Corporate Office HQ

Retail

BJ’s Wholesale Club Corporate Office

BJ’s Wholesale Club was started in 1984 by the retail chain Zayre in Massachusetts. The letters in the name are the initials of the wife, Barbara Jane, and daughter, Beverly Jean, of the first president, Mervyn Weich.

In 1988 Zayre Corporation sold the Zayre nameplate to rival chain Ames, and TJX Companies was formed. In 1989 TJX spun off their warehouse division, including BJ’s, to form Waban, Inc.

In August 1997 Waban, Inc. spun off BJ’s to form an independent company. The new company was named BJ’s Wholesale Club and was headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts and Waban renamed itself HomeBase, Inc.

In 2011 two private equity firms, Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners, acquired BJ’s.

In June 2018, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol :BJ.

Today BJ’s has 219 stores in 15 states with 25,000 employees. BJ’s had $15.4 billion in revenue in 2020.

BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ’s Wholesale Club was started in 1984 by the retail chain Zayre in Massachusetts. The letters in the name are the initials of the wife, Barbara Jane, and daughter, Beverly Jean, of the first president, Mervyn Weich.

History

In 1988 Zayre Corporation sold the Zayre nameplate to rival chain Ames, and TJX Companies was formed. In 1989 TJX spun off their warehouse division, including BJ’s, to form Waban, Inc.

In August 1997 Waban, Inc. spun off BJ’s to form an independent company. The new company was named BJ’s Wholesale Club and was headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts and Waban renamed itself HomeBase, Inc.

In 2011 two private equity firms, Leonard Green & Partners and CVC Capital Partners, acquired BJ’s.

In June 2018, the company went public on the NYSE under the ticker symbol :BJ.

Today BJ’s has 219 stores in 15 states with 25,000 employees. BJ’s had $15.4 billion in revenue in 2020.

L Brands Corporate Office

L Brands, Inc (formerly known as Limited Brands Inc. and The Limited Inc.) was founded in 1963 when Leslie Wexner opened a store with a $10,000 loan. He named the store The Limited because it sold only younger women’s clothing, in contrast to his parents’ general merchandise store. Wexner became chairman after his father’s death in 1975, and later CEO.

The Limited Brands went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1969.

During the 1980’s the company made numerous acquisitions: Victoria’s Secret in 1982, 207 Lane Bryant stores in 1982, 798 Lerner stores and one Henri Bendel store in 1985, and 25 Abercrombie & Fitch stores in 1988.

The company owned Abercrombie & Fitch until it was spun-off into a publicly-traded company in 1996.

In the 1990’s the company developed Limited Too, Bath & Body Works, Structure, and Victoria’s Secret Beauty.

In 2007 Limited Brands transferred 75% ownership of its flagship The Limited chain to buyout firm Sun Capital Partners Inc. In 2010, the remaining shares were sold to the same firm.

L Brands, Inc. is part of the S&P 500, the Fortune 500, has 91,000 employees, and had $10.36 billion in revenue in 2011.

L Brands, Inc.

L Brands, Inc (formerly known as Limited Brands Inc. and The Limited Inc.) was founded in 1963 when Leslie Wexner opened a store with a $10,000 loan. He named the store The Limited because it sold only younger women’s clothing, in contrast to his parents’ general merchandise store. Wexner became chairman after his father’s death in 1975, and later CEO.

The Limited Brands went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1969.

During the 1980’s the company made numerous acquisitions: Victoria’s Secret in 1982, 207 Lane Bryant stores in 1982, 798 Lerner stores and one Henri Bendel store in 1985, and 25 Abercrombie & Fitch stores in 1988.

History

The company owned Abercrombie & Fitch until it was spun-off into a publicly-traded company in 1996.

In the 1990’s the company developed Limited Too, Bath & Body Works, Structure, and Victoria’s Secret Beauty.

In 2007 Limited Brands transferred 75% ownership of its flagship The Limited chain to buyout firm Sun Capital Partners Inc. In 2010, the remaining shares were sold to the same firm.

L Brands, Inc. is part of the S&P 500, the Fortune 500, has 91,000 employees, and had $10.36 billion in revenue in 2011.

Williams-Sonoma Corporate Office

Williams-Sonoma was founded by Charles E. Williams in 1956 when he began selling restaurant-quality kitchenware for homes in his store in Sonoma, California. In 1971 he began to publish a mail-order catalog.

By 1972 he was sending out thousands of catalogs and had taken out a business loan to open more stores.

The company went public in 1983 and bought Pottery Barn from Gap, Inc. In 1999 Williams-Sonoma introduced Pottery Barn Kids, then PBTeen in 2003.

Williams-Sonoma products have been featured on several television shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Sex and the City, American Dad!, Friends, Frasier, The King of Queens, and Weeds.

Today Williams-Sonoma sells high-end kitchenwares, furniture, linens, housewares, home furnishings, specialty foods, soaps, and lotions. The company operates over 500 retail stores, has 26,000 employees, and had $4.042 billion in revenue in 2012.

Williams-Sonoma

Williams-Sonoma was founded by Charles E. Williams in 1956 when he began selling restaurant-quality kitchenware for homes in his store in Sonoma, California. In 1971 he began to publish a mail-order catalog.

By 1972 he was sending out thousands of catalogs and had taken out a business loan to open more stores.

The company went public in 1983 and bought Pottery Barn from Gap, Inc. In 1999 Williams-Sonoma introduced Pottery Barn Kids, then PBTeen in 2003.

