Headquarters

Buffalo Wild Wings Corporate Office

Buffalo Wild Wings (or BW3 for short) was founded in 1982 after friends James Disbrow and Scott Lowery were unable to find a good place to eat chicken wings in Kent, Ohio. They decided to open their own restaurant and Buffalo Wild Wings & Weck opened in Columbus, Ohio. A year later, they opened a second location in the Columbus suburb of Westerville.

The company began to offer franchises and the company took off. The name of the company was eventually shortened to just Buffalo Wild Wings but the nickname BW3 or B-Dubs has stuck.

In 2010, the company expanded operations into Canada.

A former employee filed a federal lawsuit in May 2019 stating that the company promoted a racially hostile work environment and that managers allowed employees to discriminate and refuse service to blacks and others if they felt they wouldn’t receive good tips.

As of February 2018, the company became a subsidiary of Arby’s, Inc.

There are currently over 800 locations (more than half are franchises) in 45 US states and Canada. Buffalo Wild Wings corporate office is now located in Minneapolis, Minnesota but was previously located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Buffalo Wild Wings

The company began to offer franchises and the company took off. The name of the company was eventually shortened to just Buffalo Wild Wings but the nickname BW3 or B-Dubs has stuck.

History

In 2010, the company expanded operations into Canada.

As of February 2018, the company became a subsidiary of Arby’s, Inc.

Rite Aid Corporate Office

Rite Aid started in 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by Alexander Grass. The first store was called Thrif D Discount Center.

By 1965, the chain had expanded into 5 states, mostly through acquisitions. By 1972, the chain had over 270 stores in 10 states and in 1981 it became the 3rd largest drugstore chain in the US.

Acquisitions in the 80s and 90s included Gray Drugs in 1987, Read’s Drug Stores in the Baltimore area and 114 stores from Lane Drug of Ohio. Hooks Drug Stores were acquired from Revco in 1994, Perry Drug Stores of Michigan were purchased in 1995 and Thrifty Payless in 1996.

Rite Aid currently has over 4700 locations and is still the 3rd largest drug store behind CVS and Walgreens.

In March 2019, the company cut more than 400 corporate and administrative jobs, trying to break even, even though the company sold 2,000 locations and distribution centers to Walgreens.

Both Walgreens and Rite Aid pulled Johnson’s baby powder off their shelves in October 2019 following a recall due to contamination with asbestos.

The former VP of advertising for Rite Aid was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison in October 2019 for conducting a $5 million kickback scheme.

In October 2023, Rite Aid was forced to file for bankruptcy due to a flurry of lawsuits and rising debt.

The Rite Aid corporate office is located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Rite Aid

Rite Aid started in 1962 in Scranton, Pennsylvania by Alexander Grass. The first store was called Thrif D Discount Center.

By 1965, the chain had expanded into 5 states, mostly through acquisitions. By 1972, the chain had over 270 stores in 10 states and in 1981 it became the 3rd largest drugstore chain in the US.

History

Rite Aid currently has over 4700 locations and is still the 3rd largest drug store behind CVS and Walgreens.

In March 2019, the company cut more than 400 corporate and administrative jobs, trying to break even, even though the company sold 2,000 locations and distribution centers to Walgreens.

Both Walgreens and Rite Aid pulled Johnson’s baby powder off their shelves in October 2019 following a recall due to contamination with asbestos.

The former VP of advertising for Rite Aid was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison in October 2019 for conducting a $5 million kickback scheme.

In October 2023, Rite Aid was forced to file for bankruptcy due to a flurry of lawsuits and rising debt.

The Rite Aid corporate office is located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Chick-Fil-A Corporate Office

Chick-Fil-A was started in 1946 by S. Truett Cathy with the opening of the Dwarf Grill (now called the Dwarf House) in the Atlanta suburb of Hapeville, Georgia. In 1961, Cathy discovered a pressure cooker that could make a chicken sandwich as fast as a hamburger and Chick-Fil-A was born.

In 1967, the first Chick-Fil-A opened in the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta. The chain expanded quickly in the 70s and 80s by opening locations in suburban mall food courts. In 1986, the first freestanding location was opened. The company continued to expand with mostly freestanding locations for the rest of the 80s and 90s.

In 2008, Chick-Fil-A became the first fast-food restaurant to go completely trans-fat free. While many locations are franchised, the company retains ownership rights. Founder S. Truett Cathy was a devout Southern Baptist who began taking Sundays off because he was tired. The store has kept this mantra ever since.

The company has donated more than $5 million to groups that fight against same-sex marriage. This changed in November 2019 when the company announced that it would withdraw its support of anti-LGBTQ groups and instead focus on homelessness, education, and hunger. This decision seems to have angered both sides.

Chick-Fil-A currently has over 2,363 locations in 39 US states, Mexico and the Philippines. The Chick-Fil-A corporate office is located in College Park, Georgia.

