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SWAT ends Bridgewater, NJ standoff after hearing woman’s screams



SWAT ENDS BRIDGEWATER, NJ STANDOFF AFTER HEARING WOMAN’S SCREAMS


Rick Rickman
Rick RickmanPublished: November 12, 2023
Alonzo D. Blakey (SCPO/Google Maps)
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🔴 SWAT WAS INVOLVED IN AN HOURS-LONG STANDOFF IN SOMERSET COUNTY


🔴 OFFICERS STORMED THE RESIDENCE AFTER THEY HEARD SCREAMING


🔴 A MAN AND WOMAN BOTH HAD STAB WOUNDS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



BRIDGEWATER — A Somerset County man barricaded himself in a condo and held a
woman for hours until SWAT was forced to breach the residence, according to
authorities.

Alonzo Blakey, 50, is charged with second-degree aggravated assault,
third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and fourth-degree
unlawful weapon possession, Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald said.

Bridgewater police got multiple 911 calls from a woman's concerned family
members Friday morning around 7:19 a.m., according to McDonald.

The callers said that the woman was being held against her will inside a
residence at the Finderne Heights condos on Columbia Drive.


Alonzo D. Blakey (Somerset County Prosecutor's Office)


Officers arrived at Blakey's apartment to find that he had barricaded himself
inside with the victim; Blakely was threatening to hurt himself and the woman,
McDonald said. He had also used furniture to block to front door.

The Somerset County SWAT team and other county agencies were called to the
scene. They set up outside the condo and tried to negotiate with Blakey,
officials said.

Four hours passed with no progress. Then suddenly, the woman began screaming
from inside the condo.

Immediately, SWAT officers set off an explosive charge on the front door to get
inside.

Once the officers were in the condo, the woman ran up to them. She was bleeding
from stab wounds to her face and hand, McDonald said.

At the same time, Blakey fell to the ground. He was bleeding from his arm and
first responders had to use a tourniquet to save his life. The bleeding had been
caused by self-inflicted stab wounds, according to McDonald.

Blakey and the woman were both taken to a trauma center.

Blakey was still there as of Saturday morning. Once released, Blakey will be
taken to Somerset County jail.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom


PICTURES OF A $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME BEING SOLD BY NJ DOCTOR

Pictures of a $16.5M private island home being sold by NJ doctor

Gallery Credit: Bill Spadea


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME



NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME



NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME



NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


NJ doctor selling his $16.5M private island home

Wesley Williford at Frank Taylor Real Estate Inc via Zillow


NJ DOCTOR SELLING HIS $16.5M PRIVATE ISLAND HOME


MOST POPULAR GROCERY STORES IN AMERICA

The most popular grocery stores in America, from corporate chains to
family-owned enterprises. Stacker ranked them using consumer ratings sourced
from YouGov polls.

Gallery Credit: Stacker


#40. BevMo!

David Tonelson // Shutterstock


#40. BEVMO!

- Popularity rating: 26%
- Fame rating: 42% (Rank: #40)

BevMo! is a West Coast beverage retailer with more than 160 stores in
California, Washington, and Arizona, and an extensive online business. Founded
in 1994 in the San Francisco Bay Area, it was originally Beverages and More! The
stores are big, with wide aisles and enormous selections.


#39. WinCo Foods

Tada Images // Shutterstock


#39. WINCO FOODS

- Popularity rating: 26%
- Fame rating: 45% (Rank: #34)

Across the western U.S., WinCo Foods has more than 125 stores, the newest in
Billings and Helena, Montana. The chain started in 1967 in Boise, Idaho, with a
warehouse-style grocery called Waremart. In its supermarkets in the 1970s,
customers used red grease pencils to write the prices on their items. Company
employees bought a controlling share of the business in 1985. The name is short
for Winning Company.


#38. Harris Teeter

John Greim // Getty Images


#38. HARRIS TEETER

- Popularity rating: 27%
- Fame rating: 47% (Rank: #32)

Grocers W.T. Harris and Willis Teeter founded Harris Teeter in 1960 in North
Carolina. Today, it is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., with more than 230 stores
and 14 fuel centers in the southeastern U.S. The stores were criticized for
refusing to require face masks against COVID-19, prompting some employees to
quit. Online petitions were circulated asking stores to comply with the North
Carolina governor's order to wear masks.



#37. Hannaford

Portland Press Herald // Getty Images


#37. HANNAFORD

- Popularity rating: 27%
- Fame rating: 45% (Rank: #34)

Hannaford supermarkets started in 1883 in Portland, Maine, where the Hannaford
brothers sold fresh produce from a horse-drawn cart. The company expanded to
more than 180 stores in New England, New York, and the Southeast. It was
acquired in 2000 by Belgium's Delhaize Group, now called Ahold Delhaize.


#36. Central Market

Lizardflms // Shutterstock


#36. CENTRAL MARKET

- Popularity rating: 27%
- Fame rating: 42% (Rank: #40)

First opening in Austin in 1994, Central Market stores are known for their vast
selections and in-house dining. They also have live music and Texas two-step
dance parties.


#35. 99 Ranch Market

Kit Leong // Shutterstock


#35. 99 RANCH MARKET

- Popularity rating: 28%
- Fame rating: 41% (Rank: #42)

In 1984, 99 Ranch Market opened its first store in the Little Saigon
neighborhood of Westminster, California, an Orange County town. It is family
owned and now the largest Asian supermarket chain in the country, with more than
50 stores, mostly in California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Texas, but also
in New Jersey.



#34. Cub (supermarket)

Steve Skjold // Shutterstock


#34. CUB (SUPERMARKET)

- Popularity rating: 28%
- Fame rating: 46% (Rank: #33)

The name of Cub, a Midwestern supermarket chain, originally stood for Consumers
United for Buying. It is known for no-frills shopping, where customers often bag
their own groceries. It changed its name from Cub Foods to Cub in 2018.


#33. Jewel-Osco

Sorbis // Shutterstock


#33. JEWEL-OSCO

- Popularity rating: 28%
- Fame rating: 49% (Rank: #29)

The Midwest's Jewel-Osco stores originated in 1899, with two brothers-in-law
selling coffee and tea door to door from a horse-drawn wagon. The Jewel Tea Co.
expanded to acquire grocery stores in the Chicago area and started a mail-order
catalog business as well. It bought Osco Drugs in the 1960s. Now owned by
Albertsons, Jewel-Osco has more than 180 stores in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana.


