Consumer Goods

Build A Bear Corporate Office

Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded in 1997 by current CEO Maxine Clark. The first workshop was in the Saint Louis Galleria.

In 2006, the company acquired the Bear Factory, a London based business owned by Hamleys.

By 2007, there were over 400 stores and over 50 million bears had been sold.

The majority of Build A Bear workshops are located in shopping malls but the company has recently expanded to open some locations in MLB stadiums.

The company has recently partnered with other companies to produce special lines including Alvin and the Chipmunks, Wizards of Waverly Place and Shrek.

Build A Bear Workshop

Build-A-Bear Workshop was founded in 1997 by current CEO Maxine Clark. The first workshop was in the Saint Louis Galleria.

In 2006, the company acquired the Bear Factory, a London based business owned by Hamleys.

By 2007, there were over 400 stores and over 50 million bears had been sold.

History

The majority of Build A Bear workshops are located in shopping malls but the company has recently expanded to open some locations in MLB stadiums.

The company has recently partnered with other companies to produce special lines including Alvin and the Chipmunks, Wizards of Waverly Place and Shrek.

Wawa began in 1803 as a dairy farm. George Wood imported cows and sold “sanitary” milk to school children, who used to become sick from raw milk. Wood had doctors “approve” his milk as safe, which convinced many parents to buy his milk for their families.

The company grew rapidly as demand for dairy products increased.

In the 1960s, consumers began to buy milk from grocery stores, so Wawa transitioned to a convenience store in order to sell their own milk. In 1964, Wood opened his first convenience store in Folsom, Pennsylvania.

By 1989, there were 400 Wawa stores.

In 2003, the company began to construct a new distribution center in Carney’s Point, NJ.

Wawa launched its own line of soda in 2007.

Wawa was among the first convenience stores to implement self-service computerized touch-screen menus for food orders, in an attempt to improve order accuracy.

Wawa provides surcharge-free ATMs, the result of a partnership with PNC Bank, which started this program back in 1985. The company implemented this program in stores in 1996. In 2010, Wawa surpassed 1 billion transactions under the PNC brand.

There are currently nearly 750 Wawa locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

In 2022, the company announced that it would be opening its first stores in Georgia by the end of 2024.

The name WaWa comes from the city where the corporate office is located. Wawa is the Ojibwe word for the Canadian Goose, which is the store symbol.

In September 2022, WaWa asked House candidate Matt Jenkins to stop using their goose logo as his campaign logo, stating that it was a copyright infringement.

WaWa maintains a corporate office in Wawa, Pennsylvania.

Wawa

The company grew rapidly as demand for dairy products increased.

History

By 1989, there were 400 Wawa stores.

In 2003, the company began to construct a new distribution center in Carney’s Point, NJ.

Wawa launched its own line of soda in 2007.

Wawa was among the first convenience stores to implement self-service computerized touch-screen menus for food orders, in an attempt to improve order accuracy.

There are currently nearly 750 Wawa locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

In 2022, the company announced that it would be opening its first stores in Georgia by the end of 2024.

The name WaWa comes from the city where the corporate office is located. Wawa is the Ojibwe word for the Canadian Goose, which is the store symbol.

In September 2022, WaWa asked House candidate Matt Jenkins to stop using their goose logo as his campaign logo, stating that it was a copyright infringement.

WaWa maintains a corporate office in Wawa, Pennsylvania.

Coca Cola Corporate Office

Coca-Cola or Coke for short was originally developed as an alcoholic beverage by John Pemberton. When prohibition passed, Pemberton turned it into a non-alcoholic soft drink. Coke was first sold in 1886 and was touted to cure many health ailments.

By 1888, there were 3 versions of Coke for sale. The Coca-Cola Company was also formed this year by Asa Candler, Charley Pemberton (John’s son) and Woolfolk Walker.

Candler incorporated a 2nd Coca-Cola Company in 1892 after a series of ownership disputes. This is the company that remains today.

In 1894, Coke was first sold in bottles.

By 1935, Coke was a national icon. In 1955, cans of Coke were sold for the first time.

Today, Coca Cola produces a variety of Coke products and is one of the most recognized brands in the world.

Coca Cola

By 1888, there were 3 versions of Coke for sale. The Coca-Cola Company was also formed this year by Asa Candler, Charley Pemberton (John’s son) and Woolfolk Walker.

Candler incorporated a 2nd Coca-Cola Company in 1892 after a series of ownership disputes. This is the company that remains today.

History

In 1894, Coke was first sold in bottles.