History

Williams-Sonoma products have been featured on several television shows such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Sex and the City, American Dad!, Friends, Frasier, The King of Queens, and Weeds.

Today Williams-Sonoma sells high-end kitchenwares, furniture, linens, housewares, home furnishings, specialty foods, soaps, and lotions. The company operates over 500 retail stores, has 26,000 employees, and had $4.042 billion in revenue in 2012.

Toys “R” Us Corporate Office

Toys “R” Us was founded by Charles Lazarus as Children’s Supermart in Washington, DC in 1948. At first, the company sold only baby furniture. However, Lazarus soon began to receive requests for baby toys, then toys for older children.

The company officially changed its focus and name in 1957, when Toys “R” Us was born.  The next year Lazarus sold the business to Interstate Stores, Inc. for $7.5 million. Interstate aggressively tried to expand the brand, but failed, and in 1974 was bankrupt. The company sold off its businesses except the Toys “R” Us brand, and changed its name to Toys “R” Us to reflect its principal business. The original founder, Charles Lazarus, continued to serve as president and CEO.

The company grew and prospered in the 1980’s, opening a discount kid’s clothing store chain, Kids “R” Us.

Toys “R” Us reached $1 billion in sales in 1983 and 15% market share by 1987.

Toys “R” Us grew overseas throughout the 1990’s, opening stores in Israel, Hong Kong, Portugal, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Sweden, Turkey, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and The U.K.

In 1996 the company opened its first Babies “R” Us stores.

In the early 2000’s the company faced increasing competition from Walmart and Target and began to lose money. An expensive remodel and re-launch plan was undertaken, and failed. Toys “R” Us was eventually bought out by a consortium of Bain Capital Partners LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and Vornado Trust Realty in a $6.6 billion leveraged buyout.

Today Toys “R” Us has 875 stores nationally, 625 international stores, operates a portfolio of e-commerce sites, and exclusively operates the FAO Schwarz brand. Toys “R” Us had 13.91 billion in revenue in 2012.

Toys "R" Us

Toys “R” Us was founded by Charles Lazarus as Children’s Supermart in Washington, DC in 1948. At first, the company sold only baby furniture. However, Lazarus soon began to receive requests for baby toys, then toys for older children.

The company officially changed its focus and name in 1957, when Toys “R” Us was born.  The next year Lazarus sold the business to Interstate Stores, Inc. for $7.5 million. Interstate aggressively tried to expand the brand, but failed, and in 1974 was bankrupt. The company sold off its businesses except the Toys “R” Us brand, and changed its name to Toys “R” Us to reflect its principal business. The original founder, Charles Lazarus, continued to serve as president and CEO.

The company grew and prospered in the 1980’s, opening a discount kid’s clothing store chain, Kids “R” Us.

History

Toys “R” Us reached $1 billion in sales in 1983 and 15% market share by 1987.

Toys “R” Us grew overseas throughout the 1990’s, opening stores in Israel, Hong Kong, Portugal, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Sweden, Turkey, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and The U.K.

In 1996 the company opened its first Babies “R” Us stores.

In the early 2000’s the company faced increasing competition from Walmart and Target and began to lose money. An expensive remodel and re-launch plan was undertaken, and failed. Toys “R” Us was eventually bought out by a consortium of Bain Capital Partners LLC, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and Vornado Trust Realty in a $6.6 billion leveraged buyout.

Today Toys “R” Us has 875 stores nationally, 625 international stores, operates a portfolio of e-commerce sites, and exclusively operates the FAO Schwarz brand. Toys “R” Us had 13.91 billion in revenue in 2012.

The TJX Companies Corporate Office

The TJX Companies was founded in 1956 by Stanley Feldberg as Zayre Corp. He was the first president of the company, serving until 1978.

Zayre Corp opened its first T.J. Maxx branch in 1976 and its first BJ’s Wholesale Club in 1984.

In 1988 Zayre sold its nameplate to rival Ames and renaming itself The TJX Companies, Inc.

In 1990 TJX acquired Winners’ five stores in Canada.

In 1992 TJX launched HomeGoods in the United States.

TJX expanded beyond North America when it founded T.K. Maxx in the United Kingdom in 1994.

TJX acquired Marshall’s in 1995, which doubled the size of the company.

The company launched a sixth brand, A.J. Wright, in 1998 and a seventh, HomeSense, in 2001.

Today The TJX Companies is the largest off-price department store chain for apparel and home fashion in the United States. The company has over 150,000 employees worldwide and had $21.9 billion in revenue in 2010.

The TJX Companies

The TJX Companies was founded in 1956 by Stanley Feldberg as Zayre Corp. He was the first president of the company, serving until 1978.

Zayre Corp opened its first T.J. Maxx branch in 1976 and its first BJ’s Wholesale Club in 1984.

In 1988 Zayre sold its nameplate to rival Ames and renaming itself The TJX Companies, Inc.

History

In 1990 TJX acquired Winners’ five stores in Canada.

In 1992 TJX launched HomeGoods in the United States.

TJX expanded beyond North America when it founded T.K. Maxx in the United Kingdom in 1994.

TJX acquired Marshall’s in 1995, which doubled the size of the company.

The company launched a sixth brand, A.J. Wright, in 1998 and a seventh, HomeSense, in 2001.

Today The TJX Companies is the largest off-price department store chain for apparel and home fashion in the United States. The company has over 150,000 employees worldwide and had $21.9 billion in revenue in 2010.