Footwear

Fred’s Corporate Office

Fred’s opened its first discount store in Coldwater, Mississippi in 1947.

Today Fred’s serves customers with moderate or fixed incomes with stores in small and medium-sized towns across the Southeast and parts of the Midwest. The chain is made up of more than 700 stores in 15 states in total. About half of Fred’s stores have full-service pharmacies.

Stores carry more than 12,000 products, including brand-name, off-brand, and private label products including health and beauty, household goods, clothing, linens, food, and paper supplies.

Fred’s trades publicly on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol FRED, is a member of the Russell 2000, is #989 in the Fortune 1000, has 5,245 employees, and had $1.97 billion in revenue in 2014.

Fred's

Fred’s opened its first discount store in Coldwater, Mississippi in 1947.

Stores carry more than 12,000 products, including brand-name, off-brand, and private label products including health and beauty, household goods, clothing, linens, food, and paper supplies.

History

Fred’s trades publicly on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol FRED, is a member of the Russell 2000, is #989 in the Fortune 1000, has 5,245 employees, and had $1.97 billion in revenue in 2014.

DSW, Inc. Corporate Office

DSW can trace its roots back to 1969 when Jay L. Schottenstein opened as the Schonac corporation as a shoe licensee for Value City.

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) opened its first store in 1991 in Dublin, Ohio. In 1998 Value City Department Stores purchased DSW.

In 2004 Retail Ventures consolidated subsidiaries of the then-defunct Value City company. DSW was operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Retail Ventures until DSW was spun-off in 2005.

Today DSW sells brand-name footwear at discount prices through 501 stores in 40 states and Puerto Rico. On average, stores are 22,000 square feet and stock 23,000 pairs of shoes.

DSW, along with 170 other shoe retailers, wrote a letter to Donald Trump in May 2019, asking him to exempt shoes from his list of items from China subject to the administrations new 25% tariff, calling the tariff “catastrophic.”

The company trades publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DSW, is #872 in the Fortune 1000, has 11,800 employees, and had $2.50 billion in revenue in 2014.

DSW, Inc.

DSW can trace its roots back to 1969 when Jay L. Schottenstein opened as the Schonac corporation as a shoe licensee for Value City.

DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) opened its first store in 1991 in Dublin, Ohio. In 1998 Value City Department Stores purchased DSW.

History

In 2004 Retail Ventures consolidated subsidiaries of the then-defunct Value City company. DSW was operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Retail Ventures until DSW was spun-off in 2005.

Today DSW sells brand-name footwear at discount prices through 501 stores in 40 states and Puerto Rico. On average, stores are 22,000 square feet and stock 23,000 pairs of shoes.

The company trades publicly on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DSW, is #872 in the Fortune 1000, has 11,800 employees, and had $2.50 billion in revenue in 2014.

Timberland Corporate Office

The Timberland Company is a manufacturer, marketer, and retailer of outdoor wear.

Timberland was founded in 1952 when Nathan Swartz bought an interest in The Abington Shoe Company near Boston, Massachusetts. Three years later he bought the remaining interest in the company to become the sole owner.

In 1960 Swartz and his sons introduced new technology to completely waterproof boots by connecting the soles to the leather uppers without stitching.

In 1973 the name “Timberland” was introduced for one of the waterproof leather boots sold by the company. The boots proved to be massively popular and as a result, the company changed its name to The Timberland Company.

In the 1980’s Sidney Swartz, the founder’s son took over the company and began to diversify it into a lifestyle brand by adding clothing and women’s shoes.

In the 1990s the company continues to diversify its product line by adding watches, backpacks, and children’s footwear.

Today Timberland sells its products through 230 company-owned stores and in department and specialty shops throughout Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

In 2019, the company made a commitment to use only leather products that came from renewable sources.

Timberland was acquired by V.F. Corporation in 2011 for $2 billion. Headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire.

The Timberland Company

The Timberland Company is a manufacturer, marketer, and retailer of outdoor wear.

History

In 1960 Swartz and his sons introduced new technology to completely waterproof boots by connecting the soles to the leather uppers without stitching.

