Retail

Office Depot Corporate Office

Office Depot was founded in 1986 by F. Patrick Sher and Jack Kopkin. The first location was located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

In 1988, the company went public on the NYSE.

There were many acquisitions and mergers in the 90s, the 50th store was opened in 1995.

The OfficeDepot.com website was launched in 1998.

In 2000’s there was a major expansion into Europe. In 2005, the 1000th location was opened in Countryside, Illinois.

In late 2013, Office Depot and OfficeMax merged.

In February 2015, Staples announced it would purchase Office Depot for $6.3 Billion. The merger was ultimately blocked by the FTC.

Today, there are over 1600 locations worldwide. The Office Depot corporate office is located in Boca Raton, FL.

Office Depot

Office Depot was founded in 1986 by F. Patrick Sher and Jack Kopkin. The first location was located in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida.

In 1988, the company went public on the NYSE.

There were many acquisitions and mergers in the 90s, the 50th store was opened in 1995.

History

The OfficeDepot.com website was launched in 1998.

In 2000’s there was a major expansion into Europe. In 2005, the 1000th location was opened in Countryside, Illinois.

In late 2013, Office Depot and OfficeMax merged.

In February 2015, Staples announced it would purchase Office Depot for $6.3 Billion. The merger was ultimately blocked by the FTC.

Today, there are over 1600 locations worldwide. The Office Depot corporate office is located in Boca Raton, FL.

Winn-Dixie Corporate Office

Winn-Dixie was founded by William Milton Davis and his sons in Burley, Idado in 1914. Davis bought a general stores which he renamed to Davis Mercantile.

In 1925, Davis borrowed $10,000 (about $125,000 in today’s dollars) from his father, moved to Miami, Florida and purchased Rockmoor Grocery. Two years later, the business was renamed to Table Supply and 4 additional stores were opened.

In 1933, 33 additional stores were added with the purchased of Lively Stores chain for $10,000. William Davis died the following year.

In 1939, William’s sons bought 51% of Winn-Lovett, a 73 store chain. In 1944, the brothers adopted Winn-Lovett as the company name and moved the corporate office to Jacksonville, Florida. More acquisitions followed in the 40s and 50s and Winn-Lovett went public in 1952.

The company continued to grow through acquisitions up until the 2000’s.

In 2005, the company went into bankruptcy and planned to close over 300 stores. In 2011, the company was purchased by BI-LO.

There are currently 485 Winn-Dixie branded stores in the US, mostly operating in the South. The Winn-Dixie corporate office is still located in Jacksonville.

Winn-Dixie

Winn-Dixie was founded by William Milton Davis and his sons in Burley, Idado in 1914. Davis bought a general stores which he renamed to Davis Mercantile.

In 1933, 33 additional stores were added with the purchased of Lively Stores chain for $10,000. William Davis died the following year.

History

The company continued to grow through acquisitions up until the 2000’s.

In 2005, the company went into bankruptcy and planned to close over 300 stores. In 2011, the company was purchased by BI-LO.

There are currently 485 Winn-Dixie branded stores in the US, mostly operating in the South. The Winn-Dixie corporate office is still located in Jacksonville.

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.

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.

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.