Okla-homey
4/13/2007, 06:41 AM
April 13, 1852 F.W. Woolworth is born
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1069/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz20.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Frank Winfield Woolworth (1852-1919)
A century before the emergence of retail giants like Wal-Mart and its ghey counterpart Target, today's birthday boy, Frank Winfield Woolworth, pioneered the notion of the discount variety store.
http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/3382/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz32.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Frank Woolworth was born on this day in this house in Rodman NY.
Born in Rodman, New York, 155 years ago on this day in 1852, Woolworth had tried for a number of years to establish his own business. But, his various ventures met with failure. However, in the winter of 1879, Woolworth's fortunes changed, as he opened the Great 5 Cents Store in Utica, New York.
http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/6577/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz25.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rather than specializing in one product or line, Woolworth stuffed his store with kitchen wares, beauty items and an array of other goods, none of which cost more than a nickel. Though the Utica branch of the store was eventually forced to shut its doors, Woolworth's concept soon proved to be a smashing success.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7540/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz21.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Typical 1950's Woolworth store
Later in 1879, he opened another discount store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; though it was a tad pricier than its predecessor--Woolworth sold items that cost up to ten cents:eek: --Pennsylvanians loved the store. Having finally hit pay dirt, Woolworth set about opening a small army of discount stores across the nation.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/5059/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz18.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Typical mid-20c. Woolworth's. This one was in New Orleans
In 1911, Woolworth solidified his kingdom by merging with four retail rivals. That same year, Woolworth incorporated his empire, which now numbered over 1,000 shops, and rechristened it under a more familiar name, Woolworth's. The Woolworth Building was erected in New York City in 1913, the highest building in the world (792 ft/241.4 m) at that time.
Frank Winfield Woolworth died in 1919.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9161/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz17.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Woolworth building in NYC. For a time, it was the world's tallest.
Woolworth's stores specialized in the sale of everyday household and personal items at bargain prices. They were able to undersell their local, home-owned rivals for several reasons, but foremost among these was their ability to turn profits through high sales volume rather than through large mark-ups on the prices of individual product lines. Woolworth's stores also played a role in the social life of local residents.
In 1924, Woolworth Company was added to the Dow Industrial Average. The last Woolworth stores were closed in 1998 having been succumbed to the ginormous power of the little line of stores started by an Okie born near Kingfisher named Sam Walton.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8850/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz19.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In the last decades of Woolworth's existence, they tried a Wal-Mart style venture called "Woolco" but it couldn't compete. We had one for a few years in Ardmore in the 70's.
Before getting in the retail biz, the man who killed Woolworth's took a job in a Du Pont munitions plant near Tulsa, Oklahoma. While working and living near Tulsa, Sam met his future wife and fellow Okie Helen Robson. She lived in Claremore where she graduated valedictorian of her class at Claremore High and went on to the University of Oklahoma graduating with a degree in business. They were married on Valentine's Day in 1943.
Sam served in the Army in WWII, and after his discharge drove the first nail into Woolworth's coffin when he opened the first Wal-Mart in Rogers AR in 1962.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/492/insane7zo4bf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1069/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz20.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Frank Winfield Woolworth (1852-1919)
A century before the emergence of retail giants like Wal-Mart and its ghey counterpart Target, today's birthday boy, Frank Winfield Woolworth, pioneered the notion of the discount variety store.
http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/3382/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz32.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Frank Woolworth was born on this day in this house in Rodman NY.
Born in Rodman, New York, 155 years ago on this day in 1852, Woolworth had tried for a number of years to establish his own business. But, his various ventures met with failure. However, in the winter of 1879, Woolworth's fortunes changed, as he opened the Great 5 Cents Store in Utica, New York.
http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/6577/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz25.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Rather than specializing in one product or line, Woolworth stuffed his store with kitchen wares, beauty items and an array of other goods, none of which cost more than a nickel. Though the Utica branch of the store was eventually forced to shut its doors, Woolworth's concept soon proved to be a smashing success.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/7540/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz21.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Typical 1950's Woolworth store
Later in 1879, he opened another discount store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; though it was a tad pricier than its predecessor--Woolworth sold items that cost up to ten cents:eek: --Pennsylvanians loved the store. Having finally hit pay dirt, Woolworth set about opening a small army of discount stores across the nation.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/5059/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz18.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Typical mid-20c. Woolworth's. This one was in New Orleans
In 1911, Woolworth solidified his kingdom by merging with four retail rivals. That same year, Woolworth incorporated his empire, which now numbered over 1,000 shops, and rechristened it under a more familiar name, Woolworth's. The Woolworth Building was erected in New York City in 1913, the highest building in the world (792 ft/241.4 m) at that time.
Frank Winfield Woolworth died in 1919.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/9161/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz17.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The Woolworth building in NYC. For a time, it was the world's tallest.
Woolworth's stores specialized in the sale of everyday household and personal items at bargain prices. They were able to undersell their local, home-owned rivals for several reasons, but foremost among these was their ability to turn profits through high sales volume rather than through large mark-ups on the prices of individual product lines. Woolworth's stores also played a role in the social life of local residents.
In 1924, Woolworth Company was added to the Dow Industrial Average. The last Woolworth stores were closed in 1998 having been succumbed to the ginormous power of the little line of stores started by an Okie born near Kingfisher named Sam Walton.
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8850/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz19.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
In the last decades of Woolworth's existence, they tried a Wal-Mart style venture called "Woolco" but it couldn't compete. We had one for a few years in Ardmore in the 70's.
Before getting in the retail biz, the man who killed Woolworth's took a job in a Du Pont munitions plant near Tulsa, Oklahoma. While working and living near Tulsa, Sam met his future wife and fellow Okie Helen Robson. She lived in Claremore where she graduated valedictorian of her class at Claremore High and went on to the University of Oklahoma graduating with a degree in business. They were married on Valentine's Day in 1943.
Sam served in the Army in WWII, and after his discharge drove the first nail into Woolworth's coffin when he opened the first Wal-Mart in Rogers AR in 1962.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/492/insane7zo4bf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)