#32. Stater Bros. Markets

KK Stock // Shutterstock


#32. STATER BROS. MARKETS

- Popularity rating: 28%
- Fame rating: 44% (Rank: #37)

Stater Bros. Markets began with a small grocery store in Yucaipa, California,
which twin brothers Cleo and Leo bought during the Great Depression. Half of the
$600 down payment came from the owner of a rival grocery store across the
street. By 1939, the brothers opened an additional four stores in San Bernardino
County. During World War II, their parents operated the markets while the
brothers served as pilots in the Army Air Corps. They sold their interests in
the company in 1968. Today, there are 170 supermarkets in seven California
counties, with about 18,000 employees and more than $4 billion in annual sales.



#31. Wild Oats

MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera // Getty Images


#31. WILD OATS

- Popularity rating: 29%
- Fame rating: 51% (Rank: #28)

Wild Oats is a member-owned cooperative grocery based in Williamstown,
Massachusetts. It started as a buying club in 1975 and opened its store in 1982
with 100 members. It has a policy of returning its surplus revenue to
member-owners, who get annual rebates based on how much they spend throughout
the year.


#30. Grocery Outlet

Helen89 // Shutterstock


#30. GROCERY OUTLET

- Popularity rating: 29%
- Fame rating: 45% (Rank: #34)

Founder Jim Read sold surplus military food at discount prices in the first
store he opened in San Francisco in 1946. Today, the chain—based in Emeryville,
California—has more than 400 stores across the country and draws over 1.5
million shoppers each week. Since 1973, some stores have been run by locally
based independent operators. The company went public in 2019 and celebrated its
400th store in 2021, which also was its 75th anniversary.


#29. Casey's

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock


#29. CASEY'S

- Popularity rating: 29%
- Fame rating: 49% (Rank: #29)

Casey's has more than 2,000 convenience stores in the Midwest. Founder Donald
Lamberti opened his first convenience store in Boone, Iowa, in 1968, naming it
after the initials of a friend, Kurvin C. Fish. Lamberti opted to move into
small communities, and to this day, more than half the stores are located in
places with fewer than 5,000 residents. With the outbreak of the coronavirus,
Casey's expanded delivery services at more than half of its stores.



#28. Giant

Country Gate Productions // Shutterstock


#28. GIANT

- Popularity rating: 30%
- Fame rating: 49% (Rank: #29)

Giant stores are located in Delaware, Virginia, Washington D.C., and Maryland;
the company is headquartered in Landover, Maryland. The first store opened in
Washington in 1936. The company's founders were Nehemiah Myer Cohen, an
immigrant from Palestine, and his partners Samuel and Jacob Lehrman. In the
1970s, the company implemented computer-aided checkout and price scanners in its
stores.


#27. Stop & Shop

WoodysPhotos // Shutterstock


#27. STOP & SHOP

- Popularity rating: 31%
- Fame rating: 52% (Rank: #27)

Located in New England and the Northeast, Stop & Shop traces its roots to the
Rabinovitz family, who opened their Economy Grocery Store in Somerville,
Massachusetts, in 1914. The company's early stores were pioneers in
self-service, and its name became Stop & Shop in 1947. Today, its parent company
is Ahold Delhaize, based in the Netherlands.


#26. A&P

B Brown // Shutterstock


#26. A&P

- Popularity rating: 32%
- Fame rating: 64% (Rank: #19)

Founded in New York City in 1859, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
opened its first store in 1912. Decades later, with almost 16,000 stores, it was
the world's largest retail grocery company. Its popular brands included Jane
Parker baked goods and Eight O'Clock Coffee. But industry analysts said the
grocery giant was slow to respond to a changing market and changing tastes and
began to look outdated as competitors outpaced it. A&P filed for bankruptcy a
second and final time in 2015.



#25. H-E-B

Moab Republic // Shutterstock


#25. H-E-B

- Popularity rating: 32%
- Fame rating: 56% (Rank: #24)

Florence Butt opened the first C.C. Butt store in 1905 in Kerrville, Texas, and
her son Howard E. Butt opened a second store in 1926. The first store under the
name H-E-B opened in San Antonio in 1942. In the 1950s, the company expanded
into supermarkets, consolidating butchers, fish markets, bakeries, and
pharmacies into its stores, and in 1997, it expanded into northern Mexico, with
its first store in Monterrey.


#24. Fresh & Easy

David McNew // Getty Images


#24. FRESH & EASY

- Popularity rating: 33%
- Fame rating: 59% (Rank: #21)

Fresh & Easy stores were an effort by British retail giant Tesco to break into
the U.S. market, launching in 2007 in several Western states. Fresh & Easy went
into bankruptcy protection in 2013, when dozens of its stores were sold to
Yucaipa Companies. Fresh & Easy went into bankruptcy protection again in 2015,
and the stores closed.


#23. ShopRite

John Arehart // Shutterstock


#23. SHOPRITE

- Popularity rating: 33%
- Fame rating: 58% (Rank: #23)

ShopRite is a retailer-owned cooperative of stores in New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland. The cooperative, Wakefern
Food Corp., dates back to 1946, when a group of grocers organized to buy
products collectively in large quantities to get better prices. Today, Wakefern,
consisting of more than 40 grocers that run about 190 supermarkets in the
region, is the nation's largest retailer-owned cooperative.



#22. Giant Eagle

Eric Glenn // Shutterstock


#22. GIANT EAGLE

- Popularity rating: 33%
- Fame rating: 54% (Rank: #25)

Five families started Giant Eagle in the 1930s and built a supermarket chain,
which also includes OK Grocery food stores located in and around Pittsburgh. It
opened Iggle Video rental locations in its stores in the 1980s and later
expanded into full-service dining at its newest Market District stores.


#21. Shop 'n Save

Thaiview // Shutterstock


#21. SHOP 'N SAVE

- Popularity rating: 34%
- Fame rating: 59% (Rank: #21)

More than 90 Shop 'n Save stores are independently owned and operated in
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, and New York. Its Midwestern stores
were liquidated by parent company SuperValu in 2018 after it could not find
buyers.


#20. Food 4 Less

Juan Llauro // Shutterstock


#20. FOOD 4 LESS

- Popularity rating: 34%
- Fame rating: 54% (Rank: #25)

Food 4 Less is a subsidiary of The Kroger Co. It has 129 warehouse-style
supermarkets in California, Illinois, and Indiana. Customers bag their own
groceries, which the company says is a way to keep costs down.



