COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 452110

Department Stores

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

62companies1849–1996founding years56still active6no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedHouse of Fraser PLC
1849
FoundedHarrods Holdings
1889
FoundedMarshall Field'sFoundedMaus Frères SAFoundedNordstrom, Inc.
1901
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedMitsukoshi Ltd.
1904
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedSelfridges Plc
1909
FoundedThe Elder-Beerman Stores Corp.
1911
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedKarstadt Quelle AG
1920
FoundedFred Meyer Stores, Inc.
1923
FoundedThe Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedIsetan Company Limited
1930
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedMarui Company Ltd.
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
FoundedHennes & Mauritz AB
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedDillard's Inc.
1964
FoundedNew World Development Company Limited
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
FoundedBurlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedThe Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
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

House of Fraser PLC →
Active · founded 1849 · United Kingdom
House of Fraser PLC bills itself as the United Kingdom's leading retailer of designer brands--the department store…
House of Fraser PLC →
Active · founded 1849 · United Kingdom
House of Fraser PLC bills itself as the United Kingdom's leading retailer of designer brands--the department store…
Harrods Holdings →
Active · founded 1889 · United Kingdom
Harrods Holdings represents one of the most prestigious names in shopping history, operating the famed Harrods…
Harrods Holdings →
Active · founded 1889 · United Kingdom
Harrods Holdings represents one of the most prestigious names in shopping history, operating the famed Harrods…
Belk, Inc. →
Active · founded 1891
Belk, Inc., is the largest privately held department store chain in the United States.
Belk, Inc. →
Active · founded 1891
Belk, Inc., is the largest privately held department store chain in the United States.
Marshall Field's →
Defunct · founded 1901
Marshall Field's, a division of Target Corporation, is a major mid-market to upscale department store chain operating…
Marshall Field's →
Defunct · founded 1901
Marshall Field's, a division of Target Corporation, is a major mid-market to upscale department store chain operating…
Maus Frères SA →
Active · founded 1901 · Switzerland
Maus Frères SA is one of Switzerland's largest retail groups.
Maus Frères SA →
Active · founded 1901 · Switzerland
Maus Frères SA is one of Switzerland's largest retail groups.
Maus Frères SA →
Active · founded 1901 · Switzerland
Maus Frères SA is one of Switzerland's largest retail groups.
Maus Frères SA →
Active · founded 1901 · Switzerland
Maus Frères SA is one of Switzerland's largest retail groups.
Nordstrom, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Nordstrom, Inc.
Nordstrom, Inc. →
Active · founded 1901
Nordstrom, Inc.
Target Corporation →
Active · founded 1902
Target Corporation is the fourth largest retailer in the United States, operating 1,556 stores in 47 states.
Target Corporation →
Active · founded 1902
Target Corporation is the fourth largest retailer in the United States, operating 1,556 stores in 47 states.
Mitsukoshi Ltd. →
Active · founded 1904 · Japan
As Japan's largest department store company, Mitsukoshi Ltd.
Mitsukoshi Ltd. →
Active · founded 1904 · Japan
As Japan's largest department store company, Mitsukoshi Ltd.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. →
Active · founded 1906
With a network of more than 870 full-line department stores and 1,300 freestanding specialty stores in the United…
Sears, Roebuck and Co. →
Active · founded 1906
With a network of more than 870 full-line department stores and 1,300 freestanding specialty stores in the United…
Selfridges Plc →
Active · founded 1909 · United Kingdom
1970s:Adds four-star Selfridge Hotel and Food Hall.
Selfridges Plc →
Active · founded 1909 · United Kingdom
1970s:Adds four-star Selfridge Hotel and Food Hall.
Matsuzakaya Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1910 · Japan
Matsuzakaya Company Ltd.
Matsuzakaya Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1910 · Japan
Matsuzakaya Company Ltd.
The Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. →
Active · founded 1911
Early 1940s:Arthur Beerman begins opening several neighborhood "Cotton Shops" in Dayton.
The Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. →
Active · founded 1911
Early 1940s:Arthur Beerman begins opening several neighborhood "Cotton Shops" in Dayton.
Karstadt Quelle AG →
Defunct · founded 1920 · Germany
Karstadt Quelle AG is the product of the 1999 merger between German retail powerhouse Karstadt Aktiengesellschaft and…
Karstadt Quelle AG →
