A Lens into Retail & Commercial Real Estate Past (Present & Future)
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in 1951 by Sam Gutowitz, Sam Goody built its reputation on discounted vinyl records and became a major music retailer in the 1980s and 1990s. It operated more than 800 locations at its peak and was especially known for its “Goody Got It” slogan and broad selection of music,
Nostalgic Retail Series
Sweet Tomatoes began its journey in 1978 in San Diego, California, with a vision to provide fresh, wholesome food in a welcoming, family-friendly environment. Its all-you-can-eat buffet featured salads, soups, pastas, and baked goods made from scratch. The concept resonated with customers, and Sweet Tomatoes expanded across the country, becoming
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in New York City in 1826 by Samuel Lord and George Gilman, Lord & Taylor was originally opened as a dry goods store in 1824 on Broadway 9the name became Lord & Taylor in 1826). Little did they know, this modest beginning would grow into one of America’s
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in 1958 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, by three brothers: Milton, Irving and Herbert Gilman, Ames Department Stores initially focused on industrial sites to open its first stores. 1960s-1970s: Expansion and Growth Ames grew rapidly, targeting rural and small-town markets across the U.S. Midwest and East Coast. The company differentiated
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in 1962 (and originally two words: Dress Barn) by Roslyn Jaffe in Stamford, Connecticut, Dressbarn began as a dedicated women’s clothing retailer, quickly expanding across the U.S. and becoming a household name. Dressbarn went public in 1982, marking its growth on the NASDAQ, and in 2011, it
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in 1956 by cousins Louis and Shaol Pozez in Topeka, Kansas, Payless started as a small family-run business. Through offering trendy shoes at budget-friendly prices, it quickly built a reputation for making fashion accessible, especially for families on tight budgets. The 1960s marked the beginning of Payless’s rapid
Retailer
Founded in 1977 in Birmingham, Alabama, Just For Feet rapidly became a household name and one of the fastest-growing athletic shoe chains in the United States. By 1999, it boasted over 140 superstores across 25 states and Puerto Rico. What set Just For Feet apart were its innovative store features.
Nostalgic Retail Series
ShowBiz Pizza Place has a really interesting beginning and a fate which lives on through Chuck E. Cheese. Wikipedia summed it up best: "Atari co-founder Nolan Bushnell, responsible for creating the first widely recognized video game, Pong, headed a project in the mid-1970s for Atari to launch the first
Nostalgic Retail Series
Founded in 1983 in St. Cloud, Minnesota by Roe Hatlen and C. Dennis Scott, Old Country Buffet quickly became a staple in the American dining scene. Hatlen and Scott leveraged their experience from International King’s Table to create a buffet-style operation that was both economical and appealing to customers.
Nostalgic Retail Series
Go ahead...say it. This is a hotel chain, not a restaurant chain. Well, you are partially correct. Howard Deering Johnson opened the first Howard Johnson's restaurant in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1925. "The first Howard Johnson's restaurant received a tremendous boost in 1929, owing to
Restaurant
From over 100 locations in 17 states to 5 locations in Florida, here is the Po' Folks' story: Founded in 1975 in Anderson, South Carolina by Malcolm Hare, the American family restaurant chain's name was inspired by the 1961 song of the same name by Bill
Restaurant
Lum's was founded in 1956 in Miami Beach, Florida by Stuart and Clifford Perlman when they purchased Lum's hot dog stand for $10,000. "Lum's began aggressively expanding and franchising; the signature item was hot a hot dog steamed in beer." [Wikipedia]