#19. IGA

ArliftAtoz2205 // Shutterstock


#19. IGA

- Popularity rating: 37%
- Fame rating: 65% (Rank: #17)

The Independent Grocers Alliance, or IGA, is an international network of
supermarkets first organized in 1926 by family-owned groceries that grouped
together to become more competitive in their purchasing and marketing but keep
their local identities. It has more than 1,100 stores in nearly all U.S. states
and about 5,000 in more than 30 other countries. Benefits to IGA members,
typically located in small towns, are volume buying and advertising, and the
alliance makes some 2,300 private-label IGA brand products.


#18. Sprouts Farmers Market

Todd A. Merport // Shutterstock


#18. SPROUTS FARMERS MARKET

- Popularity rating: 38%
- Fame rating: 64% (Rank: #19)

The first Sprouts opened in Chandler, Arizona, in 2002, with a focus on fresh
and organic products, and the company grew quickly. It went public in 2013 and
started opening stores in the Southeast, mid-Atlantic, and Northwest. It now has
more than 340 stores in 22 states.


#17. Food Lion

Hunter Bliss Images // Shutterstock


#17. FOOD LION

- Popularity rating: 39%
- Fame rating: 72% (Rank: #13)

Food Lion is located in 10 mid-Atlantic and southeastern states. It began in
Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1957, and has grown to more than 1,000 grocery
stores.

Food Lion was at the center of a landmark legal case in the 1990s, when two ABC
News producers submitted false job applications and were hired at its stores in
North and South Carolina. They secretly filmed practices in the meat
departments, and ABC's "Primetime Live" broadcast a segment claiming Food Lion's
meat handling was filthy and unsafe.

Food Lion sued ABC successfully on grounds that the filming was illegal, but a
federal appeals court determined Food Lion had not been harmed and dismissed
most of the damages.



#16. Wegmans

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock


#16. WEGMANS

- Popularity rating: 39%
- Fame rating: 65% (Rank: #17)

Privately owned, Wegmans has more than 100 supermarkets in New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other New England and mid-Atlantic states. The
stores are known for being huge and laid out like outdoor markets. The Wegman
family started the company in 1916 in upstate New York with the Rochester Fruit
& Vegetable Company.


#15. Meijer

Jonathan Weiss // Shutterstock


#15. MEIJER

- Popularity rating: 39%
- Fame rating: 68% (Rank: #15)

Meijer is family owned and has more than 200 stores in Michigan, Wisconsin,
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. In the 1960s, it developed the concept of
supercenter stores carrying not only groceries but auto supplies, clothing, home
goods, and banking services.


#14. Save-A-Lot

Andriy Blokhin // Shutterstock


#14. SAVE-A-LOT

- Popularity rating: 40%
- Fame rating: 72% (Rank: #13)

Save-A-Lot is a franchise-style grocery chain with more than 1,300 stores. Its
first store opened in Cahokia, Illinois, in 1977, using what is known as a
"hard-discount model." A hard-discount store typically sells a small array of
products in a small venue, with low staffing and often in low-income areas. The
product choices are limited to the most commonly purchased goods and the store's
own brands. The stores target low- and fixed-income consumers who need ready
access to grocery shopping in less affluent neighborhoods.



#13. Fresh Market

Kondor83 // Shutterstock


#13. FRESH MARKET

- Popularity rating: 41%
- Fame rating: 66% (Rank: #16)

Following a trip to Europe, Fresh Market founders Ray and Beverly Berry sought
to replicate the feel of an open food market with specialized products and
service, a butcher, and flower stands, rather than the warehouse-style
supermarkets common in the U.S. They opened their first store in Greensboro,
North Carolina, in 1982. Today, Fresh Market has some 159 stores in 22 states.
The company went private in 2016, with its purchase by Apollo Global Management.


#12. Amazon Fresh

VDB Photos // Shutterstock


#12. AMAZON FRESH

- Popularity rating: 43%
- Fame rating: 83% (Rank: #9)

Amazon Fresh is the grocery-delivery service started in 2007 by the online
giant. Customers order online, and deliveries are scheduled in two-hour windows.
Contact-free delivery of packages left unattended at the customer's door was
developed during the COVID-19 pandemic.


#11. Publix

Felix Mizioznikov // Shutterstock


#11. PUBLIX

- Popularity rating: 44%
- Fame rating: 80% (Rank: #11)

Publix has more than 1,200 stores, mostly in Florida, Georgia, and other
southeastern states. Founder George Jenkins started as a stock clerk and then a
manager at Piggly Wiggly before opening his own store in Winter Haven, Florida,
in 1930.



#10. Albertsons

Lisa Aiken // Shutterstock


#10. ALBERTSONS

- Popularity rating: 46%
- Fame rating: 75% (Rank: #12)

According to the company, Joe Albertson scraped together his savings and a loan
from his wife's Aunt Bertie to open the first Albertsons store in Boise, Idaho,
in 1939. The grocery giant, which went public on the New York Stock Exchange in
June 2020, operates in 34 states with the store brands of Albertsons, Acme,
Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Carrs, and more.


#9. Piggly Wiggly

Red Lemon // Shutterstock


#9. PIGGLY WIGGLY

- Popularity rating: 46%
- Fame rating: 83% (Rank: #9)

Piggly Wiggly started out in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, where it was the
nation's first self-service grocery store, cutting costs by replacing the
traditional model of clerks who would fetch goods from shelves for customers.
The format was franchised to grocery store operators, largely in the Southeast;
today, more than 530 Piggly Wigglys are located in 17 states. The company says
the origin of its unusual name is unknown. According to one story, founder
Clarence Saunders said he chose the name for the very reason that people would
ask about it.


#8. Circle K

JHVEPhoto // Shutterstock


#8. CIRCLE K

- Popularity rating: 48%
- Fame rating: 86% (Rank: #7)

The convenience store chain has its roots in El Paso, Texas, where Fred Hervey
bought three Kay's Food Stores in 1951 and then expanded into Arizona and New
Mexico. There were 1,000 stores across the United States by 1975, with others in
Japan under a licensing agreement beginning in 1979. Sales hit $1 billion by
1984. The chain was bought by the Canadian Alimentation Couche-Tard in 2003 and
is now in more than 20 countries.