Chick-Fil-A

History

Chick-Fil-A currently has over 2,363 locations in 39 US states, Mexico and the Philippines. The Chick-Fil-A corporate office is located in College Park, Georgia.

LA Fitness Corporate Office

LA Fitness was founded in 1984 by Chin Yol Yi and Louis Welsh. The first location was in Los Angeles, CA. Over the next 10 years, the company expanded by acquiring other gyms in the Southern California area.

In 1995, the company built what would become the prototype for all its future gyms and continued new construction throughout the 90s.

In 2000, the company acquired one of the largest fitness chains in Atlanta and converted 25 locations into 14 larger gyms.

In 2007, the company expanded into Canada by acquiring 7 gyms in Toronto. In 2010, they acquired Pure Fitness Arizona and 10 gyms in the Phoenix area.

In 2011, in a huge acquisition, LA took over 153 clubs from Bally Total Fitness. In 2012, they acquired 33 gyms from Lifestyle Family Fitness in Florida.

In 2013, the company The Buffalo and Rochester Athletic Clubs in Western New York. Ten locations of Vision Quest Sport and Fitness clubs in Seattle were also acquired.

The company has had numerous complaints about racial discrimination and in September 2018, removed two managers from their positions as the company studied the complaint of a former employee.

In January 2019, a 90-year-old cancer patient in Texas states that he was pressured into purchasing $5,000 worth of personal training classes.

A Canadian client was shocked to find that he had been charged $4,000 by LA Fitness, a gym he didn’t belong to.

In April 2021, LA Fitness sued 11 insurance companies that cover employees, claiming that the carriers should pay $500 million in COVID-19-related losses after over 1,200 of its employees contracted the coronavirus.

LA Fitness currently has over 800 gyms in the US and Canada. Headquarters are located in Irvine, California.

LA Fitness

In 1995, the company built what would become the prototype for all its future gyms and continued new construction throughout the 90s.

History

In 2000, the company acquired one of the largest fitness chains in Atlanta and converted 25 locations into 14 larger gyms.

In 2007, the company expanded into Canada by acquiring 7 gyms in Toronto. In 2010, they acquired Pure Fitness Arizona and 10 gyms in the Phoenix area.

In 2011, in a huge acquisition, LA took over 153 clubs from Bally Total Fitness. In 2012, they acquired 33 gyms from Lifestyle Family Fitness in Florida.

In 2013, the company The Buffalo and Rochester Athletic Clubs in Western New York. Ten locations of Vision Quest Sport and Fitness clubs in Seattle were also acquired.

The company has had numerous complaints about racial discrimination and in September 2018, removed two managers from their positions as the company studied the complaint of a former employee.

In January 2019, a 90-year-old cancer patient in Texas states that he was pressured into purchasing $5,000 worth of personal training classes.

A Canadian client was shocked to find that he had been charged $4,000 by LA Fitness, a gym he didn’t belong to.

LA Fitness currently has over 800 gyms in the US and Canada. Headquarters are located in Irvine, California.

Fred Meyer Corporate Office

Fred G. Meyer started out selling cherries from a stand in Brooklyn, NY. He eventually expanded to selling cleaning supplies and cereal.

Meyer opened his first permanent location in Portland, Oregon, in 1931. In 1951, he built a large warehouse in Portland that was torn down less than 5 years later to build the Banfield Expressway. Warehouse operations were moved to Swan Island.

In the 1960s, the company acquired Marketime Drugs and The Roundup Company. Marketime expanded its territory to Seattle, Washington. The company was operating in 4 states by 1968.

Fred Meyer died in 1978 at the age of 92. In 1982, the company was purchased by private equity firm KKR.

The company continued to expand and acquired other companies in the 80s and 90s.

In 1999, Fred Meyer merged with the Kroger Corporation.

There are currently over 130 Fred Meyer stores in the US.

In May 2023, a judge ruled that the company illegally forced employees to remove BLM pins from their clothing.

A poll completed in early 2023 found that Fred Meyer was the #1 choice of shoppers in the Seattle, Washington, area.

The Fred Meyer corporate office is still located in Portland, Oregon.

Fred Meyer

Fred G. Meyer started out selling cherries from a stand in Brooklyn, NY. He eventually expanded to selling cleaning supplies and cereal.

History

In the 1960s, the company acquired Marketime Drugs and The Roundup Company. Marketime expanded its territory to Seattle, Washington. The company was operating in 4 states by 1968.

Fred Meyer died in 1978 at the age of 92. In 1982, the company was purchased by private equity firm KKR.

The company continued to expand and acquired other companies in the 80s and 90s.

In 1999, Fred Meyer merged with the Kroger Corporation.

There are currently over 130 Fred Meyer stores in the US.

In May 2023, a judge ruled that the company illegally forced employees to remove BLM pins from their clothing.

A poll completed in early 2023 found that Fred Meyer was the #1 choice of shoppers in the Seattle, Washington, area.

The Fred Meyer corporate office is still located in Portland, Oregon.