Right Start
Encyclopedia
Right Start is a retailer of children's products. They began in 1985 as a catalog company, based out of Los Angeles
. The company was founded by Stan Fridstein, Lenny Targon, and Harry Rosenthal who identified a growing market in young first time parents who were looking for expertise and guidance in choosing high quality baby products. The company opened its first retail store in 1991 in Westlake Village, CA. In 1992, they began expanding, opening up their first location in a Rich's department store in Atlanta, Georgia
.
In 2000, they withdrew from a proposed initial public offering
and began exploring merger possibilities. In 2001, they purchased FAO Schwarz from Royal Vendex KBB
and Zany Brainy
. They changed their name in 2002 to FAO Inc.
In 2003, they twice filed for bankruptcy and sold the FAO Schwarz stores in Manhattan and Las Vegas, along with their related internet and catalog businesses in December.
In 2009 Right Start was purchased by Liberty Interactive Media
and reopened 9 stores nationwide.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The company was founded by Stan Fridstein, Lenny Targon, and Harry Rosenthal who identified a growing market in young first time parents who were looking for expertise and guidance in choosing high quality baby products. The company opened its first retail store in 1991 in Westlake Village, CA. In 1992, they began expanding, opening up their first location in a Rich's department store in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
In 2000, they withdrew from a proposed initial public offering
Initial public offering
An initial public offering or stock market launch, is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. It can be used by either small or large companies to raise expansion capital and become publicly traded enterprises...
and began exploring merger possibilities. In 2001, they purchased FAO Schwarz from Royal Vendex KBB
Maxeda
Maxeda is a Dutch retail group that operates in Europe, the Middle East and Dutch dependencies in North America. It is the result of the merger of Koninklijke Bijenkorf Beheer and Vendex. The firm is mostly known for their successful department stores...
and Zany Brainy
Zany Brainy
Zany Brainy was a United States retail store chain owned by FAO Schwarz that sold educational toys and multi-media products aimed at children ages 4–12...
. They changed their name in 2002 to FAO Inc.
In 2003, they twice filed for bankruptcy and sold the FAO Schwarz stores in Manhattan and Las Vegas, along with their related internet and catalog businesses in December.
In 2009 Right Start was purchased by Liberty Interactive Media
Liberty Media
Liberty Media Corporation is an American media conglomerate and the control is exercised by company Chairman John C. Malone, who owns a majority of the voting shares....
and reopened 9 stores nationwide.