Bergner's
Encyclopedia
Bergner's is a major department store
in central and northern Illinois
, established in 1889 in Peoria, Illinois
, and offering mid-line to higher end merchandise in their largest stores. The current flagship store is located in Peoria at The Shoppes at Grande Prairie.
In April 2003, after the four year process of the "Shoppes at Grand Prairie" lifestyle center development, Bergner's would open its newest location that currently serves as their flagship and is the largest departments store south of Chicago and North of St. Louis.
, in 1978. In 1985, Bergner's acquired Boston Store
and all of its department stores in Wisconsin
along with three Gimbel's
locations. In 1989, P.A. Bergner bought Chicago's Carson Pirie Scott
for over $450 million. Carson's itself had just bought Minneapolis-based Donaldson's
in November 1987. With this, Bergner's was a major Midwestern presence, with stores in five states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota
, Indiana
, and Iowa
, operating under the Bergner's, Carson Pirie Scott, and Boston Store names.
His son owned the company until his suicide in 1938 in Henry, Illinois
.
Maus Frères
SA, based in Geneva
, Switzerland
, acquired the company at that point and gave the store its unique red logo of six hexagons, an emblem Bergner's now shares with five corporate siblings as well as two current Maus subsidiaries.
The downtown Peoria store would remain in service to the community until the mid-1980s.
In 2000 the store was imploded to make way for the Robert Morris College of Peoria building. In memory to the long history of Bergners to that location, the cornerstone of the red rock building is still on display outside the entrance to the college.
, with the company coming out of Chapter 11 in 1993 with the new name Carson Pirie Scott & Co. and becoming a publicly-traded company.
Proffitt's
Inc. (now Saks Incorporated
) bought the company in 1998 and named the purchased group of stores the Northern Department Store group internally; its purchase increased the northern presence of the Saks company.
and McRae's
to Charlotte, North Carolina
-based Belk
, Inc. On October 31, 2005, Saks announced that it was selling Bergner's and its other Northern Department Store Group stores (Carson Pirie Scott, Younkers
, Boston Store
, and Herberger's
) to Bon-Ton Stores in a $1.1 billion deal; the transaction was completed on March 6, 2006. , the Bergner's name is used at 14 locations, all in Illinois.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in central and northern Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, established in 1889 in Peoria, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
, and offering mid-line to higher end merchandise in their largest stores. The current flagship store is located in Peoria at The Shoppes at Grande Prairie.
Beginnings
Bergner's was founded in downtown Peoria in 1889 by Peter Alan Bergner. The claim to fame from the department store was its access to the local railroad just two blocks south of the store. The famous red stone building housed six floors that included a tea room, a millinery, a cobbler, and its famous Fine China department with "China in-stock for dining tonight." The store stood on the corner of Adams at Fulton streets across from the then rival, Block & Kuhl Company.Expansion
In 1957, a second Peoria Bergner's location was open at the then-suburban Sheridan Village Shopping Center. Between 1961 and 1973 the Bergner's location at Sheridan Village sold the most merchandise per square foot of any department store in the United States. This Bergner's was the largest department store in Illinois outside of the Chicago area. During the 1970s the chain would open several suburban locations of smaller size in target markets including stores in Pekin, Bloomington, Decatur, Champaign, Galesburg, Quincy and Peru. During the 1970s Bergner's opened a new concept budget store (formated after the original bargain basement downtown store) in the Madison Park Shopping Center in Peoria. Not expanding on this concept,the Madison Park Store was closed in the late 1980s.In April 2003, after the four year process of the "Shoppes at Grand Prairie" lifestyle center development, Bergner's would open its newest location that currently serves as their flagship and is the largest departments store south of Chicago and North of St. Louis.