#7. Safeway

Michael Vi // Shutterstock


#7. SAFEWAY

- Popularity rating: 49%
- Fame rating: 87% (Rank: #6)

The grocery giant started in 1915 in American Falls, Idaho, and by 1928, Safeway
was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2014, Albertsons bought Safeway in
a $9.4 billion deal. There are now about 900 Safeway locations in 17 states and
Washington D.C.


#6. Winn-Dixie

Ken Wolter // Shutterstock


#6. WINN-DIXIE

- Popularity rating: 50%
- Fame rating: 86% (Rank: #7)

The original Winn-Dixie founders started with a grocery store in 1913 in Idaho
before moving to the southeast, where they opened a store in 1925 in Miami. The
company bought up dozens of stores in the region and became Winn-Dixie in 1955.
It ran into financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy protection in 2005.
Today, about 500 Winn-Dixie stores can be found throughout the Southeast—in
Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida.


#5. Whole Foods Market

Alastair Wallace // Shutterstock


#5. WHOLE FOODS MARKET

- Popularity rating: 56%
- Fame rating: 96% (Rank: #2)

The first Whole Foods Market opened in Austin, Texas, in 1980. Now, 40 years
later, it has more than 500 stores specializing in natural and organic products.
In 2017, Amazon bought Whole Foods in a $13.7 billion cash deal. Under Amazon's
ownership, some prices dropped, but research in 2019 found Whole Foods had the
highest grocery chain prices in eight U.S. metropolitan areas.



#4. Kroger

Kevin Chen Images // Shutterstock


#4. KROGER

- Popularity rating: 60%
- Fame rating: 94% (Rank: #4)

With annual sales of more than $121 billion and almost 2,800 stores, Kroger is a
retail grocery giant. The first Kroger store, which opened in 1883 in
Cincinnati, pioneered baking its own bread and making some of its own products.
In the 1970s, the grocery retailer pioneered using electronic scanners.


#3. Aldi

Eric Glenn // Shutterstock


#3. ALDI

- Popularity rating: 62%
- Fame rating: 90% (Rank: #5)

More than 1,900 Aldi stores are located in 36 U.S. states. Nearly all—more than
90%—of the products they sell are Aldi brands, a system that is designed to
lower prices with its lower procurement costs. Aldi charges a 25-cent deposit
for use of its grocery carts so customers will return them to the cart corral.


#2. Trader Joe's

Tada Images // Shutterstock


#2. TRADER JOE'S

- Popularity rating: 63%
- Fame rating: 96% (Rank: #2)

Trader Joe's is known for its low-cost, private-label products, which started
when it introduced its own granola in 1972. In 2002, it added Charles Shaw
wines, which quickly earned the nickname "Two Buck Chuck." The 500-plus store
chain has a reputation for affordable prices and cheerful service.



#1. 7-Eleven

Sorbis // Shutterstock


#1. 7-ELEVEN

- Popularity rating: 63%
- Fame rating: 97% (Rank: #1)

The first convenience store, 7-Eleven, started in 1927, with the sale of food
from the dock of an icehouse in Dallas. By 1946, the store locations were named
7-Eleven for being open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7-Elevens were the first stores
to add fuel pumps, self-service soda vending machines, and ATMs.

Today, there are some 60,000 7-Elevens worldwide. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
2020 was the first time the store failed to celebrate July 11 (i.e., 7/11) by
offering free Slurpees to customers, a tradition it started in 2002 and resumed
in 2021. But in 2020, the company instead said it donated a million meals to a
charity to feed the hungry.

Data reporting by Paxtyn Merten. Story editing by Jeff Inglis. Copy editing by
Andrew Mangan. Photo selection by Abigail Renaud.


LOOK: 50 BELOVED RETAIL CHAINS THAT NO LONGER EXIST

Stacker takes a look at 50 major retail chains that no longer exist and the
reasons for their demise.  

Gallery Credit: Madison Troyer


Ames

Getty Images


AMES

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1958
- Year defunct: 2002
- Lifetime: 44 years


Before there was Walmart—four years before, to be exact—there was Ames. The
discount retailer used to sell a massive range of merchandise, including
apparel, electronics, housewares, patio furniture, jewelry, and beyond. After 44
years of business, the corporation filed for bankruptcy, closing 327 stores and
leaving 21,500 employees without jobs.

Anchor Blue

Monorail Orange // Wikimedia Commons


ANCHOR BLUE

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1972
- Year defunct: 2011
- Lifetime: 39 years

Anchor Blue, a teen clothing chain launched in 1972, filed for bankruptcy in
2011 after 39 years of business. At its height, the chain had more than 300
stores in the United States. But it could not survive the 2009 economic
downturn. By the time it closed, there were 117 stores, most of which were in
California.


BI-LO

Nolichuckyjake // Shutterstock


BI-LO

- Category: Grocery stores and supermarkets
- Year founded: 1961
- Year defunct: 2021
- Lifetime: 60 years

A former Winn-Dixie executive, Frank Outlaw, started the BI-LO supermarket chain
in 1961 when he purchased four grocery stores in the Greenville, South Carolina
area. Primarily located in the Southeast, BI-LO had hundreds of stores under its
banner at its peak in the early 2000s but wound up announcing bankruptcy in
2018. After a substantial effort to restructure, the chain closed up its last
locations in 2021.



Blockbuster

Pat Greenhouse/TheBoston Globe // Getty Images


BLOCKBUSTER

- Category: Video rental
- Year founded: 1985
- Year defunct: 2014
- Lifetime: 29 years

Founded in 1985, Blockbuster was once the entertainment giant of the world, with
more than 65 million registered customers and more than 9,000 stores in the
United States alone. But the rise of streaming services like Netflix began to
eat away at its profits, and in 2014 Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy with more
than $900 million in debt.


Borders

BrokenSphere // Wikimedia Commons


BORDERS

- Category: Bookstore
- Year founded: 1978
- Year defunct: 2011
- Lifetime: 33 years

Back in 2011, Borders—a book and music megastore—had to close its 400 stores
around the country when the company was liquidated. Unfortunately, much of
Borders' stock was CDs and DVDs, at the critical tipping point when everyone was
starting to go digital. Borders also failed to develop an online store, while
other retailers like Barnes & Noble moved into online sales. The last year
Borders actually made a profit was 2006.


