Headquarters

Big Lots Corporate Office

Big Lots was founded by Sol Shenk in 1967 when Consolidated Stores Corporation was formed. The company opened it’s first Odd Lots store in Columbus, Ohio in 1982.

In 1983, Consolidated was purchased by Revco but was soon made a separate company and in 1985 began trading on the American Stock Exchange. The company opened its first official Big Lots stores in 1985.

In 1986, the company switched over to the NYSE, trading under symbol CNS.

In 1994, Consolidated acquired Toy Liquidators, which added 82 stores to the chain. In 1996, the company purchased KB Toys. Both Toy Liquidators and KB were later sold to private equity firms.

In 2001, Consolidated officially changed its name to Big Lots, Inc and its NYSE symbol changed to BLI.

The company closed 170 stores in 2005 and in 2006 began trading under symbol BIG.

In 2011, the company purchased Liquidation World, a Canadian retailer with 89 locations.

The company currently has over 1400 stores in 47 US states and Canada. The Big Lots corporate office is still located in Columbus, OH.

Big Lots

Big Lots was founded by Sol Shenk in 1967 when Consolidated Stores Corporation was formed. The company opened it’s first Odd Lots store in Columbus, Ohio in 1982.

In 1986, the company switched over to the NYSE, trading under symbol CNS.

History

In 1994, Consolidated acquired Toy Liquidators, which added 82 stores to the chain. In 1996, the company purchased KB Toys. Both Toy Liquidators and KB were later sold to private equity firms.

In 2001, Consolidated officially changed its name to Big Lots, Inc and its NYSE symbol changed to BLI.

The company closed 170 stores in 2005 and in 2006 began trading under symbol BIG.

In 2011, the company purchased Liquidation World, a Canadian retailer with 89 locations.

The company currently has over 1400 stores in 47 US states and Canada. The Big Lots corporate office is still located in Columbus, OH.

Stein Mart Corporate Office

Stein Mart was founded by Sam Stein in 1908. The first store was located in Greenville, MS. The stores originally carried general merchandise.

Sam died in 1932 and his son, Jake Stein, took over the company. Jake shifted the focus toward discount clothing.

Jake was succeeded by his son, Jay. Jay Stain grew the company from 3 stores in 1977 to 123 stores by 1996. Jay stepped down as CEO in 2002 but resumed his CEO role in 2011 after the resignations of Michael D. Fisher and Linda McFarland Farthing.

The company currently has over 260 stores in 30 US states. The Stein Mart corporate office is located in Jacksonville, FL.

Stein Mart

Stein Mart was founded by Sam Stein in 1908. The first store was located in Greenville, MS. The stores originally carried general merchandise.

Sam died in 1932 and his son, Jake Stein, took over the company. Jake shifted the focus toward discount clothing.

History

The company currently has over 260 stores in 30 US states. The Stein Mart corporate office is located in Jacksonville, FL.

Rent-A-Center Corporate Office

Rent-A-Center or RAC for short was founded in 1973 by Thomas Devlin and W. Frank Barton. Mr. Devlin came up with the rent to own idea after working for an appliance rental company in Wichita, KS.

The company offers brand name new and used household appliances, televisions, computers, and other electronics on a rent to own scale. Customers can return items for any reason, then pick up the items and resume payments again if they wish. Delivery, pick-up, repair, and service are all included in the rental price.

The company went public in 1995 and has gained many of its current locations through acquisitions of other companies including DEF Investments, Thorn Americas, Rent-Way, Rainbow Rentals, and Rent-Rite.

The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol: RCII

Annual revenue in 2015 was $3.28 billion. RAC has 22,200 full-time employees.

In July of 2015, the company sold several of its Ontario, Canada, locations to EasyHome Financial for $3.4 million. The company has plans for expansion in Mexico, where there are currently 176 locations.

In November 2017, RAC came under federal investigation for alleged unfair, abusive, and deceptive practices.

The company reduced the number of corporate employees by 25 percent or approximately 250 jobs in March 2018.

In February 2021, Rent-A-Center reported 4th quarter gains of 7.3 percent.

Rent-A-Center currently operates over 3000 locations in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Although originally founded in Wichita, the corporate office is now located in Plano, Texas.

Rent-A-Center

Rent-A-Center or RAC for short was founded in 1973 by Thomas Devlin and W. Frank Barton. Mr. Devlin came up with the rent to own idea after working for an appliance rental company in Wichita, KS.

History

The company is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol: RCII

Annual revenue in 2015 was $3.28 billion. RAC has 22,200 full-time employees.

In November 2017, RAC came under federal investigation for alleged unfair, abusive, and deceptive practices.

