COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 5942

Book Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

22companies1869–1981founding years20still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedMaruzen Co., LimitedFoundedMaruzen Co., Limited
1869
FoundedSoutham Inc.FoundedSoutham Inc.
1871
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedDeb Shops, Inc.
1932
FoundedWalden Book Company Inc.FoundedWalden Book Company Inc.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedFNACFoundedFNAC
1954
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedDart Group Corporation
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedBooks-A-Million, Inc.FoundedBooks-A-Million, Inc.
1964
FoundedB. Dalton Bookseller Inc.FoundedB. Dalton Bookseller Inc.
1966
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
FoundedBorders Group, Inc.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedGIB GroupFoundedGIB Group
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
FoundedCrown Books Corporation
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyAmazon is founded; e-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Maruzen Co., Limited →
Active · founded 1869 · Japan
With a ranking among AsiaWeek magazine's top 1000 companies of 1996, Maruzen Co., Limited is one of Japan's largest and…
Maruzen Co., Limited →
Active · founded 1869 · Japan
With a ranking among AsiaWeek magazine's top 1000 companies of 1996, Maruzen Co., Limited is one of Japan's largest and…
Southam Inc. →
Active · founded 1871 · Canada
Southam Inc.
Southam Inc. →
Active · founded 1871 · Canada
Southam Inc.
Deb Shops, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Deb Shops, Inc.
Deb Shops, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Deb Shops, Inc.
Walden Book Company Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Walden Book Company Inc., a subsidiary of the Borders Group, Inc., is a leading U.S.
Walden Book Company Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Walden Book Company Inc., a subsidiary of the Borders Group, Inc., is a leading U.S.
FNAC →
Active · founded 1954 · France
The FNAC chain of retail stores is France's leading purveyor of what the company refers to as "cultural goods." The…
FNAC →
Active · founded 1954 · France
The FNAC chain of retail stores is France's leading purveyor of what the company refers to as "cultural goods." The…
Dart Group Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
Dart Group Corporation, a pioneer in discount marketing and in the concept of "superstores," is a holding company for…
Dart Group Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
Dart Group Corporation, a pioneer in discount marketing and in the concept of "superstores," is a holding company for…
Books-A-Million, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Books-A-Million, Inc., is the fourth-largest book retailer in the United States, with combined annual sales of $172.3…
Books-A-Million, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Books-A-Million, Inc., is the fourth-largest book retailer in the United States, with combined annual sales of $172.3…
B. Dalton Bookseller Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
B.
B. Dalton Bookseller Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
B.
Borders Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Borders Group, Inc.
Borders Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1971
Borders Group, Inc.
GIB Group →
Active · founded 1974 · Belgium
GIB Group, Belgium's top retailer, is active in four sectors: supermarkets and hypermarkets; do-it-yourself (DIY) home…
GIB Group →
Active · founded 1974 · Belgium
GIB Group, Belgium's top retailer, is active in four sectors: supermarkets and hypermarkets; do-it-yourself (DIY) home…
Crown Books Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1981
One of the four largest retail bookstore chains in the United States, Crown Books Corporation operates almost 200…
Crown Books Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1981
One of the four largest retail bookstore chains in the United States, Crown Books Corporation operates almost 200…
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