Builders Square

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BUILDERS SQUARE

- Category: Home improvement
- Year founded: 1970
- Year defunct: 1999
- Lifetime: 29 years

When Home Depot and Menards came into the picture, the sun was setting on
Builders Square, one of the original large-scale home improvement stores. In
2011, the company filed for Chapter 11 and liquidated its remaining 117 stores.
Builders Square had been struggling for a few years before that and had been
sold off by Kmart in 1997. Still, the company failed to turn a profit and
eventually shut its doors.



Century 21

Spencer Platt // Getty Images


CENTURY 21

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1961
- Year defunct: 2020
- Lifetime: 59 years

Discount department store Century 21 was primarily located in the New York City
area, though there were a handful of locations in other Eastern Seaboard
locales. In 2020, thanks to diminished foot traffic brought about by the
COVID-19 pandemic and poor e-commerce sales, the beloved chain filed for Chapter
11 bankruptcy, devastating budget-bound fashionistas everywhere. Not all hope is
lost, however, as the company announced in 2022 that it would be reopening its
lower-Manhattan flagship store, albeit under a slightly different name—Century
21 NYC—meaning we might see the return of this designer giant after all.


Circuit City

Scott Olson // Getty Images


CIRCUIT CITY

- Category: Electronics
- Year founded: 1949
- Year defunct: 2009
- Lifetime: 60 years

Back in the 1970s and 1980s, Circuit City was on top of the electronics game. It
helped to pioneer the big-box concept, making a one-stop shop for everything
from televisions and stereos to refrigerators and automobiles, which spun off
into CarMax. At its height, Circuit City had 1,520 stores across the United
States and Canada. But in the 1990s, that began to change. CBS News analysis
attributed this to stores becoming too big—and therefore too impersonal—and the
fact that it stopped paying commissions to its sales team. When the financial
crisis struck, Circuit City began closing stores and laying off its employees,
eventually closing due to bankruptcy.


CompUSA

BRUCE BISPING/Star Tribune // Getty Images


COMPUSA

- Category: Electronics
- Year founded: 1984
- Year defunct: 2012
- Lifetime: 28 years

CompUSA, a consumer electronics retailer, ran into trouble in 2007 after prices
dropped on its most lucrative product, personal computers. With the rise of
stores like Best Buy, CompUSA struggled to make ends meet. It eventually filed
for bankruptcy and sold its 103 stores. That is until the company made a brief
comeback with a revamped sales approach, which also failed. It officially went
out of business in 2012.



Crazy Eddie

SVEN NACKSTRAND/AFP // Getty Images


CRAZY EDDIE

- Category: Electronics
- Year founded: 1971
- Year defunct: 2012
- Lifetime: 41 years

Old-school New Yorkers will remember the tale of Crazy Eddie quite well. The
commercial alone is legendary. What started as an electronics storefront in
Brooklyn grew to become the largest commercial electronics store in the New York
metropolitan area, in addition to 43 stores up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
But mostly what New Yorkers remember is how it all came crashing down when Eddie
Antar, the founder, was discovered to be skimming money and manipulating the
stock market. He fled the country to Israel and was later extradited to the
U.S., where he served seven years in prison.


Crown Books

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CROWN BOOKS

- Category: Bookstore
- Year founded: 1977
- Year defunct: 2001
- Lifetime: 24 years

Crown Books, a book retailer known for its deep discounts, came onto the scene
in Maryland in 1977, and subsequently began to expand all over the country. Over
the years, due to the death of its parent company and family drama between the
owners, Crown Books went through a series of bankruptcies and was completely out
of business by 2001.


Delia's

Mike Mozart // Wikimedia Commons


DELIA'S

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1993
- Year defunct: 2014
- Lifetime: 21 years

Women in their 30s today still remember Delia's, the teen fashion chain that had
95 stores in malls across America. But as fast fashion brands like H&M, Forever
21, and Zara became more popular, Delia's began to struggle. The company filed
for bankruptcy in 2014: It had not turned a profit since early 2011.



Dominick's

Retaildesigner // Wikipedia


DOMINICK'S

- Category: Grocery store
- Year founded: 1918
- Year defunct: 2013
- Lifetime: 95 years

Chicagoans remember Dominick's, a real-life example of the American Dream.
Founded by Dominick DiMatteo more than 100 years ago, the grocery store chain
became a beloved icon of the Chicago area. It was purchased by Safeway in 1998.
At the time there were 116 stores and $2.6 billion in sales. Eventually,
Dominick's began to lose customers because it failed to adapt to shifts in the
industry and lost customers because it didn't see value in the prices of its
goods. Customers started fleeing to competitors, and eventually operational
costs were too high to maintain.


Dressbarn

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DRESSBARN

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1962
- Year defunct: 2019
- Lifetime: 57 years

In 2019, all 650 Dressbarn stores were among the thousands of retail shops that
closed. In Dressbarn's case, the problems were declining customer numbers and
sales volumes. Its parent company, Ascena Retail Group, owns Ann Taylor and
Loft, which remain open.


Eckerd's

Michael Brown // Getty Images


ECKERD'S

- Category: Drug store
- Year founded: 1898
- Year defunct: 2007
- Lifetime: 109 years

For more than 100 years, Eckerd's was much more than a household name. It
started in 1898 in Erie, Pennsylvania, when J. Milton Eckerd opened his first
store. Over time, the empire had more than 2,000 stores in 20 states. In 2007,
Rite-Aid Corporation acquired Eckerd's and converted its stores to Rite-Aids in
the quest to be the country's largest drugstore chain, competing with Walgreens
and CVS.



Family Video

Eric Glenn // Shutterstock


FAMILY VIDEO

- Category: Video rental
- Year founded: 1978
- Year defunct: 2022
- Lifetime: 44 years

When Family Video finally went out of business in 2022, it was the last
remaining brick-and-mortar media retail chain in the country. Located primarily
in more rural towns and mid-sized cities, initially to avoid competition with
Blockbuster, the company had managed to survive for so long because it owned all
of the land and buildings its shops were built on and in. It also had worked
hard to diversify its offerings, at one point even partnering with a pizza brand
to give customers a one-stop-shop for their night in. Like many other businesses
on our list, Family Video blamed the pandemic for its failure, citing the lack
of foot traffic and fewer movie releases as major problems.


Frank's Nursery & Crafts

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FRANK'S NURSERY & CRAFTS

- Category: Home decor and craft stores
- Year founded: 1957
- Year defunct: 2004
- Lifetime: 47 years

Frank's Nursery & Crafts, one of the country's largest lawn and garden
retailers, was founded in 1957 in Detroit. The store stocked its shelves with
live plants, fertilizers, and garden tools. But, a weakening economy took its
toll on the chain, which at the time of its closing operated 169 stores in 14
states. It filed for bankruptcy in 2004 after listing $141 million in debt and
failing to find a loan to bail it out.