In the 1980’s Sidney Swartz, the founder’s son took over the company and began to diversify it into a lifestyle brand by adding clothing and women’s shoes.

In the 1990s the company continues to diversify its product line by adding watches, backpacks, and children’s footwear.

Today Timberland sells its products through 230 company-owned stores and in department and specialty shops throughout Canada, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

In 2019, the company made a commitment to use only leather products that came from renewable sources.

Timberland was acquired by V.F. Corporation in 2011 for $2 billion. Headquarters are located in Stratham, New Hampshire.

The Bon-Ton Corporate Office

The Bon-Ton was founded in 1898 when Max Grumbacher and his father, Samuel, opened S. Grumbacher & Son, a one-room dry goods store and millinery in York, Pennsylvania.

The store grew and in 1929 the company was incorporated as S. Grumbacher & Son, Inc. Max’s son, Max Samuel, joined the family business two years later in 1931.

Bon-Ton opened a second store in Hanover, Pennsylvania, 1946.

The company started to expand more rapidly when it acquired Eyerly’s in Haggerstown, Maryland in 1948 and McMeen’s in Lewistown, Pennsylvania in 1956.

Today The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a chain of 275 department stores which are operated under seven nameplates including Bon-Ton, Elder-Beerman, and Carson Pirie Scott.

The stores sell name-brand and private-label women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing.

The Bon-Ton is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol BONT, is #719 on the Fortune 1000, has 25,800 employees, and had $2.834 billion in revenue in 2016.

The Bon-Ton

The Bon-Ton was founded in 1898 when Max Grumbacher and his father, Samuel, opened S. Grumbacher & Son, a one-room dry goods store and millinery in York, Pennsylvania.

The store grew and in 1929 the company was incorporated as S. Grumbacher & Son, Inc. Max’s son, Max Samuel, joined the family business two years later in 1931.

Bon-Ton opened a second store in Hanover, Pennsylvania, 1946.

History

The company started to expand more rapidly when it acquired Eyerly’s in Haggerstown, Maryland in 1948 and McMeen’s in Lewistown, Pennsylvania in 1956.

Today The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a chain of 275 department stores which are operated under seven nameplates including Bon-Ton, Elder-Beerman, and Carson Pirie Scott.

The stores sell name-brand and private-label women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing.

The Bon-Ton is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol BONT, is #719 on the Fortune 1000, has 25,800 employees, and had $2.834 billion in revenue in 2016.

Academy Sports + Outdoors Corporate Office

Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 when Arthur Gochman purchased Southern Sales, an army surplus chain of six stores.

Gochman had learned about the retail business from his father, Max Gochman, who owned a surplus retail outlet and a small chain of stores.

In 1973 Gochman changed the name of the company to Academy Corp.

In the 1980s Gochman rebranded the stores as sporting goods megastores.

In 1995 David Gochman, the founder’s son, joined the company. At this time Academy was a $350 million retail chain.

Today Academy Sports + Outdoor has 160 stores in 12 states. The stores carry clothing, shoes, and equipment for sports and outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, and fishing. The company is owned by private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.

Academy Sports + Outdoor is #119 on the list of Forbes Largest Private Companies, has 21,000 employees, and had $3.7 billion in revenue in 2012.

The company announced in June 2018 that they had plans for expansion, despite the mounting competition from online retailers like Amazon.

Academy Sports + Outdoor

Academy Sports + Outdoors was founded in 1938 when Arthur Gochman purchased Southern Sales, an army surplus chain of six stores.

Gochman had learned about the retail business from his father, Max Gochman, who owned a surplus retail outlet and a small chain of stores.

History

In 1973 Gochman changed the name of the company to Academy Corp.

In the 1980s Gochman rebranded the stores as sporting goods megastores.

In 1995 David Gochman, the founder’s son, joined the company. At this time Academy was a $350 million retail chain.

Academy Sports + Outdoor is #119 on the list of Forbes Largest Private Companies, has 21,000 employees, and had $3.7 billion in revenue in 2012.

The company announced in June 2018 that they had plans for expansion, despite the mounting competition from online retailers like Amazon.