RIP Kroum Pindoff 1915-2013

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • Niko777
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2010
    • 1895

    RIP Kroum Pindoff 1915-2013

    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.
  • Niko777
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2010
    • 1895

    #2
    FYI Kroum Pindoff was born in the village of Embore, Kajlari region in Aegean Macedonia. He was a great philanthropist, he made headlines when he donated over $20 million to the Red Cross couple of years ago.

    Comment

    • makedonche
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2008
      • 3242

      #3
      Bog da go prosti! Lesna da moie zemjata!
      On Delchev's sarcophagus you can read the following inscription: "We swear the future generations to bury these sacred bones in the capital of Independent Macedonia. August 1923 Illinden"

      Comment

      • George S.
        Senior Member
        • Aug 2009
        • 10116

        #4
        what a real life hero he musthave been an inspiration.Bog dago prosti.
        "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
        GOTSE DELCEV

        Comment

        • Macedonian_Nationalist
          Member
          • Jul 2012
          • 407

          #5
          Bog da go prosti

          Comment

          • Phoenix
            Senior Member
            • Dec 2008
            • 4671

            #6
            Originally posted by Niko777 View Post
            FYI Kroum Pindoff was born in the village of Embore, Kajlari region in Aegean Macedonia. He was a great philanthropist, he made headlines when he donated over $20 million to the Red Cross couple of years ago.
            Did he do anything for Macedonia or Macedonians in general...?

            Comment

            • Niko777
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2010
              • 1895

              #7
              Originally posted by Phoenix View Post
              Did he do anything for Macedonia or Macedonians in general...?
              Not that I'm aware of. He did once tried to build a medical clinic in his native village but was rejected because he was accused of being a "Skopianos" by local authorities. From what I know he mainly helped the Red Cross and donated to relief efforts in third-world and war stricken countries.
              Last edited by Niko777; 01-27-2013, 09:11 PM.

              Comment

              • Niko777
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2010
                • 1895

                #8
                Originally posted by Phoenix View Post
                IF Pindoff did very little for the wider Macedonian cause, his 'crime' is far greater than some stupid bitch promoting serbia on facebook.

                I think you're a hypocrite.
                Ajde sega what crime is that? The man obviously viewed himself as a human above anything else. If he was someone who was constantly focused on profits, or helping someone else's cause, then I would agree with you.

                Comment

                • Phoenix
                  Senior Member
                  • Dec 2008
                  • 4671

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Niko777 View Post
                  Ajde sega what crime is that? The man obviously viewed himself as a human above anything else. If he was someone who was constantly focused on profits, or helping someone else's cause, then I would agree with you.
                  Are you familiar with any support that he may have given to the Macedonian community in Toronto, or that he promoted the Macedonian cause in any meaningful manner, either in Canada or Macedonia...?

                  You've just rubbished some stupid young girl who loves serbs and by extension of that, every other Macedonian in the Republic as serbofiles. I think if Pindoff did nothing for Macedonia(ns) then he was far more useless to Macedonians than that girls fb page.

                  Or are you viewing this is an egej/vardarci thing...again?

                  Comment

                  • Phoenix
                    Senior Member
                    • Dec 2008
                    • 4671

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Niko777 View Post
                    Not that I'm aware of. He did once tried to build a medical clinic in his native village but was rejected because he was accused of being a "Skopianos" by local authorities. From what I know he mainly helped the Red Cross and donated to relief efforts in third-world and war stricken countries.
                    Really, so he did fuck all for any meaningful Macedonian cause.

                    Don't you see the absolute shame in that and yet you're posting his obituary here.

                    Comment

                    • Liberator of Makedonija
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 2014
                      • 1595

                      #11
                      This guy was raised in Bulgaria and later served with the Bulgarian army during the Second World War.
                      I know of two tragic histories in the world- that of Ireland, and that of Macedonia. Both of them have been deprived and tormented.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X