Friedman's

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FRIEDMAN'S

- Category: Jewelry
- Year founded: 1920
- Year defunct: 2008
- Lifetime: 88 years

The Oklahoma jewelry chain Friedman's Jewelers was founded in 1920 and remained
a family-run business until 1990. It had 20 stores across the state. But for a
few years before closing, the company had experienced financial instability and
allegations of wrongdoing, including a slew of civil lawsuits. Friedman's filed
for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2005.



Golfsmith

Michael N. Todaro/Golfsmith // Getty Images


GOLFSMITH

- Category: Sports
- Year founded: 1967
- Year defunct: 2016
- Lifetime: 49 years

Once the largest golf retailer in the country, and the world, Golfsmith
International filed for bankruptcy due to a multi-million dollar mountain of
debt. When it filed under Chapter 11, the chain had 109 stores in the United
States.


Gottschalks

Mrwrite // Wikimedia Commons


GOTTSCHALKS

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1904
- Year defunct: 2009
- Lifetime: 105 years

One of the biggest department store chains in America, Gottschalks ended its
105-year legacy with a court-ordered liquidation. Founded by Emil Gottschalk, a
German immigrant in 1904, Gottschalks had 58 department stores in the Western
U.S. When it folded, the company had somewhere between $100 million and $500
million in debt and up to 25,000 creditors.


Hollywood Video

Craig Mitchelldyer // Getty Images


HOLLYWOOD VIDEO

- Category: Video rental
- Year founded: 1988
- Year defunct: 2010
- Lifetime: 22 years
Hollywood Video was yet another Netflix casualty. Falling victim to losing
customers thanks to the rise of DVDs through the mail and streaming sites,
Hollywood Video closed its 1,900 remaining stores in 2010. The company reported
debts between $500 million and $1 billion when it made the decision.


Hudson's

Bettmann // Getty Images


HUDSON'S

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1881
- Year defunct: 2001
- Lifetime: 120 years

The J.L. Hudson Company, aka Hudson's, was a Detroit legend. Opened in 1911 by
Joseph Lowthian Hudson, the iconic Detroit department store was an anchor for
the then-thriving city. At the time, it was the second-biggest department store
in America, second only to Macy's in New York. Hudson's was also the tallest
department store in the world at one time. Over the years, however, Detroit's
population began to dwindle as the economy of the city declined. As the people
faded away, so did Hudson's, including stores in the suburbs and elsewhere
around the nation. The flagship store closed in January 1983 after 102 years in
business. The building stood empty until 1998 when it was demolished, ending an
era for Detroit.


Just for Feet

MarkBuckawicki // Wikimedia Commons


JUST FOR FEET

- Category: Shoes
- Year founded: 1977
- Year defunct: 2004
- Lifetime: 27 years

Just For Feet was one of the original superstores in America. Founded by Harold
Ruttenberg, the first store opened in 1988 in Birmingham, Alabama, offering a
massive selection of athletic shoes at deeply-discounted prices. The brand began
to expand like wildfire. Just for Feet was named America's sixth-fastest-growing
company by Fortune magazine in 1997. In 1999, Ruttenberg scored an enviable time
slot for a Super Bowl ad, but the commercial that ran was so culturally and
racially insensitive that it spiraled into a host of image issues for Just for
Feet. The company was forced to file for Chapter 11, and its assets were sold in
2000.


Kaufmann's

Philip Rink Jr. // Shutterstock


KAUFMANN'S

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1871
- Year defunct: 2006
- Lifetime: 135 years

Kaufmann's Department Store, an icon of historic Pittsburgh, was founded in 1871
by Jason and Isaac Kaufmann, two brothers who had emigrated from Germany. The
business grew quickly and acquired several adjacent addresses. Over the years,
the building received many interior touches and updates, many of which are icons
themselves, like the Kaufmann clock and the grand staircase. This building
remained the flagship, as other branches popped up in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and
New York. In 2006, the brand and regional branches were purchased by and
converted into Macy's.



KB Toys

Jeff Gritchen/Digital First Media/Orange County Register // Getty Images


KB TOYS

- Category: Toys
- Year founded: 1922
- Year defunct: 2009
- Lifetime: 87 years

From 1922 to 2009, KB Toys was America's reigning toy store, with more than
1,300 stores across the country. Eventually, however, the company could not keep
up with competitor Toys "R" Us, which acquired KB Toys' website, trademarks, and
intellectual property rights. There was talk of a KB Toys revival after Toys "R"
Us went out of business, but that has yet to come to fruition.


Kids 'R' Us

Sheila Fitzgerald // Shutterstock


KIDS 'R' US

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1983
- Year defunct: 2004
- Lifetime: 21 years

In 1983, Kids "R" Us opened as an offshoot of Toys "R" Us. The company sold
children's clothing at discount prices. The company was open for 20 years, with
146 stores. It closed in 2004 following prolonged disappointing sales.


Linens 'n Things

Ildar Sagdejev // Wikimedia Commons


LINENS 'N THINGS

- Category: Housewares and accessories
- Year founded: 1975
- Year defunct: 2008
- Lifetime: 33 years

Linens 'n Things was a popular niche retailer that sold household items. At its
height, it had 589 stores all over the country. Its demise was caused by a
variety of things, including a decline in housing sales, higher prices for goods
made in China, and the burden of paying $650 million in debt. By 2008, the
company had filed a reorganization plan but was forced to have a liquidation
sale.



Marshall Field's

MARLIN LEVISON/Star Tribune // Getty Images


MARSHALL FIELD'S

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1852
- Year defunct: 2006
- Lifetime: 154 years

Marshall Field's, whose flagship was in Chicago, was an icon for the Windy City.
Founded in 1852, the original store on State Street was once the largest in the
world. The brand expanded and added more department stores all over the country.
Eventually, through a series of sales to various other retailers, the
then-parent company of Marshall Field's, the May Company, was acquired by
Federated Department Stores, Inc., the operator of Macy's, and Marshall Field's
became part of that empire.


