About us

The 1970s

1974

Bill Crutchfield founds our company, based out of his mother's basement, and creates the first car audio mail order catalog. Read it here and explore the products we offered back then, like under-dash 8-track players, in-dash cassette players, CBs, and more.

1975

Crutchfield revolutionizes DIY car audio installation by offering custom kits to the public for the first time. Check out our history of helping DIYers to learn more.

1975

Our early catalog is reimagined, combining in-depth magazine-style articles with product descriptions. What results is believed to be the first “magalog”. Shortly thereafter, Crutchfield begins offering home audio products from Sony.

1977

The Apple II enters the market and paves the way for the personal computing boom of the 1980s. We go on to feature products from Apple and Atari in our '80s catalogs, and in the '90s, we even sell Crutchfield PCs.

1979

Construction of our Charlottesville, VA, headquarters is completed. It's one of the most energy-conservative buildings in the state at the time, and it still houses some of our offices.

1979

To improve our customers' shopping experience, the “Crutchfield Standard” is developed. Previously, comparing different products was like comparing apples to oranges, as many manufacturers didn't use consistent standards of measurement. Read more about this and other important Crutchfield milestones in our Founder's story.

The 1980s

1981

We begin offering a wide variety of home A/V products, expanding beyond our previous focus on car audio. Our selection soon grows to include “cutting edge” video gear such as HiFi stereo VCRs and 19" color tube TVs. Learn more about the differences between vintage and modern home stereo gear.

1981

After taking Japan by storm, the iconic Sony Walkman hits the U.S. and shows up in the Crutchfield catalog for the first time, letting a generation take their favorite tapes with them on the go.

1983

When company sales start flagging, Bill Crutchfield identifies the cause as a lost connection to the company's original values. He crafts the Crutchfield Basic Beliefs to clearly define our values, employees respond, and the business takes off again.

1983

Crutchfield's first retail store opens in our hometown of Charlottesville, VA.

1984

Compact disc players arrive in the Crutchfield catalog and begin a new era of high-fi audio. Soon after, we start carrying CD car stereos, prompting another evolution in car audio.

1989

We begin researching cars to obtain precise fit information. We even venture to junkyards to find what we're looking for! Read more about our team's adventures in research.

The 1990s

1990

Our product and vehicle information is consolidated into a computer called “Albert” (as in Einstein). This allows our expert Advisors to quickly reference a vast database of information while talking to customers.

1992

We formally establish our Vehicle Research Team and create our first MasterSheets™ — vehicle-specific instructions to help our customers install car stereos themselves.

1995

Crutchfield.com launches, only one month after Amazon.com! We become the first authorized online retailer of consumer electronics. The first product we sell? Sony's DirecTV satellite receiver and antenna. Dolby Digital home theater, DVD players, big-screen TVs, and other classic '90s gear soon follow!

1998

We open our satellite contact center in Southwest Virginia, and it becomes the role model for future economic development in the region. We're incredibly proud of our wonderful employees there and all their successes.

1999

Accolades abound! Bill Crutchfield is honored as Ernst & Young's Master Entrepreneur of the Year for Virginia. And Crutchfield wins the Bizrate Insights “Platinum Circle of Excellence Award” for customer service. We're proud to have won it every year since.

The 2000s

2001

Apple introduces the iPod, paving the way for the iPhone just six years later. With users able to store, and eventually stream, vast music libraries in a pocket-sized device, car audio is forever changed, and we're equipped to help customers maximize the fun.

2006

Our online vehicle selector launches. It accesses our hands-on research and measurements to serve up car audio and installation gear that fits your vehicle

2007

Bill Crutchfield is inducted into the Electronics Hall of Fame, alongside the founder of Best Buy, the cofounder of Microsoft, and Dr. Amar Bose.

2007

We launch crutchfield.ca — our website for customers in Canada.

2008

We begin manufacturing our own biodegradable packing peanuts using environmentally friendly corn starch. They can be composted or dissolved in water.

The 2010s and beyond

2012

We begin minimizing our packaging sizes by installing our first machine to manufacture boxes to fit customer orders. This reduces our environmental footprint.

2013

We begin offering pro audio equipment, to the applause of the many gigging musicians who work here.

2019

In 2009, we're issued the first of several patents for our Virtual Speaker technology. Ten years later, this innovation ends up powering our SpeakerCompare feature on our website. It's the only technology of its kind that lets you audition 1500+ home and car speakers online. Try it out!

2024

We celebrate 50 years in business and continue to grow as a nationally recognized, award-winning company with more than 650 employees — all located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Thank you for trusting us with your business!