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List of defunct retailers of the United States

 
Wikipedia: List of defunct retailers of the United States
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Across the United States a large number of local stores and store chains became defunct between the 1950s, when the chain-store format was introduced, and the 1990s, when many chains were either consolidated or liquidated. Some have been lost due to mergers. Below is a list of defunct retailers of the United States.

Contents

Automotive

  • Al's Auto Parts (Washington State; purchased by Schuck's)
  • Auto Palace
  • Auto Works
  • Big A Auto Parts
  • Big Wheel/Rossi Auto Parts
  • Chief Auto Parts (Southwest and Midwest; merged with Autozone in 1998)
  • Crown Auto Parts
  • National Auto Parts
  • Parts America
  • Oklahoma Tire & Supply Company (OTASCO)
  • Thrift Auto Parts (Kansas)
  • Trak Auto (Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West Coast; purchased by Advance Auto Parts, Inc. in 2002)
  • Western Auto Stores (nationwide, once had 1,800 locations, purchased by Sears in 1987 and sold to Advance Auto Parts in 1998. Still operates in Puerto Rico)
  • STM Auto Parts-Massive Chain that died in the early 1990s.
  • Super shops
  • Wheels

Catalog showrooms

Many long-established catalog merchants have gone out of business in recent years.

  • Ardan's - Originally was a members only catalog showroom exclusively for members of the military as well as federal, city, state and plant/industrial employees. Converted to an all-inclusive format around 1975 before eventually being acquired by Service Merchandise in 1985. And although some stores were converted, the majority were ultimately abandoned
  • BASCO (Philadelphia area) - Acquired by Best Products
  • Bennett Brothers (NY Area)
  • Block Distributors (Philadelphia area)
  • Best Products - Ceased business in 1998 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1996
  • Brand Names - Operated in Buffalo, New York
  • Brendle's - Operated 58 showrooms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. Closed in 1996, a few months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time
  • Century House
  • Consumers and Consumers Express
  • Dahlkemper's - Operated in Pennsylvania
  • David Weis/Jewel Mart
  • Golden's Distributors
  • Evans
  • Ellman's Catalog Showrooms (Atlanta) - Merged in 1986 with Service Merchandise
  • Great Western - Part of Modern Merchandising; acquired by Best Products in 1982
  • John Plain
  • H.J. Wilson & Company
  • Jafco - Acquired by Modern Merchandising in 1972; Modern Merchandising was acquired by Best Products in 1982
  • K's Merchandise
  • K&G Distributors (Chicago Loop) - Building demolished for state office building
  • LaBelle's - Part of Modern Merchandising; acquired by Best Products in 1982
  • Leonard Krower & Sons
  • Mc Dade's
  • Montgomery Ward - Closed all remaining showrooms in 2001. Marque purchased and revived by Direct Marketing Inc. in 2004 as an on-line retailer only
  • Mostow Co. (Skokie, IL)
  • Present Company - Operated several stores in Rochester, NY area
  • Rink's
  • Service Merchandise - Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999; ceased operations by early 2002. The name was resurrected in 2004 for an online retail operation
  • Standard Sales - Operated seven stores in Florida; acquired by Modern Merchandising in the 1970s
  • W. Bell & Co.
  • Wilson's - Southern states, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; acquired by Service Merchandise in 1986
  • Witmark - Operated in southwestern Michigan

