Clothing

Chico’s FAS Corporate Office

Chico’s FAS was founded in 1983 by Marvin and Helene Gralnick as a boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters in Sanibel Island, Florida.

The first Chico’s franchise opened just four years later in 1987.

The company grew quickly throughout the 1990’s and in 2001 there were more than 300 Chico’s stores in 40 states. Most were directly owned and operated by the company but several were franchised.

The company designs and produces its own clothing lines exclusively, targeting women over 35.

Today Chico’s FAS has the brands Chico’s, White House/Black Market, Soma Intimates, and Boston Proper. Chico’s has 600 boutiques and 100 outlets, White House has 402 boutiques and 45 outlets, and Soma Intimates has 206 boutiques and 16 outlets throughout the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Chico’s FAS is a public company trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CHS, has 6,600 employees, and had sales of $2.581 billion in 2012.

Chico's FAS

Chico’s FAS was founded in 1983 by Marvin and Helene Gralnick as a boutique selling Mexican folk art and cotton sweaters in Sanibel Island, Florida.

The first Chico’s franchise opened just four years later in 1987.

The company grew quickly throughout the 1990’s and in 2001 there were more than 300 Chico’s stores in 40 states. Most were directly owned and operated by the company but several were franchised.

History

The company designs and produces its own clothing lines exclusively, targeting women over 35.

Chico’s FAS is a public company trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker CHS, has 6,600 employees, and had sales of $2.581 billion in 2012.

Market America Corporate Office

Market America was founded in 1992 by top Amway distributor James Howard Ridinger and his wife Loren Ridinger. Market America is an internet marketing and product brokerage company that utilizes the internet and social media to distribute a variety of products through one-to-one marketing.

The company serves more than 3 million customers, selling household cleaning supplies, jewelry, personal care products, auto care, cosmetics, nutritional products, custom websites, water purifiers, and weight management products. These products and services are not manufactured by Market America, rather they are produced by other companies exclusively for the company.

Market America opened Market Australia in 2002, Market Taiwan in 2005, Market Hong Kong in 2007, Market Philippines in 2010, and Market United Kingdom and Market Mexico in 2012.

Market America is a private company with 500 employees and has about $600 million in annual sales.

Market America

Market America opened Market Australia in 2002, Market Taiwan in 2005, Market Hong Kong in 2007, Market Philippines in 2010, and Market United Kingdom and Market Mexico in 2012.

History

Market America is a private company with 500 employees and has about $600 million in annual sales.

Ralph Lauren Corporate Office

Ralph Lauren founded the Ralph Lauren Corporation in 1967. At first, the company only sold men’s ties. Two years later, Ralph Lauren had a boutique store for ties inside Bloomingdale’s department store in Manhattan.

Around the same time, he released a line of women’s suits that were tailored in men’s style with the Polo emblem on the cuff. This was the first time the Polo emblem was seen.

In 1971 the first Ralph Lauren stand-alone store opened in Beverly Hills, California.

In 1981 the company opened its first international location in London.

The Polo Sport Line was introduced in 1993.

The company went public in 1997, trading on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker RL. By that time Ralph Lauren was an umbrella corporation for the company’s various brands and other ventures.

Today Ralph Lauren includes the brands Polo by Ralph Lauren, Chaps, Rugby, RRL, Club Monaco, and RLX Ralph Lauren. The company designs and markets apparel and home furnishings, and fragrances. The company has 380 stores and its products are available at 11,000 locations worldwide.

Ralph Lauren Corporation is #370 in the Fortune 500, a member of the S&P 500, has 19,000 employees, and had $5 billion in revenue in 2010.

Ralph Lauren Corporation

Around the same time, he released a line of women’s suits that were tailored in men’s style with the Polo emblem on the cuff. This was the first time the Polo emblem was seen.

In 1971 the first Ralph Lauren stand-alone store opened in Beverly Hills, California.

History

In 1981 the company opened its first international location in London.

The Polo Sport Line was introduced in 1993.

Ralph Lauren Corporation is #370 in the Fortune 500, a member of the S&P 500, has 19,000 employees, and had $5 billion in revenue in 2010.

American Eagle Corporate Office

American Eagle Outfitters was launched as a division of Silvermans Menswear, Inc. in 1977.

Mark Silverman, CEO of Silvermans Menswear, and Jerry Silverman, COO, were the third-generation running the family business. The brothers decided to diversify the company’s product line to grow the company and to be able to open more than one store in the same mall.

The company grew throughout the 1980’s and had 137 stores in 1989. At that point the brand began to lose money and the Schottensteins bought out the Silverman brothers to become owners of the brand.

The Schottensteins changed the direction of the company, which found its present niche in casual clothing for men and women.

American Eagle Outfitters went public in 1994, trading on the NASDAQ. The money infusion from the IPO helped the company to open 90 additional stores the following year.

In the years following the company refocused on the demographics of people between the ages of 18 and 32, to great success.

Current CEO Jay Schottenstein said in an April 2021 interview that he expected retail stores to have a “roaring 20’s” type of comeback after the pandemic.

Today American Eagle Outfitters has 911 stores and 158 Aerie stand-alone stores, has almost 23,000 employees, and had $3.61 billion in revenue in 2016.

American Eagle Outfitters

American Eagle Outfitters was launched as a division of Silvermans Menswear, Inc. in 1977.

History

The Schottensteins changed the direction of the company, which found its present niche in casual clothing for men and women.

American Eagle Outfitters went public in 1994, trading on the NASDAQ. The money infusion from the IPO helped the company to open 90 additional stores the following year.

In the years following the company refocused on the demographics of people between the ages of 18 and 32, to great success.

Current CEO Jay Schottenstein said in an April 2021 interview that he expected retail stores to have a “roaring 20’s” type of comeback after the pandemic.

Today American Eagle Outfitters has 911 stores and 158 Aerie stand-alone stores, has almost 23,000 employees, and had $3.61 billion in revenue in 2016.

REI Corporate Office

Recreational Equipment Incorporated, commonly known as REI, was founded by Lloyd and Mary Anderson in 1938 in Seattle, Washington. They had imported an ice axe from Austria and decided to set up a cooperative to help other people buy quality outdoor recreational equipment at reasonable prices.

At first the company was known as REI Co-op and was primarily focused on equipment for backpackers, climbers, and mountaineering expeditions.

In the 1980’s the company’s focus changed to family camping, kayaking, bicycling, and other outdoor sports. Sport-casual clothing also became an important part of the product line at this time.

REI still operates as a co-op for its members, but this title has been dropped as it also does business with the general public whether they are members or not.

REI has repeatedly been ranked in the top 100 of Fortune’s Top 100 Companies to Work for in the United States, finally earning the #8 spot in the Fortune’s Best Companies to Work For: All Stars in 2013.

REI has 11.6 million members, over 11,000 employees, and had $1.93 billion in revenue in 2012.

REI

At first the company was known as REI Co-op and was primarily focused on equipment for backpackers, climbers, and mountaineering expeditions.

In the 1980’s the company’s focus changed to family camping, kayaking, bicycling, and other outdoor sports. Sport-casual clothing also became an important part of the product line at this time.

History

REI still operates as a co-op for its members, but this title has been dropped as it also does business with the general public whether they are members or not.

REI has 11.6 million members, over 11,000 employees, and had $1.93 billion in revenue in 2012.