Mervyn's: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:1stMervynslogo.PNG|200px|thumb|left|Mervyns' original logo that was used from [[1962]] until [[1990]], but still seen at many locations.]] |
[[Image:1stMervynslogo.PNG|200px|thumb|left|Mervyns' original logo that was used from [[1962]] until [[1990]], but still seen at many locations.]] |
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The first Mervyns store opened in [[1949]] in [[San Lorenzo, California]], named after the founder [[Mervin G. Morris]] (and adopting the misspelling on the company's first sign). However, the Dayton Hudson Corporation (later known as [[Target Corporation]]) acquired the company in [[1979]]. |
The first Mervyns store opened in [[1949]] in [[San Lorenzo, California]], named after the founder [[Mervin G. Morris]] (and adopting the misspelling on the company's first sign). However, the Dayton Hudson Corporation (later known as [[Target Corporation]]) acquired the company in [[1979]]. |
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[[Image:Mervyns_dollardays.PNG|250px|thumb|right|Mervyns' dollar days.]] |
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=== Mervyn's in the Southeast === |
=== Mervyn's in the Southeast === |
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Revision as of 03:44, 17 December 2006
| File:Mervyns Logo.gif | |
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1949 San Lorenzo, California |
| Headquarters | Hayward, California |
Key people | Rick Leto, President and CMO |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, and housewares. |
| Website | www.mervyns.com |
Mervyns is a department store chain based in Hayward, California. It carries national brands of clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, and housewares. Many of the company's stores are found in shopping malls. As of December 2006, Mervyns has 189 stores in 10 states.[1] However, Mervyns will pull out of Oregon and Washington by February 2007, reducing its store count to 172 stores in 8 states.[2]
History
The first Mervyns store opened in 1949 in San Lorenzo, California, named after the founder Mervin G. Morris (and adopting the misspelling on the company's first sign). However, the Dayton Hudson Corporation (later known as Target Corporation) acquired the company in 1979.
Mervyn's in the Southeast
In 1986, Mervyn's made a major expansion into the Southeast, especially the Atlanta market. The chain had never previously been in Georgia, but competed for mall space with J.C. Penney and got top anchor spots at several area malls. Known Mervyn's locations in the Atlanta area were Town Center Mall, Shannon Mall, North Dekalb Mall, Gwinnett Place Mall and North Point Mall. The Akers Mill Crossing strip center across from Cumberland Mall in Smyrna was also a location.
The chain, however, failed to sustain itself in the Atlanta market and left the area in 1997.[3] J.C. Penney acquired and converted the Town Center, Shannon and Gwinnett Place stores in 1997. The others became a movie theater at North Dekalb, a Parisian at North Point and a Sports Authority at the Smyrna strip center.
Mervyn's closed all of its Florida stores in 1998.
Mervyn's California
From the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, the stores were rebranded as Mervyn's California, in an effort to identify with their West Coast heritage. Mervyn's TV commercials and catalogs featured former San Francisco 49er's quarterback Joe Montana in their advertising and one of its popular commercials, "Open, Open, Open." After this, the company later reverted to the original name after seeing no marked improvements.
Split from Target
In July 2004, Mervyn's was bought from the Target Corporation by a group of investors including private investment firm and turnaround specialist Sun Capital Partners, Inc of Boca Raton, Florida, Cerberus Capital Management of New York, and real estate investment company Lubert-Adler Management Inc. of Philadelphia, immediately closing its Minnesota stores.[4] Rick Leto was named the new president and chief merchandising officer in January 2005. The company announced in September 2005 that it would focus exclusively on Western and Southwestern markets, and planned to close its stores in Michigan, Oklahoma, and Louisiana by February 2006. Twenty-eight of the 62 stores announced for closure were locations in the 40-store Texas market, a market Mervyn's entered in 1981.[5] In addition, the store has closed its location in the upscale Washington Square mall in Tigard, Oregon; in January, the company announced plans to close its 17 remaining Oregon and Washington stores by 2007. A Salt Lake City, Utah area store, located in Crossroads Plaza, closed on March 2006.
MARS
As of June 2006, Mervyn's has implemented new technology in an effort to become recognized as a more independent company, as well as to keep up with the demands of customers and other retail companies, such as Wal-Mart or its former parent company, the Target Corporation. The new technological program, known as MARS (Mervyns Advanced Retail Systems), features more streamlined and efficient cash register functions, as well as a simpler system of store merchandise distribution and logistics.
References
- ^ Mervyns.com Store Locator
- ^ Mervyns gets a makeover, San Francisco Chronicle, December 14, 2006.
- ^ Parisian to open in Mervyn's spot at North Point, Atlanta Business Chronicle, April 4, 1997
- ^ "Target selling Marshall Field's, closing Minnesota Mervyn's stores". Houston Business Journal. June 10, 2004. Retrieved 9 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Mervyn's to close 62 stores, exit Houston market". Houston Business Journal. September 7, 2005. Retrieved 9 October.
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