Clothing, shoes, & specialty stores

  • A.J. August Fashion Wear (Not to be confused with A.J. August Tuxedos of St. Joseph, MO)
  • Afterthoughts (Woolworth) - Sold to Claire's Boutiques
  • Anderson-Little - Men's specialty retailer originally associated with a large Massachusetts-based men's clothing manufacturer; also known as Anderson Little-Richman Brothers. Owned for many years by F. W. Woolworth Company; sold to Cliftex Corporation and incorporated into its Gentlemen's Wearhouse subsidiary in 1993. Ceased operations in 1997, but was restarted in 2008 by the grandson and great-grandson of the original founder.[1][2][3][4] [5]
  • Anthony's
  • Britches of Georgetown (including casual brand stores: Britches Great Outdoors, Britches, and Britches for Women)
  • Brooks Fashions
  • Bugle Boy
  • Chandlers
  • Casual Corner
  • Charles A. Stevens and Chas stores, Chicago area.
  • Cherry & Webb (CWT/Cherry, Webb & Touraine)
  • Chess King
  • County Seat
  • De Pinna
  • d.e.m.o.
  • Desmonds Formal Wear
  • De-Jaiz Mens Clothing
  • Eli Moore Inc.
  • Endicott Johnson
  • Endicott Shoes
  • Erlebacher's
  • Father & Son
  • Fayva
  • Flagg Bros. Shoes
  • Foot Quarters (Kinney/Woolworth)
  • Foreman & Clark
  • Forth & Towne
  • Foxmoor
  • Gallenkamp
  • Gantos
  • Great Clothes
  • Gottschalks
  • Grodins
  • Hanover Shoes
  • Harold's/Harold Powell (Norman,Oklahoma)
  • Hastings (not to be confused with this one)
  • Hudson's MensWear
  • Hughes & Hatcher (Detroit)
  • Henry's (Wichita)
  • Heslop's
  • I Magnin's
  • id Boutiques (Wisconsin-based, Upper Midwest, Midwest, and Plains regions)
  • JasmineSola (purchased by New York & Company in 2005 and liquidated by the end of fiscal 2007)
  • J. Brannam - Was Woolworth, liquidated
  • J. Riggins
  • Jacob Reed and Sons (Philadelphia area)
  • Janeville
  • Jay Jacob
  • Jeans Unlimited
  • Joseph Magnin
  • Judy's
  • Just For Feet
  • KG Menswear
  • Karl's Shoes
  • Kent's
  • Kinney Shoes
  • Kleinhans (Buffalo, New York)
  • Klopfenstein's
  • Laura Ashley
  • Laura Ashley Mother & Child
  • Little Folk Shops/Kids Mart (Woolworth)
  • Littler's
  • L.L. Berger (Buffalo, New York)
  • Mansmann's Department Store (Pittsburgh, PA)
  • Marianne
  • Merry Go Round
  • Mervyn's
  • Mode O'Day
  • Morville (Philadelphia area)
  • National Shirt Shop
  • Nobil
  • Northern Reflections (Woolworth)
  • Parade of Shoes
  • Parklane Hosiery (Bankrupt 1991)
  • Patterson-Fletcher (Fort Wayne)
  • Paul Harris (Great Lakes Region)
  • Piccolo Mondo (Puget Sound Region)
  • Raleigh's (a/k/a Raleigh Haberdasher)
  • Ransohoffs
  • Richman Brothers - Men's specialty store based in Cleveland. Sold to F.W. Woolworth in 1969; operated for a time as Anderson Little-Richman Brothers; finally folded in 1992.[6][7]
  • Robert Hall
  • Rogers Peet (NYC and branches)
  • Roos-Atkins
  • Sagebrush - Sold Levi's blue jeans
  • Saks-34th Street
  • The Sample (Buffalo, New York)
  • Scott Ties
  • Sherman's (Detroit)
  • Shoe Pavilion
  • Silverwoods
  • Smiths
  • Steve & Barry's
  • Susie's Casuals (Kinney/Woolworth division)
  • TheBottomHalf (Meis Bros./Brown Group)
  • The Warner Brothers Store
  • Tee Town
  • Thom McAn Store
  • Woolf Brothers