By 1935, Coke was a national icon. In 1955, cans of Coke were sold for the first time.

Today, Coca Cola produces a variety of Coke products and is one of the most recognized brands in the world.

Best Buy Corporate Office

Originally founded in 1966 under the name Sound of Music by Richard Schulze and Gary Smoliak. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the store focused on specialty audio equipment.

By 1969, the company had 3 locations and was listed on the NASDAQ. There were 9 locations by 1978.

In 1981, the Roseville, Minnesota location, which at the time the largest and most profitable Sound of Music store, was hit by a tornado. The store’s roof was sheared off and showroom destroyed, but the storeroom was untouched. In response, Schulze decided to have a “Tornado Sale” of damaged and excess stock. The sale was held in the damaged store’s parking lot. He poured the remainder of his marketing budget into advertising the sale, promising “best buys” on everything. The company made more money during that four-day sale than it did in a typical month.

So, in 1983, the company’s name was changed to Best Buy and the first superstore was opened in Burnsville, Minnesota. With annual revenue in the $10 million dollar range, the company decided to expand into home appliances and “new” electronics, such as VCR’s.

In 1985, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: BBY. The company expanded quickly in the US during the late 80s and 90s. In 1992, the company reached $1 billion in sales.

In 2003, there were 600 Best Buy stores nationwide and the company began to expand internationally.

In 2008, the chain opened its 1000th location in the Mall of America.

In 2012, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy, losing sales to online giant Amazon, until new CEO Hubert Joly introduced a price match guarantee. This turned the company around since many consumers were happy to not only receive the same price as what was offered on Amazon, but they could take their product home the same day.

In early 2014, the company settled for $4.55 million in a class action lawsuit filed against them in April 2010 by consumers who claimed Best Buy was making unsolicited phone calls in contravention of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

On March 1, 2018, the company announced that it would shut down its 250 standalone Best Buy Mobile stores in the US by the end of May, due to low revenue.

In September 2019, a family filed a lawsuit against Best Buy and their delivery companies after an elderly woman was beaten, set on fire, and died by a person delivering a washer and dryer.

Today, there are over 1026 locations worldwide. Annual revenue in 2017 was $42.151 billion. The Best Buy corporate office is located in Richfield, Minnesota.

Best Buy

Originally founded in 1966 under the name Sound of Music by Richard Schulze and Gary Smoliak. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the store focused on specialty audio equipment.

History

By 1969, the company had 3 locations and was listed on the NASDAQ. There were 9 locations by 1978.

In 1985, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: BBY. The company expanded quickly in the US during the late 80s and 90s. In 1992, the company reached $1 billion in sales.

In 2003, there were 600 Best Buy stores nationwide and the company began to expand internationally.

In 2008, the chain opened its 1000th location in the Mall of America.

On March 1, 2018, the company announced that it would shut down its 250 standalone Best Buy Mobile stores in the US by the end of May, due to low revenue.

In September 2019, a family filed a lawsuit against Best Buy and their delivery companies after an elderly woman was beaten, set on fire, and died by a person delivering a washer and dryer.

Today, there are over 1026 locations worldwide. Annual revenue in 2017 was $42.151 billion. The Best Buy corporate office is located in Richfield, Minnesota.

Office Depot Corporate Office

Office Depot was founded in 1986 by F. Patrick Sher and Jack Kopkin. The first location was located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

In 1988, the company went public on the NYSE.

There were many acquisitions and mergers in the 90s, the 50th store was opened in 1995.

The OfficeDepot.com website was launched in 1998.

In 2000’s there was a major expansion into Europe. In 2005, the 1000th location was opened in Countryside, Illinois.

In late 2013, Office Depot and OfficeMax merged.

In February 2015, Staples announced it would purchase Office Depot for $6.3 Billion. The merger was ultimately blocked by the FTC.

Today, there are over 1600 locations worldwide. The Office Depot corporate office is located in Boca Raton, FL.

Office Depot

Office Depot was founded in 1986 by F. Patrick Sher and Jack Kopkin. The first location was located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

In 1988, the company went public on the NYSE.

There were many acquisitions and mergers in the 90s, the 50th store was opened in 1995.

History

The OfficeDepot.com website was launched in 1998.

In 2000’s there was a major expansion into Europe. In 2005, the 1000th location was opened in Countryside, Illinois.

In late 2013, Office Depot and OfficeMax merged.

In February 2015, Staples announced it would purchase Office Depot for $6.3 Billion. The merger was ultimately blocked by the FTC.

Today, there are over 1600 locations worldwide. The Office Depot corporate office is located in Boca Raton, FL.