Merry-Go-Round

SKIDZ // Wikimedia Commons


MERRY-GO-ROUND

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1968
- Year defunct: 1996
- Lifetime: 28 years

Merry-Go-Round, the flagship brand of Merry-Go-Round Enterprises, was one of the
more popular fashion brands in the 1980s and 1990s. In fact, the company
purchased the Chess King chain in 1993, which doubled its size. But after being
one of the leaders in fashion for a few decades, a few false moves started to
put it on a decline—namely, the company bet on styles that just weren't popular
with teens at the time. Eventually, it was forced to file for Chapter 11 and
began to liquidate assets in 1996.


Mervyn's

Jerry Cleveland/The Denver Post // Getty Images


MERVYN'S

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1949
- Year defunct: 2009
- Lifetime: 60 years

What started as a single department store in San Lorenzo, California, erupted
into a West Coast empire. Selling work pants and school clothes, the department
store was frequented by middle-class families. At its peak, Mervyn's had 300
stores in 16 states. Eventually, owner Mervin Morris sold the name to Dayton
Hudson, which is where the downfall began. The new owner couldn't keep up with
changing economic times and declared bankruptcy in 2008.



Modell's Sporting Goods

Dorann Weber / Contributor // Getty Images


MODELL'S SPORTING GOODS

- Category: Camping, sports, or athletic stores
- Year founded: 1889
- Year defunct: 2020
- Lifetime: 131 years

Diminished sports apparel sales and millions of dollars of debt are what finally
brought Modell's Sporting Goods to its knees after a 131-year run. The
Manhattan-founded retail chain had 141 stores and some 3,600 employees when it
closed its doors in 2020. But folks who can't imagine buying jerseys and cleats
without "going to Mo's" can still use the store's website to get everything they
need.


Noodle Kidoodle

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NOODLE KIDOODLE

- Category: Toys
- Year founded: 1931
- Year defunct: 2000
- Lifetime: 69 years

Noodle Kidoodle was a chain of toy stores that sold educational toys for kids.
Its slogan was "Kids learn best when they're having fun!" But in 2000, a
competitor, Zany Brainy, which was owned by Toys "R" Us, acquired Noodle
Kidoodle, which ultimately led to Zany Brainy's bankruptcy and the end of both
chains.


Payless ShoeSource

Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine // Wikimedia Commons


PAYLESS SHOESOURCE

- Category: Shoes
- Year founded: 1956
- Year defunct: 2019
- Lifetime: 63 years

Payless ShoeSource was one of the top retailers of discount shoes. It had more
than 3,500 stores in 40 different countries. The company filed for Chapter 11 in
2017, which resulted in the shuttering of 673 stores. In 2019, the company
announced that it would close its 2,100 stores in the United States, as well as
shut down its e-commerce site.



Pier 1 Imports

Bruce Bennett // Getty Images


PIER 1 IMPORTS

- Category: Home decor and craft stores
- Year founded: 1962
- Year defunct: 2020
- Lifetime: 58 years

First opened in San Mateo, California, to sell bean bag chairs, incense, and
love beads to hippies, Pier 1 Imports was known for stocking some of the most
unique home goods on the market. In 2020, the company filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and its inability to find a buyer as
reasons for its failure. The website is still functional, though, for folks in
the market for a good throw pillow or off-the-wall china pattern.


Sam Goody

Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images


SAM GOODY

- Category: Music
- Year founded: 1951
- Year defunct: 2006
- Lifetime: 55 years

Everyone's favorite record store started in Manhattan in the 1940s. Later, this
shop became the flagship store in a booming empire of record and CD stores
across the country. In fact, the flagship location accounted for 7% of the
nation's sales of 33 ⅓ rpm records in 1955. Eventually, owner Sam Goody sold the
business to the American Can Company but stayed on as a consultant for a few
years. The company was sold several more times. Ultimately, all of the Sam Goody
locations were transformed into FYE entertainment retail stores.


Sharper Image

David Jennings/Digital First Media/Boulder Daily Camera // Getty Images


SHARPER IMAGE

- Category: Electronics
- Year founded: 1977
- Year defunct: 2008
- Lifetime: 31 years

What happened to the Sharper Image? In a word: Apple. But it's a little more
complicated than that. First, it was Best Buy and Amazon, which started stocking
the same high-end, cutting-edge products that previously could only be found in
stores like Sharper Image. But once Apple became the new cool kid on the block
for techies, Sharper Image's days were numbered. Investors bought the company,
but in 2008, it declared bankruptcy.



Sports Authority

Daniel Ramirez // Wikimedia Commons


SPORTS AUTHORITY

- Category: Sports
- Year founded: 1928
- Year defunct: 2016
- Lifetime: 88 years

Sports Authority, one of the largest sports retailers in the country, was known
for its deep discounts. In 2006, the peak year for the retailer, the company was
purchased by a hedge fund. But mounting debt forced the company to call it quits
in 2016 after filing for bankruptcy. The company could not make a deal with its
creditors and lenders and was forced to sell all its assets.


Sports Chalet

Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times // Getty Images


SPORTS CHALET

- Category: Sports
- Year founded: 1959
- Year defunct: 2016
- Lifetime: 57 years

Yet another sports retail chain to bite the dust in 2016, Sport Chalet shuttered
47 stores in California, Arizona, and Nevada. The chain started in 1959 with one
tennis and ski shop. Over time, it developed into one of the larger regional
chains that offered a wide range of services, even scuba training and
certification. In 2014, the chain had more than $50 million in debt. It was
bought by Vestis Retail Group. Two years later, the chain met its demise.


Steve & Barry's

Nick22aku // Wikimedia Commons


STEVE & BARRY'S

- Category: Casual clothing
- Year founded: 1985
- Year defunct: 2009
- Lifetime: 24 years

In 2008, Steve & Barry's was forced to shut down. The company was known for its
substantially low prices. After filing for bankruptcy and being sold to
investment firms for $168 million, the new owners also filed for bankruptcy, and
a plan was put in motion to liquidate its 173 stores.



The Limited

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THE LIMITED

- Category: Clothing
- Year founded: 1957
- Year defunct: 2017
- Lifetime: 60 years

When it came to women's casual clothing and workwear, The Limited was one of
those at the top, with more than 750 stores all over the U.S. The Limited also
acquired Victoria's Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch and launched the wildly
popular teen store, Limited Too. But with the rise of e-commerce sites and fast
fashion brands, stores like The Limited struggled. Eventually, it had to close
its remaining 250 stores, lay off its workers, and file for bankruptcy.