weathervane

Department and discount stores

See List of defunct department stores of the United States

Drug stores

Electronics stores

  • Adray
  • Allied Radio - Chicago - acquired by Radio Shack
  • American Appliance
  • Audio Aid
  • Audio Visions
  • Cal Stereo (Los Angeles area)
  • Computer City
  • CompuAdd
  • Crazy Eddie
  • Custom Sound
  • Circuit City (now reopened online threw CompUSA/Tiger Direct)
  • Egghead Software
  • Elek-Tek (Chicago area)
  • Electric Avenue
  • Erol's
  • Federated Group - Bought by Atari
  • Fretter
  • Handy Andy
  • Highland Appliances
  • Incredible Universe
  • Kelly and Cohen
  • Lafayette Radio
  • Lechmere
  • Leo's Stereo (Los Angeles Area)
  • Luskin's Baltimore & DC
  • McDuff
  • Mr. Clark's Appliances
  • Newmark & Lewis
  • Midwest TV & Appliance
  • Olson Electronics
  • On Cue (operated by Musicland in small towns and micropolitan areas, but closed before the Musicland/FYE merger)
  • Pacific Stereo
  • Polk Brothers
  • Red Baron Electronics
  • Rex Audio Video Appliance
  • Rolling Thunder
  • Rogersound Labs (Los Angeles Area)
  • Schaak Electronics
  • Sound Advice (Florida) [1]
  • Sounds Great, Inc. (Northeast chain with 14 stores)
  • SoundTrack
  • Silo (store)
  • Soft Warehouse - Predecessor to CompUSA
  • Spaceage Stereo
  • Sun Television and Appliances
  • Tech Hifi - co-founded by Sandy Ruby at M.I.T. in 1964 [2]
  • Team Electronics - Was part of Dayton Hudson
  • The Good Guys! - Purchased by CompUSA
  • The Wiz
  • Tweeter
  • Twin Electronics
  • World Radio
  • Video Concepts
  • University Stereo (Los Angeles area)

Five And Dime / Variety stores

Furniture stores

  • Aaronson Furniture
  • Bay Furniture
  • Bloom Brothers Furniture
  • Bombay Co. (US Stores)
  • Castro Convertibles (primarily Northeast and Southeast)
  • Crandall's Fine Furniture
  • Discount Furniture Showcase
  • Fradkin Bros. Baltimore County, Maryland
  • Heilig-Meyers
  • John F. Lawhon
  • John M. Smyth's Homemakers (bankrupt as of 2005)
  • Joshua Doore (Detroit)
  • Krauses Sofa Factory (primarily California and West Coast)
  • L' Fish
  • Leath Furniture (Bankrupt July 2007)
  • McMahan's Furniture (primarily California) - purchased by Heilig-Meyers
  • Nelson Brothers (Chicago) - purchased by Heilig-Meyers
  • Plunkett Home Furnishings
  • Rhodes Furniture
  • Sears Homelife
  • Robard's
  • Robinson Furniture (Detroit)
  • House of Denmark (bankrupt as of 2007)
  • Wickes Furniture (bankrupt February 3, 2008)
  • Levitz Furniture
  • Seamans Furniture

