A Lens into Retail & Commercial Real Estate Past (Present & Future)
Retailer
Founded by David Cook in 1985 as Blockbuster Video in Dallas, Texas, the retailer initially specialized in video rentals. In 1987 the acquisition of most of the stores took place by Wayne Huizenga, who put the company into rapid expansion mode. Viacom acquired the retailer in 1994 for $8.4B.
Retailer
Founded in Michigan in 1971, Borders heyday was in the early 2000s. In 1992, Borders was acquired by Kmart (who already owned Waldenbooks) and grew to close to 1,250 stores by 2003. But Amazon and electronic book readers changed the game. The company shuttered all locations and filed for
Retailer
In early 1949 Samuel Wurtzel was on vacation in Richmond, Virginia when, while at a local barber shop, he was witness to the start of television in the South. Imagining the opportunities, in late 1949, he moved his family to Richmond and opened the first Wards Company retail store. Later,