Russell Malcolm Solomon was an American entrepreneur and most notable as the founder of the worldwide retail music store empire, Tower Records.
14 Facts About Russell Solomon
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Russell Solomon was born in Sacramento, California, and grew up there during the Great Depression.
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Russell Solomon's father owned a small but successful business called Tower Cut Rate Drug Store, where Solomon worked from the age of 13, absorbing lessons from his father.
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Russell Solomon had little interest in school, and had a record of both showing up late as well as leaving early.
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Russell Solomon said in a January 2011 interview for the Sacramento Bee, that he "couldn't get up in the morning" so he'd get there about an hour before lunch and go home soon afterward.
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Russell Solomon spent a lot of time with the photographers who processed film.
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In 1945, Russell Solomon married his first wife, Doris, and their first son, Michael, was born three years later.
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In 1952, Russell Solomon took his merchandising business from a few racks in the drug store owned by his father, Clayton, to a full-fledged sales company in a building across the street.
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Russell Solomon bought stock on credit and soon found himself in financial difficulties as sales failed to keep up with expenses.
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Russell Solomon borrowed $5,000 from his father and started MTS Inc.
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Eight years later, Russell Solomon signed a lease for a 5,000-square-foot storefront in San Francisco.
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Russell Solomon went back to his first store location in Sacramento and planned a new store opening under the name R5 Records.
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Russell Solomon was joined in the effort by several long time employees.
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Russell Solomon died of an apparent heart attack on March 4,2018, according to the Sacramento Bee while drinking whiskey and watching the Academy Awards, after having just commented negatively on someone at the ceremonies' fashion choice.