Defunct · founded 1920 · Germany
Karstadt Quelle AG is the product of the 1999 merger between German retail powerhouse Karstadt Aktiengesellschaft and…
Takashimaya Company, Limited →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Takashimaya Company, Limited is the oldest and one of the largest department store retailers in Japan.
Takashimaya Company, Limited →
Active · founded 1920 · Japan
Takashimaya Company, Limited is the oldest and one of the largest department store retailers in Japan.
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc.
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc.
Burdines, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1925 · United States
Burdines, Inc., a subsidiary of Federated Department Stores, operates more than 50 upscale department stores, providing…
Burdines, Inc. →
Defunct · founded 1925 · United States
Burdines, Inc., a subsidiary of Federated Department Stores, operates more than 50 upscale department stores, providing…
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1929
The Bon Ton Stores, Inc.
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1929
The Bon Ton Stores, Inc.
Isetan Company Limited →
Active · founded 1930 · Japan
Isetan Company Limited is one of Japan's leading department store companies, particularly noted for its merchandising…
Isetan Company Limited →
Active · founded 1930 · Japan
Isetan Company Limited is one of Japan's leading department store companies, particularly noted for its merchandising…
Gruppo Coin S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1934 · Italy
Based in Italy, Gruppo Coin S.p.A.
Gruppo Coin S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1934 · Italy
Based in Italy, Gruppo Coin S.p.A.
Marui Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Marui Company Ltd.
Marui Company Ltd. →
Active · founded 1937 · Japan
Marui Company Ltd.
Hankyu Department Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Hankyu Department Stores, Inc.
Hankyu Department Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1947 · Japan
Hankyu Department Stores, Inc.
Hennes & Mauritz AB →
Active · founded 1947 · Sweden
With more than 550 stores in 12 countries across Europe, Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) has quickly become one of the…
Hennes & Mauritz AB →
Active · founded 1947 · Sweden
With more than 550 stores in 12 countries across Europe, Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) has quickly become one of the…
The Seiyu, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1956 · Japan
The Seiyu, Ltd.
The Seiyu, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1956 · Japan
The Seiyu, Ltd.
Dillard's Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, and located throughout suburbs and secondary markets in 24 states in the South,…
Dillard's Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
Based in Little Rock, Arkansas, and located throughout suburbs and secondary markets in 24 states in the South,…
New World Development Company Limited →
Active · founded 1970 · Hong Kong
Since its founding in 1970, New World Development Company Limited has been a leader in Hong Kong's bustling commercial…
New World Development Company Limited →
Active · founded 1970 · Hong Kong
Since its founding in 1970, New World Development Company Limited has been a leader in Hong Kong's bustling commercial…
Uny Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1971 · Japan
Early 20th century:[fs54]Choju Nishikawaya opens a footwear store in Nudge, the largest city in Chubu.
Uny Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1971 · Japan
Early 20th century:[fs54]Choju Nishikawaya opens a footwear store in Nudge, the largest city in Chubu.
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Indeed, success continued into the late 1990s due in part to the company's diversification efforts and its aggressive…
Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation →
Active · founded 1972
Indeed, success continued into the late 1990s due in part to the company's diversification efforts and its aggressive…
Les Boutiques San Francisco, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978 · Canada
Les Boutiques San Francisco, Inc.
Les Boutiques San Francisco, Inc. →
Active · founded 1978 · Canada
Les Boutiques San Francisco, Inc.
The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
The name Neiman Marcus is practically synonymous with upscale retailing in the United States.
The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
The name Neiman Marcus is practically synonymous with upscale retailing in the United States.
Metro AG →
Active · founded 1996 · Germany
One of the largest retailers in the world, Metro AG is a Düsseldorf-based holding company formed through the 1996…
Metro AG →
Active · founded 1996 · Germany
One of the largest retailers in the world, Metro AG is a Düsseldorf-based holding company formed through the 1996…
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