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Kroum Pindoff, Music World owner and philanthropist, dies at 97

Kroum Pindoff made millions as the founder of Music World records, a popular Toronto-based chain of stores that had its heyday when the LP was king.

Mr. Pindoff was born in Macedonia. His wife Eva was born in Germany, and it’s from there the couple crossed to Canada in 1955 as penniless immigrants.

While later amassing a fortune selling records, he and Eva also gave more than $20 million to the Red Cross, notably to aid victims of landmines and for disaster relief, and millions more to War Child Canada, in a pledge to help young victims of war.

Mr. Pindoff died peacefully in his sleep at his Toronto home Wednesday evening. He was 97.

Mr. Pindoff started out selling records on consignment to local stores. Eventually, he went into business for himself, and started Pindoff Record Sales, which grew, as did Music World, the company he went on to launch in 1970.

The latter would expand to over 100 stores across the country at one point. He sold the business around 2007, and a short time later it filed for bankruptcy and its remaining locations were shut down, a victim of online music and distributors of discounted recordings.

Music World was the last Canadian-owned chain of music stores.

Trevor Townsend, a friend of the family, remembered Mr. Pindoff as a kind, gregarious and humble man who operated a well-run company.

Townsend called him a “Toronto icon” who was a fixture in the city, especially in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s.

But Mr. Pindoff is also being remembered for his sizeable donations to the Red Cross.

In 1998 the Toronto Star carried a front page story about he and his wife giving $5 million to the Canadian Red Cross to help land mine survivors rebuild their lives.

“I have been in war, seen what it can do,’’ the then 82-year-old said.

“The destruction caused by landmines to innocent people trying to struggle from one day to the next is shocking and heartbreaking,’’ he said.

He pointed out that during the First World War he occupied Russia with the Germans, and Germany with the Russians.

“To survive, you have to hide sometimes in the lion’s mouth,’’ he said.

“This week we have lost a great humanitarian, supporter and friend,’’ said Conrad Sauvé, secretary general and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross in a statement Thursday.

“I speak for all of my colleagues at the Canadian Red Cross and in many of our sister societies around the world in expressing our sadness, as well as our gratitude for Mr. Pindoff’s tireless support, which touched the lives of countless people in need over the past two decades,” the CEO added.

Aside from the landmine victims, the Red Cross says the couple gave money to those suffering from droughts in Africa, and to projects throughout the Americas and Asia.

After the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in South Asia, the Pindoffs gave $5 million toward Canadian Red Cross relief and recovery efforts — the largest ever personal contribution to a Canadian Red Cross disaster appeal, the agency said in its statement.

Mr. Pindoff leaves behind his wife, and a daughter.

There won’t be a funeral service, and he is to be cremated.

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