World Wide Stereo in Montgomeryville is celebrating its 40th anniversary with private and public events, sales, and special promotions that will continue through the end of the year.

The family-owned business is today one of the nation’s leaders in audio and video consumer electronics.

It was started by Bob Cole, a recent Consumer Technology Hall-of-Fame inductee, in 1979. At that time it had just two employees, Cole’s wife Karen and his long-time partner Ron Rumer.

Since then, the small store that sold 8-track tape players and Atari has grown into a business with more than 100 employees that sells million-dollar home theaters and whole-house smart home integration systems.

World Wide Stereo also expanded with a store in Ardmore and more recently, a 13,500 square foot distribution center in Hatfield.

All of this was achieved while remaining true to the business’ original promise: to help children at every opportunity.

To achieve this, World Wide Stereo recently equipped St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children and Philadelphia’s Ronald McDonald House with the latest home entertainment technology.

Over its four decades, the business has also been recognized with many awards. This includes receiving the coveted “2019 Best of Philly” recognition in Philadelphia Magazine’s 46th annual “Best of Philly” awards.