British designer Gina Franklyn sold British fashions out of her shop 99, located at 99
MacDougal Street in New York's
Greenwich Village. She began dating
Ed Bahlman, who sold independent singles out of the store. During trips to England, he and Franklyn brought back suitcases of music, particularly from
Rough Trade. They focused on independent and
punk music, becoming a successful rival to
Bleecker Bob's in the
West Village. They also had a selection of
funk and
reggae. The store's arty appeal stood in contrast to many of the local businesses, which
Bush Tetras member Dee Pop called "real Bob Dylan territory".
Vivien Goldman described the store as "a milieu...[with] a very creative atmosphere." The label distributed primarily through its own store but also through
Jem, Important, and Sky Disk. In 1980 and 1981 the label released several records for local bands, some of which had crossover success in dance clubs. Bush Tetras and
ESG appeared on the disco charts, and 99 had its most successful releases with ESG and
Liquid Liquid. In 1981 the relationship between Bahlman and Branca became strained, especially after Bahlman's refusal to sign a fledgling
Sonic Youth. Branca went to start his own label
Neutral Records, and 99's roster was reduced to ESG and Liquid Liquid. Bahlman stated that over a hundred acts had asked about releasing music through 99 but that growing too fast would damage the label's "sense of identity." 99 employee Terry Tolkin and Liquid Liquid member
Richard McGuire have both accused Sugar Hill of retaliating through scare tactics, including hiring someone to scare 99's customers with a machete. Tolkin stated that Bahlman refused to visit the store for a year and a half and alleged that Bahlman had received threats regularly. Franklyn has dismissed these accounts as "complete exaggeration". In early 1986, Bahlman sold off 99's inventory and went into seclusion. ==Aftermath and legacy==