The company reduced the number of corporate employees by 25 percent or approximately 250 jobs in March 2018.

In February 2021, Rent-A-Center reported 4th quarter gains of 7.3 percent.

Rent-A-Center currently operates over 3000 locations in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Although originally founded in Wichita, the corporate office is now located in Plano, Texas.

Family Dollar Corporate Office

Family Dollar was founded in 1959 by a then 21-year-old Leon Levine. Leon became obsessed with a store in New York called Filene’s. They sold the cheapest possible items in the basement. Leon figured that if they could do it, so could he. He had been working at his parent’s five and dime clothing store since he was 14. He convinced his mother to let him use the basement as a “bargain basement” type of store. It did well. After getting married and working hard at a factory, Leon had saved $6,000 to start his own “Family Dollar” store.

His first location was in Charlotte, NC. The company quickly expanded to South Carolina (1961), Georgia (1962) and Virginia (1965). The company expanded rapidly in the 60’s and had over 50 stores by 1969.

The company went public in 1970 and continued to expand rapidly. The company opened their 100th store in 1971 and had 300 stores by 1978. In 1981, the company had 400 stores and by the end of that decade, 1,500 stores.

Leon Levine retired in 2003 and was succeeded as CEO by his son, Howard Levine.

The company is best known for its imported goods which many families find necessary to stretch their dollar.

Howard Levine stepped down as CEO in January of 2016 after Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in late 2015. Family Dollar is now a subsidiary of Dollar Tree.

The chain currently has over 8000 stores in 44 states and opens 300-500 new stores each year.

The Family Dollar corporate office is located just outside Charlotte in Matthews, North Carolina.

Family Dollar

History

Leon Levine retired in 2003 and was succeeded as CEO by his son, Howard Levine.

The company is best known for its imported goods which many families find necessary to stretch their dollar.

Howard Levine stepped down as CEO in January of 2016 after Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in late 2015. Family Dollar is now a subsidiary of Dollar Tree.

The chain currently has over 8000 stores in 44 states and opens 300-500 new stores each year.

The Family Dollar corporate office is located just outside Charlotte in Matthews, North Carolina.

Lowes Corporate Office

Lowe’s was originally founded in 1921 by Lucious Lowe in the form of Lowe’s North Wilkesboro Hardware in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Lucious died in 1940 and the business was inherited by his daughter Ruth. Ruth sold the business to her brother Jim the same year. Jim and Ruth’s husband, Carl Buchan, became partners in the venture after serving in World War II (1943). Under Carl’s leadership, the store prospered.

A second location was opened in Sparta, NC in 1949. Carl saw a huge opportunity after WWII and stocked up on hardware and building materials, along with dry goods, horse tack, snuff, and food items.

Carl and Jim never saw eye-to-eye on many things and made a split in 1952. Carl became the sole owner of Lowe’s and Jim Lowe would open Lowe’s Foods grocery chain.

Under Carl, the business expanded rapidly, opening 3 additional stores in Asheville, Charlotte, and Durham in 1955. The company continued to expand during the rest of the 1950’s.

Carl died in 1960. His 5 man executive team decided to take Lowe’s public in 1961. The company is still publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: LOW

By 1962, there were 21 locations. In 1982, the company hit $1 billion in sales. In 2017, the company had annual revenue of $65 billion.

Lowe’s continued to expand and today has over 1800 stores in the US and is also expanding into Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

In September 2018, the company acquired Burlington Coat Factory for $3.6 million.

Lowe’s is currently the second largest hardware retailer in the US behind Home Depot. Their corporate office is located in Mooresville, North Carolina.

Lowe's

History

A second location was opened in Sparta, NC in 1949. Carl saw a huge opportunity after WWII and stocked up on hardware and building materials, along with dry goods, horse tack, snuff, and food items.

Carl and Jim never saw eye-to-eye on many things and made a split in 1952. Carl became the sole owner of Lowe’s and Jim Lowe would open Lowe’s Foods grocery chain.

Under Carl, the business expanded rapidly, opening 3 additional stores in Asheville, Charlotte, and Durham in 1955. The company continued to expand during the rest of the 1950’s.

Carl died in 1960. His 5 man executive team decided to take Lowe’s public in 1961. The company is still publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: LOW

By 1962, there were 21 locations. In 1982, the company hit $1 billion in sales. In 2017, the company had annual revenue of $65 billion.

Lowe’s continued to expand and today has over 1800 stores in the US and is also expanding into Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

In September 2018, the company acquired Burlington Coat Factory for $3.6 million.

Lowe’s is currently the second largest hardware retailer in the US behind Home Depot. Their corporate office is located in Mooresville, North Carolina.