View Full Version : Linda "Sountrack" verin



sountrak alum
10-28-2007, 10:48 AM
i happened by chance onto this web page, i lived in OKC from 1982-1985 and had the pleasure to work for Linda "sountrak" verin and her store at i believe 2600 Meridian drive in OKC

anyone i saw post and to my understading she and her hubby rick, moved to and murged sountrak with long electronics in nashville i believe it was in the early 1990's, i do not know if she owns the company but they inmvested all the had into it
I am curious if anyone can tell me what ever happend to the old sountrak store at 2600 Meridian Ave, did they convert it to another business or didthey tear it down and rebuild something else there?? if anyone know what happened to both of their locations i would apprciate it, i believethere smallerstore was on 10th Ave. but not sure i only worked at the larger 1

thank you

sountrak alum

dismayed
10-28-2007, 08:26 PM
The Oklahoman newspaper actually did a story on Linda Vernin "Soundtrak" back in 2005. If you go to newsok.com you can search their archives and find it, the article was named "Verin Recalls TV Antics."

That same year she was again seen on OKC television as Linda Soundtrak doing a special Christmas promotion for a local company.

I'm looking at the address you mentioned on Google Earth and it looks like there is a strip mall there now. If I'm in that area in the next few weeks I'll try to remember to look around and see what is there now.

Steve
10-28-2007, 08:34 PM
The building is still standing, but I think it's a liquor store now.

solitude
10-28-2007, 09:24 PM
I think you're right, Steve. That's exactly what I was thinking.

Pete
10-28-2007, 09:30 PM
Here's the Oklahoman article from a couple of years ago:

**********************************

Flashback: Linda Soundtrak
Verin recalls TV antics

By Ja’Rena Lunsford, Business Writer
Ja’Rena Lunsford: 475-3232, jlunsford@oklahoman.com


Linda Verin quietly laughs into the telephone as she hears a familiar question from the past: “Are you Linda Soundtrak?” Verin, mentally returning to her Oklahoma past, proudly answers, “Yes, I am.”

Frenetic Linda Soundtrak commercials disappeared from the Oklahoma airwaves in 1993, when the last Soundtrak store closed. But Verin occasionally has encounters with fans who remember her television commercial antics.

“It’s amazing how many people remember,” said Verin, who now lives in Birmingham, Ala.

Complete with costumes and unscripted monologues, Verin made Linda Soundtrak a local TV icon while making herself an Oklahoma celebrity.

Verin began her career as Linda Soundtrak in 1975, when she and husband Rick Clay started an electronics business called Soundtrak. Lack of capital combined with a need to advertise resulted in the couple’s decision to make their own commercials — starring Verin as Linda Soundtrak.

“By default, I think I got the job as the talent; and ‘talent’ is in quotes,” Verin said.

Linda Soundtrak did just about anything to sell a stereo, including dressing up as a chicken and chirping, “cheap, cheap prices” to donning Uncle Sam garb for a liquidation sale.

Since putting away her chicken costume, Verin has sold cars, been a marketing director and worked at a weekly newspaper. Verin is now back to her business roots as owner of an advertising company called Ads That Work!

Verin said she and her husband moved to Alabama to open a store similar to Soundtrak, but the venture was shortlived. The couple have been in Birmingham since.

The couple’s sons, who appeared in some of the commercials, are pursuing media careers. David, 25 — Slugo 1 in the commercials — is pursuing a career as a soundman. Slugo 2 — Richard, 21 — is a college junior at New York’s Vassar College where he is studying film.

Dwayne Healt, who worked as Soundtrak’s media director, said Verin set an example for working mothers and the electronics industry during a time when there were very few women business leaders.

“She was really ahead of her time,” Healt said. He said Verin’s goal was to hook audiences’ attention.

“Obviously it worked,” he said. “Everyone remembers her.”

Oh GAWD the Smell!
10-28-2007, 11:59 PM
For some reason I remember her fondly...Unlike the 2SellHomes gal...Or whatever the company is. I want to start fires after one of her commercials. I've gotten to the point to where if I see one starting, I just start mashing the remote until the TV changes to TWC or whatever.


*shudder*

CCOKC
10-29-2007, 04:38 PM
I think we only remember her fondly because she is gone. It's amazing what 20 years and a lot of distance will do to one's memory.

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 05:27 AM
I think we only remember her fondly because she is gone. It's amazing what 20 years and a lot of distance will do to one's memory.

Intresting, but the fact remans that althou most people louth her her for her commerical, in real life she is a very loving, caring person who really knows the electronics business, as a former emplyess of her, I can honestly say that in real life LInda Verin, and "Linda Sountak" although the same eprson, are in realty 2 different epople, but her ads worked no matter how annoying they were

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 05:28 AM
The Oklahoman newspaper actually did a story on Linda Vernin "Soundtrak" back in 2005. If you go to newsok.com you can search their archives and find it, the article was named "Verin Recalls TV Antics."

