McCrory Stores
Encyclopedia
J.G. McCrory's or McCrory Stores was a chain of five and dime
stores in the United States
based in York, Pennsylvania
. The stores typically sold shoe
s, clothing
, housewares, fabrics, penny candy
, toy
s, cosmetics
, and often included a lunch counter
or snack bar
. They also exclusively sold Oriole Records, one of the most popular 'dime store labels' from 1921 to 1938.
, in 1882. By 1885, the chain had five stores in Pennsylvania. Born with the last name "McCrorey", the owner legally changed his name, dropping the e, to save money by not paying the cost of the extra letter in store signs. These first stores made up the McCrory Stores Corporation
, and went bankrupt. J.G. McCrory then began again with McCrory Stores.
. In 1899, Kresge traded his interest in the McCrory's Memphis store for McCrory's interest in the Detroit, Michigan
, store, giving him control there.
Of note, in 1987, the Kmart Corporation, which formerly was the S.S.Kresge Corp, sold its remaining Kresge and Jupiter stores in the United States to McCrory Stores.
, McLellan
(merged in 1958), H.L. Green, Silvers, G.C. Murphy and J.J. Newberry
which it had acquired through the years. McCrory's parent Rapid-American also owned Lerner Stores and National Shirt (acquired by McCrory's in 1960).
. Riklis controlled McCrory's through the Rapid-American holding company, which was managed by Samuel Neaman. Riklis' famed sleight of hand, shifting assets between notable brand name successful companies and holding companies is best exemplified by his handling of McCrory Stores, driving the brand name into bankruptcy while keeping the assets. Among the retailers controlled by McCrory's at the time were Best & Co.
, Lerner Shops, and S. Klein
.
, reuniting the companies.
It was at this time controlled by E-II Holdings, Inc., which also owned Elmore, Britts
, and Kittinger and Bargain Time. E-II Holdings was a group of jilted Riklis investors, seizing old Riklis properties trying to recoup their losses.
As of 1989 they had some 1300 stores. In 1991 they closed 229 of 1000 remaining stores. The chain filed for bankruptcy
in 1992. In 1997 it closed 300 of 460 remaining stores.
In the late 1990s, it converted some stores to the Dollar Zone format of dollar store
, but these ultimately closed as well, in early 2002. McCrory had only 200 remaining stores in December 2001, when the company announced that all stores would be shuttered permanently by February 2002. Stores were then operating under the TG&Y
, McCrory, G.C. Murphy and Newberry's
names.
Five and Dime
Five and Dime is a cartoon short by Walter Lantz which features Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. It is the 74th Oswald short produced by Lantz and the 125th overall. It also is among the number of shorts that feature Oswald in his fully clothed appearance....
stores in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
based in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
. The stores typically sold shoe
Shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot while doing various activities. Shoes are also used as an item of decoration. The design of shoes has varied enormously through time and from culture to culture, with appearance originally being tied to function...
s, clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, housewares, fabrics, penny candy
Candy
Candy, specifically sugar candy, is a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water, to which flavorings and colorants are added...
, toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
s, cosmetics
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
, and often included a lunch counter
Lunch counter
A lunch counter is a small restaurant, much like a diner, where the patron sits on a stool on one side of the counter and the server or person preparing the food serves from the other side of the counter, where the kitchen or limited food preparation area is. As the name suggests, they were most...
or snack bar
Snack bar
thumb|A snack bar in AmsterdamA snack bar usually refers to an inexpensive food counter that is part of a permanent structure where snack foods and light meals are sold. A beach snack bar is often a small building situated high on the sand. Besides soft drinks, candies and chewing gum, some snack...
. They also exclusively sold Oriole Records, one of the most popular 'dime store labels' from 1921 to 1938.
John Graham McCrorey
John Graham McCrorey opened his first store in Scottdale, PennsylvaniaScottdale, Pennsylvania
Scottdale is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh. Scottdale is the home of the Southmoreland Scotties. Early in the 20th century, Scottdale was the center of the Frick coke interests...
, in 1882. By 1885, the chain had five stores in Pennsylvania. Born with the last name "McCrorey", the owner legally changed his name, dropping the e, to save money by not paying the cost of the extra letter in store signs. These first stores made up the McCrory Stores Corporation
McCrory Stores Corporation
McCrory Stores Corporation was a five and dime which became insolvent during the Great Depression,filing for bankruptcy in 1933. The chain store competed successfully with the F.W. Woolworth Company and S.H. Kress during the 1920s. McCrory Stores Corporation was incorporated in 1915as a successor...