Grocery stores and supermarkets

  • 20th Century Stores
  • Albers (SW Ohio)
  • Albertsons (Kansas, Missouri & Oklahoma)[dubious – discuss]
  • Alpha Beta
  • Abco
  • Advantage
  • A.J. Bayless
  • Alexander's (New Hampshire)
  • Almacs
  • Angelo's (Boston)
  • Art's
  • Bell's
  • Bettendorf's
  • Big Apple
  • Big Bear Stores
  • Big D (Supermarkets)
  • Big Star
  • Bohack
  • Boys Markets (Los Angeles area)
  • Buttrey Food & Drug
  • Buddies
  • Buehler Foods (operated as Buehlers Buy Low)
  • Canal Villere (New Orleans- acquired by Loblaw corporation, later sold to Schweggmann, thereafter closed with Schweggmann)
  • Carter's Foods
  • Chatham (Detroit Area)
  • Clemens Markets (suburban Philadelphia) - acquired by Giant in 2006
  • Coffey's Market aka Harold D. Coffey Groceries, Fresh Meats and Frozen Foods
  • Colonial / Big Star
  • Consumers Food And Drug (Southwest Missouri area)
  • Country Club Markets
  • Del Farm (Chicago) - Owned by National Tea, stores changed to National Tea
  • Delchamps
  • Eagle Food Centers
  • Edwards (joined Ahold to become Stop and Shop)
  • El Rancho
  • Elm Farm (Chicago) - Owned by National Tea, stores changed to National Tea
  • Expo (Vons big box format; Southern California)
  • Family Mart (A&P)
  • Farmer Jack
  • Farmers (Sacramento area)
  • Finast (First National Supermarkets)
  • Fisher Foods aka Fisher, Fazio Costa
  • Food 4 Less (Kansas) - acquired by Kroger; some stores converted to Dillons but the majority were abandoned.
  • Food Barn
  • Food Fair, later Pantry Pride
  • Food Giant
  • Food Mart
  • Giant (Ralphs big box format; Southern California)
  • Grand Union
  • Great Scott!
  • Golden Dawn- not all still some stores in PA and OH
  • Harvest Foods (last surviving stores all located in Arkansas)
  • Hills Supermarkets
  • Hughes Markets
  • Jitney Jungle
  • Johnson's General Stores
  • Kash n' Karry, now Sweetbay Supermarket
  • Kessel Food Market
  • Kohl's Supermarket (not to be confused with Kohl's department stores, also founded by Herb Kohl)
  • Laneco (Eastern PA/Western NJ)
  • Larry's Markets
  • Liberal (Dayton, Ohio)
  • LoRay (San Francisco Bay area)
  • Loblaws (NE Ohio)
  • Mr. AG's (Kansas) - part of the IGA chain, last store closed in 1970
  • Mr. D's IGA (Wichita, KS)
  • MacMarr Stores (merged with Safeway Inc. in 1931)
  • Maloley`s Finer Foods (Northeast Indiana)
  • Market Basket (Southern California), was owned by Kroger Stores[3]
  • Martin's (Vermont)
  • Mr. Grocer
  • National Tea (also National Canal Villere)
  • O.K. Fairbanks
  • Olson's market
  • Omni Superstore
  • Packer (Detroit)
  • Pak And Save (Detroit
  • Pantry (Los Angeles area)
  • Pantry Pride
  • Payless (acquired by Kroger in 1999)
  • Pay'N Takeit (merged with Safeway Inc. in 1935)
  • Penn Fruit Co. - later Top Value (Philadelphia area)
  • Purity (San Francisco Bay area)
  • Purity Supreme (Boston area)
  • Paul's Food Mart (Central NY State)
  • Rackensack
  • Red Food Store (Chattanooga, TN area, acquired by Bi-Lo Stores)
  • Red Robin Stores
  • Red Owl (Chicago stores only) - sold to National Tea
  • Roger's Friendly Markets (Northeast Indiana)
  • Sampson's
  • Sanitary Grocery Stores (Washington, D.C.-area stores were acquired by Safeway Inc. as Mid-Atlantic division; Baltimore-area stores became Twin Food)
  • Sav-A-Center (A&P in the New Orleans region)
  • Schweggmanns (New Orleans)
  • Shop-Eze Convenience Marts - acquired by QuikTrip in 1971
  • Skaggs Alpha Beta
  • Smith's Food King
  • Smitty's
  • Standard Food - later Standard Dell Farms (Central Indiana)
  • The Stock Market
  • Stop N Shop (Sacramento)
  • Sun Foods (Acquired by Hannaford Supermarkets)
  • Super Duper
  • Super Place
  • Super Saver Foods (a U.S. East Coast version became an Acme brand)
  • Sure Save (Chicago) - Owned by National Tea, stores changed to National Tea
  • Thompson Food Basket
  • Thorofare (Pittsburgh, Youngstown and Cincinnati areas)
  • Tianguis (Vons' Hispanic format; Southern California)
  • The Grocery Store
  • Town and Country
  • Town and Country Convenience Stores - acquired by 7-11 around 1998
  • Tradewell
  • Thriftway Food Mart
  • Twin Food (Baltimore, Maryland-area, spinoff of Sanitary Grocery Stores)
  • Victory (Massachusetts and New Hampshire)
  • Walt's IGA (Wichita, KS)
  • Weingarten's
  • White Hen Pantry Merged with 7-11 in mid 2007.
  • Wild Oats
  • Unity Frankford Stores (Philadelphia area)
  • Williams Bros. (California-Central Coast)
  • Wilson's
  • Wrigley (Detroit)

Home Improvement

Home decor, and craft stores

Music and Video Stores (Records, Tapes, Books, etc.)