That same year she was again seen on OKC television as Linda Soundtrak doing a special Christmas promotion for a local company.

I'm looking at the address you mentioned on Google Earth and it looks like there is a strip mall there now. If I'm in that area in the next few weeks I'll try to remember to look around and see what is there now.

Thanks I would apprciate that very much, even thou i was only there 3 years it was a very important point in my life and set me up for all my future endevours in the same business back in Chicago, where I reside now

thanks for your reply

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 06:05 AM
The Oklahoman newspaper actually did a story on Linda Vernin "Soundtrak" back in 2005. If you go to newsok.com you can search their archives and find it, the article was named "Verin Recalls TV Antics."

That same year she was again seen on OKC television as Linda Soundtrak doing a special Christmas promotion for a local company.

I'm looking at the address you mentioned on Google Earth and it looks like there is a strip mall there now. If I'm in that area in the next few weeks I'll try to remember to look around and see what is there now.

i am not sure if it was 2600 north or 2600 s, i do remembmer when you left the store parking lot and turned right out of it, the OKC airport was right down the street from it

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 06:11 AM
The Oklahoman newspaper actually did a story on Linda Vernin "Soundtrak" back in 2005. If you go to newsok.com you can search their archives and find it, the article was named "Verin Recalls TV Antics."

That same year she was again seen on OKC television as Linda Soundtrak doing a special Christmas promotion for a local company.

I'm looking at the address you mentioned on Google Earth and it looks like there is a strip mall there now. If I'm in that area in the next few weeks I'll try to remember to look around and see what is there now.


I was off on the address my apologies, the address was 1401 South Meridian ave

not 2600

Pete
10-30-2007, 07:28 AM
http://images29.fotki.com/v1034/filer4ZI/14de1/1/1131078/5453796/soundtrak.jpg

Martin
10-30-2007, 08:10 AM
this youtube video might be of interest... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5_l7JcORA)

-M

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 01:36 PM
this youtube video might be of interest... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5_l7JcORA)

-M


Thanks for the link, does anyone know what happen to their property at 1401 S. Meridian Road?? or their other Store on NW 10th Street i believe it was

thank you

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 01:38 PM
The building is still standing, but I think it's a liquor store now.

i posted the wrong address it was 1401 South Meridian not 2600 S Merdian, still trying to find out what ever hapened with that location, is the store still there, was it torn down and rebuilt??

thanks

Martin
10-30-2007, 03:30 PM
all i can say is that a search for '1401 s meridian' yields that there is a fastsigns location at that address. from their website it appears to be in a strip shopping center.

-M

Oh GAWD the Smell!
10-30-2007, 05:07 PM
this youtube video might be of interest... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n5_l7JcORA)

-M

Holy crap...19" TV's cost close to $300 in 1986?

windowphobe
10-30-2007, 05:43 PM
I paid $500 for a 19" TV in 1981. Then again, it was a Curtis Mathes, the most expensive television in America, and darn well worth it.

sountrak alum
10-30-2007, 09:30 PM
all i can say is that a search for '1401 s meridian' yields that there is a fastsigns location at that address. from their website it appears to be in a strip shopping center.

-M

thank you so much, any links to that location woud love to see what th shopping center looks like

Pete
10-30-2007, 09:53 PM
Here's a picture from a couple of years ago. PC Tech is now FastSigns:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/1810/R141831295001xA.jpg

sountrak alum
10-31-2007, 04:03 AM
Here's a picture from a couple of years ago. PC Tech is now FastSigns:

http://www.oklahomacounty.org/assessor/Searches/sketches/picfile/1810/R141831295001xA.jpg

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! :congrats:
wonderfull, they aparently torn down the old building and rebuilt

Pete
10-31-2007, 08:40 AM
I'm pretty sure that's the old Sountrak building and it hasn't been rebuilt.

County records show it was constructed in 1978.

Plus, to my eyes it looks very similar to the old Sountrak place, just will added windows and different signage.

Here's another, newer photo:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res17zef/soundtrak1401.jpg

sountrak alum
11-01-2007, 03:58 PM
If anyone has any photos of either sountrak store when they were open, outside shots showing the store fronts please let me know, I am a former employee and would love to have a few outside shot withtheir sugn on them from when they were open
I prefer the one that was at 1401 s. meridian but woulds also like to see the one from 63& Meridian and if anyone knows what happeneded to the property there

thanks for all your help so far

SoonerDave
11-01-2007, 06:59 PM
I live in SW OKC and travel down Meridian to Sam's very frequently. I can tell you that the building which formerly housed that Soundtrak is that same building shown in the picture now.

It has gone through several incarnations, rebuilds, and store types since Soundtrak bit the dust, but the building is still there..

-soonerdave

sountrak alum
11-01-2007, 07:27 PM
thanks ,
do you or anyone you know have any photos of the store with the sountrak sign still up i would love to see it 1 last time