Thom McAn

Angus B. McVicar/Wisconsin Historical Society // Getty Images


THOM MCAN

- Category: Shoes
- Year founded: 1922
- Year defunct: 1996
- Lifetime: 74 years

It was once "America's shoe store." For 74 years, Thom McAn was a favorite for
reasonably priced footwear. In fact, when it was founded in 1922, it was
designed as a place to sell nice shoes for $3. But with the rise of shopping
malls and trendier stores, Thom McAn's numbers dwindled. A restructuring plan
saw the brand change the name of its remaining stores to Footaction while the
rest folded.


Tower Records

Chris Walter/Wire Image // Getty Images


TOWER RECORDS

- Category: Music
- Year founded: 1960
- Year defunct: 2006
- Lifetime: 46 years

Many Americans' youth was defined by Tower Records. The legendary music store
was a trailblazer in the industry, with stores all over the country, each
curated by the on-site staff. Their collections were highly localized and packed
with passion. But with the rise of online music and discount chains like Best
Buy, Tower's prices were undercut and sales began to suffer. The chain lost
money 13 quarters in a row. In 2006, it declared bankruptcy for the second time.



Tweeter

Ildar Sagdejev // Wikimedia Commons


TWEETER

- Category: Electronics
- Year founded: 1972
- Year defunct: 2008
- Lifetime: 36 years

Tweeter was a consumer electronics retailer founded in 1972 and known for its
TVs, radios, and home theater systems. It was also the company that held the
naming rights to the concert venue the Tweeter Center, which is now the Xfinity
Center outside Boston. With the presence of electronics and bargain retailers
like Best Buy and Walmart, Tweeter's profits began to suffer. By June 2007, it
filed for bankruptcy, and by 2008, all of its stores were closed.


Virgin Megastores

KMazur/WireImage for Epic Records // Getty Images


VIRGIN MEGASTORES

- Category: Entertainment
- Year founded: 1992
- Year defunct: 2007
- Lifetime: 15 years

The first Virgin Megastore opened in the 1970s in London. It was because of
Virgin Megastore that Richard Branson became a household name. Come 2005, it was
reported that the music retailer had lost almost $340 million in the previous
two years, and was only staying afloat due to loans. Branson sold the chain in
2007. In 2009, the final Megastores in operation, in New York and San Francisco,
folded.


Waldenbooks

Tim Boyle // Getty Images


WALDENBOOKS

- Category: Bookstore
- Year founded: 1933
- Year defunct: 2011
- Lifetime: 78 years

Waldenbooks originally opened in 1933 as a lending library, to boost morale
following the Great Depression. Founders Lawrence W. Holt and Melvin T. Kafka
would lend books out for 3 cents a day, which would provide people with cheap
entertainment without having to commit to the cost of purchasing. In the 1950s,
when paperbacks came out, it was so cheap to actually sell books that the pair
converted their rental libraries into retail outlets. However, sales started to
stagnate and decline with the rise of other book retailers. Borders purchased
the company, but eventually, Waldenbooks had to close as a way for Borders to
save itself.



Warner Bros. Studio Store

Evan Agostini/Liaison // Getty Images


WARNER BROS. STUDIO STORE

- Category: Film and comic merchandise
- Year founded: 1991
- Year defunct: 2005
- Lifetime: 14 years

In 1991, Warner Bros., the popular film studio, opened a series of retail stores
selling all manner of merchandise relating to its movies, including Looney Tunes
and DC Comics items. By 1997, there were more than 100 locations, including a
three-story building at 1 Times Square. A few years later, AOL Time merged with
Warner, and as part of the agreement, the chain was put up for sale and stores
started closing. On Sept. 11, 2001, the Warner Brothers Studio Store at the
World Trade Center was destroyed, along with the Twin Towers. Other stores
started closing rapidly. The last one shuttered on Dec. 31, 2001.


Western Auto

Wirestock Creators // Shutterstock


WESTERN AUTO

- Category: Automotive
- Year founded: 1909
- Year defunct: 2003
- Lifetime: 94 years

Western Auto, officially Western Auto Supply Company, was a chain selling car
parts and accessories. Later it would sell firearms, bicycles, and more. It
started in 1909 as a mail-order business in Kansas City, founded by George
Pepperdine, who also founded Pepperdine University in California. Ultimately,
there were about 1,200 company-owned stores across the United States, as well as
more than 4,000 private franchises. Later, Western Auto went through a series of
sales to other companies, one of them being Sears. By 2006, the brand was
officially out of business.


Wickes Furniture

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WICKES FURNITURE

- Category: Furniture store
- Year founded: 1971
- Year defunct: 2008
- Lifetime: 37 years

Wickes Furniture was once the go-to spot for decorating the entire home. Founded
in 1971, with its first showroom in Minnesota, the company eventually grew to
operate 43 stores in the Western and Midwestern U.S. But come 2008, furniture
companies were hit hard by the housing crisis. A slower housing market and the
economic downturn meant people weren't buying as many homes—and certainly
weren't refurnishing them. In February 2008, a group of liquidators bought
Wickes' inventory, and more than $75 million worth of furniture was sold off.



Woolworth's

Martin Forstenzer // Getty Images


WOOLWORTH'S

- Category: Department store
- Year founded: 1879
- Year defunct: 1997
- Lifetime: 118 years

Remember the original five-and-dime stores? Well, they basically started with
Woolworth's. Selling factory-made goods at remarkably low rates, Woolworth's was
the first brand to expand internationally, with more than 5,000 stores around
the world. In the mid-1920s, a Woolworth's store opened, on average, every 17
days. After World War II, growth slowed due to the rise of competitors. As
quickly as Woolworth's accelerated, by the 1970s stores started shutting down in
batches. Eventually, competition from discount retailers forced Woolworth's to
close its variety stores in 1997.


Zany Brainy

Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times // Getty Images


ZANY BRAINY

- Category: Children's educational toys
- Year founded: 1991
- Year defunct: 2001
- Lifetime: 10 years

Zany Brainy was one of the industry leaders in educational toys. At its peak,
there were 184 stores in 34 states. In 2000, it was so ahead of the pack that it
bought out rival toy chain Noodle Kidoodle in a $35 million deal. But this
ultimately led to the combined company's demise. The acquisition of Noodle's 60
stores in a weakening toy market created a situation that was unsustainable for
Zany Brainy, which filed for bankruptcy in 2001.

Filed Under: Bridgewater, Somerset County
Categories: New Jersey News, Ultimate New Jersey
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