Why are so many retail pioneers from this state? (Franklin: sales, house)

[motownewave]

Kroger, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Big Lots, Drug Emporium, and Phar-Mor are five that come to mind right away. The state is so small! I must say as a non-Ohioan that I am impressed.

[shld1440]

Originally Posted by motownewave

Kroger, Jo-Ann Fabrics, Big Lots, Drug Emporium, and Phar-Mor are five that come to mind right away. The state is so small! I must say as a non-Ohioan that I am impressed.

You can also add Limited, Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, Macy's Inc. (Federated Department Stores), Sterling Jewelers, Lane Bryant, Value City, DSW, Big Lots to your list.

Then you have the list of deceased big time and semi-big time retailers: Gold Circle/Richway, Elder-Beerman, Kobacker Stores, Mercantile Stores ... I can't think of any others and I have no idea why Ohio is or was the Silicon Valley of retail.

[shld1440]

P.S. Ohio is not a small state. We are still ranked 7th in population, and 34th in area. Roughly the same size as PA, Virginia, and Tennessee. A lot of states with the most land seem to have small populations too.

List of U.S. states and territories by area - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[jprice15]

What I find more impressive is the notable people who are from here (random ones that come to mind):

1st (or 2nd) in number of presidents
2nd in number of astronauts including Neil Armstrong and John Glenn
The Wright Brothers
Thomas Edison
John D. Rockefeller
Steven Spielberg
Tim Conway
Bob Hope
halle berry
General Custer
Charles Keatering
kid cudi

and many others

Infamous
Charles Manson
Jeffrey Dahmer

[costello_musicman]

OfficeMax and Sherwin Williams.

[shld1440]

Originally Posted by costello_musicman

OfficeMax and Sherwin Williams.

Gray Drug and Revco too
Bond Clothes
Richman Brothers
Cook United (Cooks, Clarks, Uncle Bill's, Ontario, Rink's, Consolidated Sales Co.)
SCOA (Shoe Corporation of America; Gallenkamp Shoes)
American Freight
The Kitchen Collection, LLC
UDF
Speedway
Marathon
Sohio/BP
Lawson's
Bath and Body Works

[motownewave]

Why does Kroger avoid the Northeastern states? They are the dominant grocer in much of both the Midwest and South, but are notably absent from Pennsylvania (but have attempted Pittsburgh once) even though they have a huge presence in Virginia. Also, aren't they missing from Florida despite being huge in Georgia?

[SWOH]

^the only reason I can think of why they wouldn't be in Florida is because of publix. They are steep competition to overcome.

As for the northeast I don't know.

[dxdtdemon]

Kroger does not avoid any part of the US, they just choose in some areas to go by the name of the regional chain they bought as opposed to calling themselves Kroger everywhere.

[motownewave]

Originally Posted by dxdtdemon

Kroger does not avoid any part of the US, they just choose in some areas to go by the name of the regional chain they bought as opposed to calling themselves Kroger everywhere.

I'm sorry but actually they do avoid Pennsylvania, with the exception of Turkey Hill convenience stores, which started as a joint venture with Esso (now Exxon). They have no supermarkets (their core business) in Pennsylvania. But yes they do have stores under many names, such as Baker's in Nebraska.

Big Lots and Jo-Ann Fabrics are uniquely similar (despite selling two very different types of merchandise) because both for many years operated stores under different names in different regions, but eventually settled on one name. Big Lots once was also known as Odd Lots, MacFrugal's, and Pic N Save. Jo-Ann was once also known as Cloth World, House of Fabrics, Sofro Fabrics, and Fabric King.

And Drug Emporium has a very similar story to that of Ben Franklin stores (not an Ohio company) despite that chain not being a drugstore chain. Both companies at one time had a combination of corporately owned and franchised stores, but each company went bankrupt and had to close the corporate stores, while keeping the franchises open. Bennigan's restaurants went through a similar process.