Headquarters

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.

Deluxe Corp. Corporate Office

Deluxe Corporation was founded by W.R. Hotchkiss in St. Paul, Minnesota as Deluxe Check Printers. Hotchkiss invented the Hotchkiss Imprinting Press, which allowed three business checks to print on the same page, a two-way perforator, and the Hotchkiss Lithograph Press, which improved check quality.

Sales hit the $1 million mark for the first time in 1940, the year that also marked the 25th anniversary for the company.

In the 1980’s Deluxe offered computerized forms, introduced business forms, began using the Deluxe Computer Operated Press to produce the best checks, and introduced internet banking check-ordering in 1988.

Since 1988 Deluxe Check Printers has refocused as Deluxe Corporation, providing various personalized products and services to small businesses, financial institutions, and consumers.

Today Deluxe is organized into three operating segments: Deluxe Financial Services, Deluxe Small Business Services, and Direct Checks. The company has 33 facilities in the United States and three locations in Canada to fulfill printing, fulfillment, call center, and administrative functions.

Deluxe has 5,400 employees and had $1.52 billion in revenue in 2012.

Deluxe Corporation

Sales hit the $1 million mark for the first time in 1940, the year that also marked the 25th anniversary for the company.

History

Since 1988 Deluxe Check Printers has refocused as Deluxe Corporation, providing various personalized products and services to small businesses, financial institutions, and consumers.

Deluxe has 5,400 employees and had $1.52 billion in revenue in 2012.

Follett Corporation Corporate Office

Follett Corporation provides educational materials to public libraries, schools, and colleges.

The company was founded in 1873 by Charles M. Barnes when he opened a book store in Wheaton, Illinois. He named his business the C.M. Barnes Company and moved it to Chicago three years later.

C.W. Follett joined the company in 1901. Charles retired and his son William took over the company in 1902. By then, the company was a wholesaler, selling books throughout the Midwest.

In 1912 C.W. Follett became vice president, and in 1923 purchased the company.

Meanwhile, C.M. Barnes sold his interest in the company in 1917 and moved to New York, where he partnered with G. Clifford Noble to found Barnes & Noble.

After C.W. Follett purchased the company, he brought on his three sons to the family business. When he died in 1952 his son, Dwight Follett took over, renaming the company Follett Corporation.

Follett Corporation continues to be family business today, though for the first time the CEO is not a family member. The company serves more than 5 million students through 1,600 physical and online stores, has 9,000 employees, and had $2.72 billion in revenue in 2011.

Follett Corporation

Follett Corporation provides educational materials to public libraries, schools, and colleges.

The company was founded in 1873 by Charles M. Barnes when he opened a book store in Wheaton, Illinois. He named his business the C.M. Barnes Company and moved it to Chicago three years later.

C.W. Follett joined the company in 1901. Charles retired and his son William took over the company in 1902. By then, the company was a wholesaler, selling books throughout the Midwest.

History

In 1912 C.W. Follett became vice president, and in 1923 purchased the company.

Meanwhile, C.M. Barnes sold his interest in the company in 1917 and moved to New York, where he partnered with G. Clifford Noble to found Barnes & Noble.

After C.W. Follett purchased the company, he brought on his three sons to the family business. When he died in 1952 his son, Dwight Follett took over, renaming the company Follett Corporation.

Zones Inc. Corporate Office

Sadrudin Kabani founded Zones, Inc. in 1988 in Seattle, Washington as Multiple Zones International, Inc. Kabani’s strategy was to to sell computer hardware and software by mail-order.

The company grew explosively with $11 million in sales in 1989, $22 million in 1990, $48 million in 1991, $78 million in 1992, $113 million in 1994, and $242 million in 1995.

Zones was a direct marketer and was therefore able to sell products at lower prices than retailers, as the company did not have to pay overhead costs associated with retail space.

Kabani expanded his business internationally to Europe and Asia in the beginning of the 1990’s and also expanded Zones’ product line in the United States.

Today Zones sells more than 150,000 products including hardware, software, peripherals, and accessories and is a reseller for many manufacturers, including Apple, Cisco, IBM, Microsoft, and Sony. Zones also provides IT support services such as networking, security, and software storage. Zones sells to small and medium-sized businesses, the public sector, healthcare clients, and specialty markets.

Zones, Inc.

Sadrudin Kabani founded Zones, Inc. in 1988 in Seattle, Washington as Multiple Zones International, Inc. Kabani’s strategy was to to sell computer hardware and software by mail-order.

The company grew explosively with $11 million in sales in 1989, $22 million in 1990, $48 million in 1991, $78 million in 1992, $113 million in 1994, and $242 million in 1995.

Zones was a direct marketer and was therefore able to sell products at lower prices than retailers, as the company did not have to pay overhead costs associated with retail space.

History

Kabani expanded his business internationally to Europe and Asia in the beginning of the 1990’s and also expanded Zones’ product line in the United States.

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.