Clothing

J. Crew Corporate Office

J. Crew was founded in 1947 by Mitchel Cinader and Saul Charles as Popular Merchandise, Inc., which sold low-priced women’s clothing through home demonstration.

In the 1980’s Popular Merchandise started its own catalog under the name Popular Club Plan. The catalog business grew rapidly at 25-30 percent a year. Sales grew from $3 million to $100 million over five years.

In 1989 Popular Merchandise changed its name to J. Crew, named after the popular 1970’s cartoon, Jabberjaw. That same year the company opened its first retail location in Manhattan.

Throughout the 1990’s J. Crew expanded to 35 retail stores and catalog sales in Canada.

J. Crew went public in 2006. The company was taken private in 2010 in a $3 billion deal led by management with the backing of TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners.

Today J. Crew has 400 retail stores, 12,700 employees, and had $1.7 billion in revenue in 2011.

J. Crew

J. Crew was founded in 1947 by Mitchel Cinader and Saul Charles as Popular Merchandise, Inc., which sold low-priced women’s clothing through home demonstration.

In 1989 Popular Merchandise changed its name to J. Crew, named after the popular 1970’s cartoon, Jabberjaw. That same year the company opened its first retail location in Manhattan.

History

Throughout the 1990’s J. Crew expanded to 35 retail stores and catalog sales in Canada.

J. Crew went public in 2006. The company was taken private in 2010 in a $3 billion deal led by management with the backing of TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners.

Today J. Crew has 400 retail stores, 12,700 employees, and had $1.7 billion in revenue in 2011.

Gilt Groupe Corporate Office

Kevin Ryan had the idea for Gilt Groupe in 2007. He invited Mike Bryzek and Phong Nguyen to be part of the team as the technical masterminds. He later invited Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, who had backgrounds in e-commerce and luxury goods.

This founding team of five created a members-only website where new sales last 36-48 hours and feature merchandise from a single brand or a small group of brands. Gilt purchases inventory at a deep discount and adds a margin on top of that price to make a profit.

The company started with women’s clothing in 2007 and expanded to men’s clothing in 2008. In 2009 Gilt Groupe expanded to Japan, began Gilt Fuse, and started travel site Jettsetter. Gilt City and Gilt Home began in 2010, and Gilt Taste in 2011.

Gilt Groupe had $450 million in sales in 2011 and $550 million in sales in 2012. The company is valued at $1 billion and is beginning to talk about a possible future IPO.

Gilt Groupe

History

Gilt Groupe had $450 million in sales in 2011 and $550 million in sales in 2012. The company is valued at $1 billion and is beginning to talk about a possible future IPO.

Fanatics Corporate Office

Fanatics, Inc. was founded in 1995 in Jacksonville, Florida when it was announced that the football team the Jaguars would plant roots there. It began as a retail shop out of a small room in the back of a mall selling only Jaguars merchandise.

In 1997 Fanatics expanded to e-commerce and began selling sports merchandise online.

The company continued to grow and in 2011 was acquired by GSI Commerce, Inc. for $277 million.

Later, Michael Rubin, founder of GSI, founded Kynetic LLC as a parent company to GSI’s three top companies: Fanatics, Rue La La, and ShopRunner. He sold the rest of GSI Commerce’s business to eBay for $2.4 billion.

In early December 2020, the company acquired WinCraft, a company that manufactures sports related mechandise.

Today Fanatics has about $1 billion in yearly revenue. The company maintains a corporate office in Jacksonville, Florida.

Fanatics, Inc.

In 1997 Fanatics expanded to e-commerce and began selling sports merchandise online.

History

The company continued to grow and in 2011 was acquired by GSI Commerce, Inc. for $277 million.

In early December 2020, the company acquired WinCraft, a company that manufactures sports related mechandise.

Today Fanatics has about $1 billion in yearly revenue. The company maintains a corporate office in Jacksonville, Florida.