  • Argus Tapes & Records
  • Blockbuster Music (some locations converted to Blockbuster Video however, the majority were abandoned)
  • Budget Tapes & Records (Kansas)
  • Camelot Music (converted to FYE stores)
  • Cavages (Buffalo, NY)
  • Cellophane Square
  • Circuit City
  • Coconut's (like Record Town, all locations were converted into FYE stores)
  • Compact Disc Center
  • Crown Books
  • Disc Jockey
  • Flipside Records (Chicago area)
  • Great American Music
  • Harmony House (Michigan)
  • Incredible Universe
  • King Carol
  • Licorice Pizza (California)
  • Madcats Music & Books
  • Listenin' Booth
  • Media Play
  • Musicland (Minnesota)
  • Music Plus (California)
  • Music Boutique (Seattle)
  • National Record Mart (Pennsylvania)
  • Odyssey Records & Tapes
  • On Cue
  • Peaches
  • Rose Records (Chicago area)
  • Tape World
  • Tower Records (converted to an online-only retailer)
  • Record (later CD) & Tape Outlet (Ohio)
  • Sammy's Record Shack (St. Louis?)
  • Second Time Around
  • Sounds of Soul Records & Tapes
  • Soul Sounds Unlimited
  • Starship Tapes & Records (Tulsa)
  • Suncoast
  • Strawberries (Massachusetts)
  • Rainbow Records (Oklahoma City)
  • Record Bar (malls)
  • Record World
  • Record Town (store name changed to FYE by parent company TransWorld Entertainment)
  • Square Circle
  • The Record Shops at TSS
  • The Wall (formerly Wall To Wall Sound & Video)
  • Sam Goody (most locations converted to FYE, but a small number of locations continue to operate as Sam Goody)
  • Sound Warehouse - acquired by Blockbuster Entertainment; subsequently converted some stores to Blockbuster Music, the remainder to Blockbuster Video
  • Wherehouse Music
  • Yesterday's Records/Discs (Wichita, KS)

Office supply stores

  • Chandler's (Evanston, IL and Chicago suburbs)
  • J. K. Gill (Pacific Northwest)
  • Keeney's (Seattle?)
  • Office Warehouse (division of Home Quarters)
  • Paper Cutter (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania; division of Fay's Drug)
  • Tam's Stationers (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Ulbrich's (Buffalo, NY)
  • Unity Stationers (Chicago) - The retail division of United Stationer's Supply which is still in business

Camping, sports or athletic stores

  • AdventureSports!
  • AM/PM Camp
  • Copeland Sports
  • Galyan's
  • Gart Sports
  • Dave Cooks (Denver)
  • Dick Fischers Buffalo, NY
  • Dunhams
  • Gold Medal (Philadelphia area)
  • Golf Augusta Pro Shops
  • Herman's World of Sporting Goods
  • JumboSports
  • Mages (Chicago)
  • Morrie Mages (Chicago, started by one of the Mages Bros after the closing of Mages) stores sold to Sportmart
  • Oshman's
  • Olympic Sports (Seattle)
  • Security Sporting Goods (New Orleans)
  • Sportmart
  • Sports Town USA
  • Sports Unlimited
  • Sportswest
  • Sunny's Surplus
  • Warshal's

Toy stores

Warehouse clubs and membership department stores

References

  1. ^ http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/retail/article891247.ece
  2. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/business/27ruby.html
  3. ^ More Stores

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