, and went bankrupt. J.G. McCrory then began again with McCrory Stores.
Sebastian Kresge
One of the early investors was Sebastian Spering Kresge, who later founded the S.S. Kresge chain, which became KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
. In 1899, Kresge traded his interest in the McCrory's Memphis store for McCrory's interest in the Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, store, giving him control there.
Of note, in 1987, the Kmart Corporation, which formerly was the S.S.Kresge Corp, sold its remaining Kresge and Jupiter stores in the United States to McCrory Stores.
Subsidiaries
At its height, McCrory's operated 1,300 stores under its own name as well as TG&YTG&Y
TG&Y was a five and dime, or variety store, chain in the United States. The chain was named for its three founders: Rawdon E. Tomlinson, Enoch L. "Les" Gosselin, and Raymond A. Young. The initials were ordered according to the age of the three, with Tomlinson being the oldest. Founded in 1935,...
, McLellan
McLellan Stores
McLellan Stores were a 20th-century chain of five and dime stores in the United States.The stores were founded by William Walker McLellan in 1917. The chain grew to 200 variety stores, but the Great Depression drove the company into bankruptcy...
(merged in 1958), H.L. Green, Silvers, G.C. Murphy and J.J. Newberry
J.J. Newberry
J.J. Newberry's was an American five and dime store chain in the 20th century. It was founded in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1911 by John Josiah Newberry . J.J. Newberry had learned the variety store business by working at S.H...
which it had acquired through the years. McCrory's parent Rapid-American also owned Lerner Stores and National Shirt (acquired by McCrory's in 1960).
Meshulam Riklis
Meshulam Riklis purchased McCrory's in 1960, and moved its headquarters to Springettsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania, in 1963. At the time it was the fourth largest retailer in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Riklis controlled McCrory's through the Rapid-American holding company, which was managed by Samuel Neaman. Riklis' famed sleight of hand, shifting assets between notable brand name successful companies and holding companies is best exemplified by his handling of McCrory Stores, driving the brand name into bankruptcy while keeping the assets. Among the retailers controlled by McCrory's at the time were Best & Co.
Best & Co.
Best & Co. was a children's clothing retailer based in Greenwich, Connecticut. It reestablished the name of the New York City-based Best & Co. clothing chain that operated from 1879 to 1971.-History:...
, Lerner Shops, and S. Klein
S. Klein
S. Klein On The Square, or simply, S. Klein, was a popular priced department store chain based in New York City that is now defunct. The flagship stores were located along Union Square in Manhattan; this location would combine with the 1920s idiomatic catch phrase "on the square" to provide the...
.
The decline of the five and dime
In 1986 it purchased the 76 remaining Kresge and Jupiter stores from KmartKmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, reuniting the companies.
It was at this time controlled by E-II Holdings, Inc., which also owned Elmore, Britts
Britt's Department Stores
Britt's Department Store was an American department store chain that existed between 1962 and 1982. It was an upscale version and division of the JJ Newberry 5 and 10 chain. Britts originated in the Pacific Northwest during the early years of the 20th century...
, and Kittinger and Bargain Time. E-II Holdings was a group of jilted Riklis investors, seizing old Riklis properties trying to recoup their losses.
As of 1989 they had some 1300 stores. In 1991 they closed 229 of 1000 remaining stores. The chain filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
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....
in 1992. In 1997 it closed 300 of 460 remaining stores.
In the late 1990s, it converted some stores to the Dollar Zone format of dollar store
Dollar store
A variety store or price-point retailer is a retail store that sells inexpensive items, often with a single price for all items in the store...
, but these ultimately closed as well, in early 2002. McCrory had only 200 remaining stores in December 2001, when the company announced that all stores would be shuttered permanently by February 2002. Stores were then operating under the TG&Y
TG&Y
TG&Y was a five and dime, or variety store, chain in the United States. The chain was named for its three founders: Rawdon E. Tomlinson, Enoch L. "Les" Gosselin, and Raymond A. Young. The initials were ordered according to the age of the three, with Tomlinson being the oldest. Founded in 1935,...
, McCrory, G.C. Murphy and Newberry's
J.J. Newberry
J.J. Newberry's was an American five and dime store chain in the 20th century. It was founded in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1911 by John Josiah Newberry . J.J. Newberry had learned the variety store business by working at S.H...
names.