Saks Fifth Avenue Corporate Office

Andrew Saks founded Saks & Company in New York in 1867. The company was incorporated in 1902.

In 1923 Saks & Co. merged with Gimbel Brothers, Inc. In 1924 Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel opened Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

When Bernard’s brother, Adam Gimbel, took over the company in 1926 the company began to expand nationally.

In 1973 Saks was acquired by BATUS Inc. Saks was sold again in 1990, this time to Investcorp S.A. Investcorp took the company public in 1996.

In August of 2007, the United States Post Office began an experimental program selling the plus zip code extension to businesses. The first company to do so was Saks Fifth Avenue, which received the zip code of 10022-7463 (“SHOE”) for their eighth-floor shoe department in its flagship Fifth Avenue, New York, location.

In 2013 the Hudson Bay Company (owners of competitor Lord & Taylor) announced it would acquire Saks Fifth Avenue’s parent company for $2.9 billion. The new owners are planning to expand Saks Fifth Avenue into Canada and in 2016, opened their first store in Toronto, with a second location opening in Calgary, Alberta, in February of 2018.

In 2015, the company began a 3-year, $250 million restoration plan for their flagship Fifth Avenue location. Completion is expected by the end of 2018.

In August 2023, Neiman Marcus was in talks with Saks about a possible merger.

Saks 5th Avenue maintains a corporate office in New York, New York.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Andrew Saks founded Saks & Company in New York in 1867. The company was incorporated in 1902.

In 1923 Saks & Co. merged with Gimbel Brothers, Inc. In 1924 Horace Saks and Bernard Gimbel opened Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

History

When Bernard’s brother, Adam Gimbel, took over the company in 1926 the company began to expand nationally.

In 1973 Saks was acquired by BATUS Inc. Saks was sold again in 1990, this time to Investcorp S.A. Investcorp took the company public in 1996.

In 2015, the company began a 3-year, $250 million restoration plan for their flagship Fifth Avenue location. Completion is expected by the end of 2018.

In August 2023, Neiman Marcus was in talks with Saks about a possible merger.

Saks 5th Avenue maintains a corporate office in New York, New York.

Rakuten.com Shopping Corporate Office

Scott Blum founded Buy.com in 1997. The company sold electronics at below cost and made up the difference with advertising and ancillary services like warranties and equipment leases.

Buy.com had the record for first year sales of any company with $111 million in 1998, its first full year of business.

Scott Blum sold his stake in the company to SoftBank in 1999 for $195 million, right before the company filed an IPO. Stock values plummeted the following year and he bought his stake back for $23.6 million in 2001.

In 2002 Buy.com expanded beyond electronics and began adding soft goods to their catalog.

Buy.com has an extensive eBay store and has over 1 million positive reviews.

In 2010 Buy.com was acquired by Rakuten, Inc., Japan’s biggest e-commerce company. The acquisition had an approximate value of $250 million.

In 2013 Rakuten, Inc. announced the official rebranding of Buy.com to “Rakuten.com Shopping.”

Rakuten.com Shopping offers more than 17 million products and is ranked in the top three e-commerce companies in the world.

Rakuten.com Shopping

Scott Blum founded Buy.com in 1997. The company sold electronics at below cost and made up the difference with advertising and ancillary services like warranties and equipment leases.

Buy.com had the record for first year sales of any company with $111 million in 1998, its first full year of business.

History

In 2002 Buy.com expanded beyond electronics and began adding soft goods to their catalog.

Buy.com has an extensive eBay store and has over 1 million positive reviews.

In 2010 Buy.com was acquired by Rakuten, Inc., Japan’s biggest e-commerce company. The acquisition had an approximate value of $250 million.

In 2013 Rakuten, Inc. announced the official rebranding of Buy.com to “Rakuten.com Shopping.”

Rakuten.com Shopping offers more than 17 million products and is ranked in the top three e-commerce companies in the world.