With over 80 years of music retailing history and 400+ stores worldwide, HMV is the world's premier retailer of music, DVD, videogames, books and more. Throughout the entire period of its trading history, HMV had been a part of the EMI Group of companies, but in March 1998 it was sold to form a new retail concern - the HMV Group - that also comprises the Waterstone's, Dillon's and Ottakar's bookchains. Continually growing within the international retail music industry, HMV has proven itself as an innovative leader in Canada since 1988.

HMV Canada has grown from a small retail music chain to become one of Canada's music market leaders with over 123 stores from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

In 1988 HMV Canada opened its first superstore in the Square One Mall in Mississauga. This 8000 square foot store won the Retail Store Design Award from Canada's International Council of Shopping Centers. The same year, HMV was voted Music Retailer of the Year by the Canadian Music Industry; an award that HMV Canada has now won for 19 consecutive years. In 1989 HMV Canada opened the country's largest music retail outlet in Canada with an 18,000 square foot location in downtown Montreal. In 1991 the 25,000 square foot Toronto Yonge Street store location opened taking the title of Canada's largest music store. In 1995, HMV broke its own record by expanding the Toronto location to 35,000 square feet and in early 1996 the Montreal location moved to a new 30,000 square in the downtown core. In 2005, HMV acquired the Virgin Megastore space at Robson and Burrard in British Columbia and totally remodeled the 3-floor 40,000 square foot location, creating the ultimate entertainment shopping experience in the heart of Vancouver.

Source : HMV web site