Purchase
The History Press
October 2011
On Sale: October 13, 2011
162 pages
ISBN: 1609493079
EAN: 9781609493073
Trade Size
Add to Wish List
Non-Fiction Biography
In 1842, Adam Gimbel opened a small storefront in Vincennes,
Indiana and unknowingly set forth the groundwork for an
American retail icon. His "fair trade" practices encouraged
him to leave Vincennes and open up "the largest store ever"
in 1887 in the city of Milwaukee. After getting his
Milwaukee on firm ground, Adam Gimbel left for Philadelphia,
his wife's hometown, with his seven sons and opened the
"world's largest store" in 1894.Like every major department
store, Gimbels began to follow its customer into the
suburbs, and the family became less involved in the running
of the store. With sales and profits falling, Gimbels was
purchased by British-American Tobacco. The company struggled
to right itself in the challenging and changing retailing
world. It built a new controversial flagship store in
Philadelphia but it failed to draw its traditional shopper.
By June 1986, Gimbels was going out of business and the 36
Gimbels stores located from Philadelphia to Milwaukee
permanently shut their doors.
Comments
No comments posted.
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
| 
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy