Nobody Beats The Wiz
Encyclopedia
The Wiz was a chain of electronic stores in the northeastern United States
, located primarily in New York
, Pennsylvania
and New Jersey
. Some locations were in Canada as well. The chain was founded by four brothers, Douglas, Lawrence, Marvin, and Stephan Jemal, in New York City in 1977. Later, it officially changed its name to its well-known advertising slogan, "Nobody Beats The Wiz".
During the early-to-mid 1990s "Nobody Beats The Wiz" was a major sponsor for all local NY sports franchises, including the Devils
, Islanders
, Knicks
, Mets
, New Jersey Nets
, Rangers
, and Yankees
, and had a significant television advertising presence during local sports events. It also sponsored teams outside the NY area such as the Flyers
and Canadiens
.
In 1998, after having expanded significantly, the chain filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by Cablevision for $80 million. Cablevision eventually dropped the Nobody Beats the Wiz slogan.
At its peak, the firm's revenues were $1.4 billion, with 2000 employees, operating 94 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Massachusetts. It also operated music-only stores in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area.
The chain closed permanently in 2003. According to a Stereophile
article from February 16, 2003, a Cablevision press release stated: "Continuing to operate the stores is no longer a viable option for Cablevision as business conditions at the retailer eroded due to a weakened retail economy and other factors." Once the chain closed, one of its founders, Marvin Jemal, opened a new electronics chain, The Zone, in a number of former Wiz locations. The new chain, which heavily mentioned that it was from the founder of The Wiz, went out of business less than two years later.
Closing The Wiz left P. C. Richard & Son
, J&R
, 6th Avenue Electronics, Electronics Expo and B&H, as the New York City metro area's remaining regional electronics chains, with much of the consumer electronics market dominated by national chains such as Best Buy
, Target
, and Walmart. P. C. Richard currently operates TheWiz.com, an online marketplace which uses the old "Nobody Beats The Wiz" logo.
song "It Takes Two
" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
.
The Wiz was featured in the Seinfeld
episode "The Junk Mail
". While going through an old VHS
tape, Jerry
discovers an old commercial that features "The Wiz," a mascot for the electronics store of the same name. A full Wiz commercial is played during this episode, with actor Toby Huss
superimposed over the footage wearing a crown and a cape, exclaiming "Nobody beats me because I'm the Wiz!"
The jingle is interpolated in the chorus of Biz Markie
's song "Nobody Beats the Biz": Biz Markie substitutes "The Biz" for "The Wiz."
In an episode of "The Simpsons
" Reverend Lovejoy had a slogan on his burning book mobile that says, "Nobody Beats The Rev!" It is a parody of (and reference to) the Wiz's slogan.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, located primarily in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Some locations were in Canada as well. The chain was founded by four brothers, Douglas, Lawrence, Marvin, and Stephan Jemal, in New York City in 1977. Later, it officially changed its name to its well-known advertising slogan, "Nobody Beats The Wiz".
During the early-to-mid 1990s "Nobody Beats The Wiz" was a major sponsor for all local NY sports franchises, including the Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, and Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and had a significant television advertising presence during local sports events. It also sponsored teams outside the NY area such as the Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
.
In 1998, after having expanded significantly, the chain filed for bankruptcy and was purchased by Cablevision for $80 million. Cablevision eventually dropped the Nobody Beats the Wiz slogan.
At its peak, the firm's revenues were $1.4 billion, with 2000 employees, operating 94 stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Massachusetts. It also operated music-only stores in Maryland and the Washington, D.C. area.
The chain closed permanently in 2003. According to a Stereophile
Stereophile
Stereophile is a monthly magazine that focuses on high end audio equipment, such as loudspeakers and amplifiers, and audio-related news, such as online audio streaming. It was founded in 1962 by J. Gordon Holt....
article from February 16, 2003, a Cablevision press release stated: "Continuing to operate the stores is no longer a viable option for Cablevision as business conditions at the retailer eroded due to a weakened retail economy and other factors." Once the chain closed, one of its founders, Marvin Jemal, opened a new electronics chain, The Zone, in a number of former Wiz locations. The new chain, which heavily mentioned that it was from the founder of The Wiz, went out of business less than two years later.
Closing The Wiz left P. C. Richard & Son
P. C. Richard & Son
P.C. Richard & Son, also known as simply P.C. Richard, is the largest chain of private, family-owned electronics and appliances stores in the United States. Its stores are located in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, with the majority of the stores located on Long Island and in...
, J&R
J&R
J&R is a well-known retail store in New York City, located on Park Row, across from New York City Hall.J&R stands for Joe and Rachelle Friedman, the founders, who established the company in 1971 after emigrating from Israel...
, 6th Avenue Electronics, Electronics Expo and B&H, as the New York City metro area's remaining regional electronics chains, with much of the consumer electronics market dominated by national chains such as Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
, Target
Target Corporation
Target Corporation, doing business as Target, is an American retailing company headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the second-largest discount retailer in the United States, behind Walmart. The company is ranked at number 33 on the Fortune 500 and is a component of the Standard & Poor's...
, and Walmart. P. C. Richard currently operates TheWiz.com, an online marketplace which uses the old "Nobody Beats The Wiz" logo.
In popular culture
The Wiz was included in the lyrics of the 1988 hip hopHip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
song "It Takes Two
It Takes Two (Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock song)
"It Takes Two" is a 1988 hip hop song by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock and produced by Teddy Riley that was later certified platinum. The song samples heavily from Lyn Collins' 1972 song "Think ", using multiple drum breaks, the well known "Woo! Yeah!" sample, as well as the lyric sung by Collins which...
" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock are a hip-hop duo from Harlem, New York who are best known for their hit "It Takes Two." The duo consists of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock .- Career :Their first U.S...
.
The Wiz was featured in the Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
episode "The Junk Mail
The Junk Mail
"The Junk Mail" is the 161st episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the 5th episode of the 9th and final season. The episode aired on October 30, 1997.-Plot:...
". While going through an old VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
tape, Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld (character)
Jerome "Jerry" Seinfeld is the main protagonist of the American television sitcom Seinfeld . The straight man among his group of friends, this semi-fictionalized version of comedian Jerry Seinfeld was named after, co-created by, based on, and played by Seinfeld himself.The series revolves around...
discovers an old commercial that features "The Wiz," a mascot for the electronics store of the same name. A full Wiz commercial is played during this episode, with actor Toby Huss
Toby Huss
Toby Edward Huss is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Artie, the Strongest Man in the World on the cult hit Nickelodeon TV series The Adventures of Pete & Pete, for his voice-over work on the long running animated series King of the Hill, and for his role as Felix 'Stumpy'...
superimposed over the footage wearing a crown and a cape, exclaiming "Nobody beats me because I'm the Wiz!"
The jingle is interpolated in the chorus of Biz Markie
Biz Markie
Marcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name, Biz Markie, is an American rapper, beatboxer, DJ, comedian, singer, reality television personality, and commercial spokesperson. He is best known for his single "Just a Friend", an American Top 10 hit in 1989...
's song "Nobody Beats the Biz": Biz Markie substitutes "The Biz" for "The Wiz."
In an episode of "The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
" Reverend Lovejoy had a slogan on his burning book mobile that says, "Nobody Beats The Rev!" It is a parody of (and reference to) the Wiz's slogan.