Sunrise Records is placing a major bet on Canadian music sales with plans to move into 70 retail spaces being vacated by HMV Canada.
The Ontario-based music retail chain has negotiated new leases with mall landlords across the country.
Sunrise's expansion gives the company a quick foothold in the Canadian music scene just as the industry's largest retailer closes shop. Stores will begin to open this spring after HMV liquidates and removes its signs.
``It's a good opportunity for us to get a lot more stores open,'' Sunrise Records president Doug Putman told The Canadian Press in an interview.
``We think there needs to be a great outlet across Canada to buy music.''