate interest and trust in our customers and employees - was a successful approach to business. We worried about the details. We wanted to be loved as a good store."
"We discovered the secret - be good to customers, treat them right and they'll support you."
Rachelle said she and Joe years ago found a credo they have followed to this day:
* The six most important words are: "I admit I made a mistake."
* The five most important words are, "You did a good job."
* The four most important words are, "What is your opinion?"
* The three most important words are, "If you please."
* The two most important words are, "Thank you."
* The most important word is "We."
Rachelle added, "The least most important word is 'I'. Substituting the word 'We' in its place will help make anyone more successful whether in business, marriage or a relationship."