Mergers & Acquisitions
The late 1970s and 1980s saw change for Bergner's. It acquired the eight stores of Myers Brothers Company of Springfield, IllinoisSpringfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, in 1978. In 1985, Bergner's acquired Boston Store
Boston Store
-History:The Boston Store is mentioned in Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie" published in 1900 and Carl Sandburg's Mamie, part of his 1916 Chicago Poems collection....
and all of its department stores in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
along with three Gimbel's
Gimbel's
Gimbel Brothers was an American department store corporation from 1887 through the late 20th century. The store is known for creating the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade, the oldest parade in the country. Gimbels was also once the largest department store chain in the country...
locations. In 1989, P.A. Bergner bought Chicago's Carson Pirie Scott
Carson Pirie Scott
Carson Pirie Scott & Co., known informally as Carson's, is an upscale chain of department stores that have been in business for over 150 years. Their product price points are targeted to the moderate-to-upscale shopper...
for over $450 million. Carson's itself had just bought Minneapolis-based Donaldson's
Donaldson's
Donaldson's, also known as The L. S. Donaldson Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota is a defunct department store company.-History:The L. S. Donaldson Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1883 by Scottish Immigrants. Built in 1884, the building was known as "The Glass Block" because of its...
in November 1987. With this, Bergner's was a major Midwestern presence, with stores in five states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, operating under the Bergner's, Carson Pirie Scott, and Boston Store names.
Later years
The company was family-owned by P.A. Bergner until his death in the mid-1920s.His son owned the company until his suicide in 1938 in Henry, Illinois
Henry, Illinois
Henry is a city in Marshall County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,540 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Henry is located at ....
.
Maus Frères
Maus Frères
Maus Frères SA is a Swiss holding company that owns department stores and other loosely related businesses, mostly in Switzerland, but with some major international interests....
SA, based in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, acquired the company at that point and gave the store its unique red logo of six hexagons, an emblem Bergner's now shares with five corporate siblings as well as two current Maus subsidiaries.
The downtown Peoria store would remain in service to the community until the mid-1980s.
In 2000 the store was imploded to make way for the Robert Morris College of Peoria building. In memory to the long history of Bergners to that location, the cornerstone of the red rock building is still on display outside the entrance to the college.
Bankruptcy and acquisition by Proffitt's
In August 1991, Bergner's filed for bankruptcyBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, with the company coming out of Chapter 11 in 1993 with the new name Carson Pirie Scott & Co. and becoming a publicly-traded company.
Proffitt's
Proffitt's
Proffitt's was a department store chain based in Alcoa, Tennessee. On March 8, 2006, the Proffitt's and McRae's stores were converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the two chains in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated.-Beginnings:...
Inc. (now Saks Incorporated
Saks Incorporated
Saks Incorporated , founded in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998, is headquartered in New York City, New York, and is a Fortune 1000 operator of high-end department stores in the United States under the nameplate Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks evolved from Proffitt's Inc. after Proffitt's changed its name in...
) bought the company in 1998 and named the purchased group of stores the Northern Department Store group internally; its purchase increased the northern presence of the Saks company.
Sale to The Bon-Ton
In July 2005, Saks completed the sale of its Southern Department Store Group consisting of Proffitt'sProffitt's
Proffitt's was a department store chain based in Alcoa, Tennessee. On March 8, 2006, the Proffitt's and McRae's stores were converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the two chains in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated.-Beginnings:...
and McRae's
McRae's
McRae's was a mid-range regional department store chain founded and based in Jackson, Mississippi, with locations in Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. The nameplate was in existence for more than a century.-History:...
to Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
-based Belk
Belk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
, Inc. On October 31, 2005, Saks announced that it was selling Bergner's and its other Northern Department Store Group stores (Carson Pirie Scott, Younkers
Younkers
Younkers is an American department store chain founded as a family-run dry goods business in 1856 in Keokuk, Iowa. The retailer has since evolved over more than 150 years to include a presence in locations throughout Iowa and surrounding states in the Midwest region of the United States...
, Boston Store
Boston Store
-History:The Boston Store is mentioned in Theodore Dreiser's "Sister Carrie" published in 1900 and Carl Sandburg's Mamie, part of his 1916 Chicago Poems collection....
, and Herberger's
Herberger's
Herberger's is a regional department store chain founded in 1927 in Osakis, Minnesota, United States. Herberger's operates 41 stores in nine states; more than one third of them are in Minnesota, where the chain maintained its headquarters for much of its history...
) to Bon-Ton Stores in a $1.1 billion deal; the transaction was completed on March 6, 2006. , the Bergner's name is used at 14 locations, all in Illinois.
External links
- Bergner's - official site and shopping site
- The Bon-Ton to Acquire 142 stores from Saks Incorporated for $1.1 billion in cash — Purchase announcement from October 31, 2005