The Buckle
Encyclopedia
The Buckle, Inc. is an upscale retailer selling apparel, footwear
, and accessories
for fashion-conscious young men and women.
, Nebraska
. The first store was founded by David Hirschfeld and operated under the name "Mills Clothing". His son, Dan, took over the operations in 1965. In 1967, a second store was purchased and operated under the name "Brass Buckle". At that point, the Company began selling more casual men's clothing and by the early 1970s Brass Buckle had developed into a denim
-based store. In 1977 the Company introduced women's apparel and has since evolved into the store you shop today. In 1991, Brass Buckle changed its name to The Buckle, and in 1992 the Company went public on the NASDAQ
and traded as BKLE. In 1997, The Buckle moved to the New York Stock Exchange
where it now trades under the symbol, BKE.
and footwear.
Men's and women's brands found at Buckle include: BKE, BKE Boutique, BKE Sole, Buckle Black, Big Star, Big Star Vintage, Reclaim, Daytrip, Guess?
, !It Jeans, Lucky Brand Jeans
, MEK Denim, Miss Me, Jack B.B. Dakota, Gossip, See Thru Soul, Zoo York
, 7 Diamonds, Truth, Manchester, Silver, Roxy, BC Ethic, Bullboxer, Dr. Martens, Billabong
, Mia, O'Neill, Hurley, Obey, Fossil, Rocket Dog, Rampage, Report, Puma, Steve Madden, Yellow Box, Raisins, Reef, Becca, Sinful, Jedidiah, Volcom, Flojos, Sanuk, Filter, Naughty Monkey, Affliction Clothing
, Von Zipper, Ed Hardy, Archaic, DC, Division E, Marc Ecko, Pop Icon, Projek Raw, RVCA, RZST, Converse, K-Swiss, Rock Revival, Bed Stu, Bullboxer, Diesel, English Laundry, Kenneth Cole, Roar, Zoo York, Antique Rivet, Xtreme Couture, Aqua VI, Throwdown, American Customs, American Fighter, Buffalo, Crash & Burn, Nike 6.0, Nixon, Fox and Xzavier.
to outside athletic teams, organizations, clubs and individuals.
Footwear
Footwear consists of garments worn on the feet, for fashion, protection against the environment, and adornment. Being barefoot is commonly associated with poverty, but some cultures chose not to wear footwear at least in some situations....
, and accessories
Fashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
for fashion-conscious young men and women.
History
Buckle began as a men's clothing store in 1948 in KearneyKearney, Nebraska
Kearney is a city in and the county seat of Buffalo County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 30,787 at the 2010 census. It is home to the University of Nebraska-Kearney....
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
. The first store was founded by David Hirschfeld and operated under the name "Mills Clothing". His son, Dan, took over the operations in 1965. In 1967, a second store was purchased and operated under the name "Brass Buckle". At that point, the Company began selling more casual men's clothing and by the early 1970s Brass Buckle had developed into a denim
Denim
Denim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
-based store. In 1977 the Company introduced women's apparel and has since evolved into the store you shop today. In 1991, Brass Buckle changed its name to The Buckle, and in 1992 the Company went public on the NASDAQ
NASDAQ
The NASDAQ Stock Market, also known as the NASDAQ, is an American stock exchange. "NASDAQ" originally stood for "National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations". It is the second-largest stock exchange by market capitalization in the world, after the New York Stock Exchange. As of...
and traded as BKLE. In 1997, The Buckle moved to the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
where it now trades under the symbol, BKE.
- BKE Jeans are made in MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Buckle Executive Officers
- Dan Hirschfeld leads the Company as Chairman of the Board, he has been with the Company since 1965.
- Dennis Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, has been with the Company for over 30 years.
- Karen Rhoads, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, has been with the Company for 24 years.
- Brett Milkie, Vice President of Leasing, has been with the Company for 19 years.
- Kari Smith, Vice President of Sales, has been with the Company for over 30 years.
- Patricia (Pat) Whisler, Vice President of Women's Merchandising, has been with the Company for 28 years.
- Robert Carlberg, Vice President of Men's Merchandising, has been full-time with the merchandising team since 2001.
- Kyle Hanson, Corporate Secretary and General Counsel, has been with the Company since 1998.
- Thomas Heacock, Treasurer and Corporate Controller, has been with the Company since 2003.
Buckle Board of Directors
- Dan Hirschfeld has been with the Company since 1965 and leads the company as Chairman of the Board.
- Dennis Nelson, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Buckle, Inc.
- Karen Rhoads, Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer, The Buckle, Inc.
- John Peetz, III, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Crete Carrier Corporation
- James Shada
- Bill Fairfield
- Robert Campbell, President and Operating Manager, Miller & Paine, LLC and Director of Development, Madonna Foundation
- Bruce Hobermon, Chief Executive Officer, Proxibid, Inc.
- Michael Huss, General Counsel, Mutual of Omaha Bank and Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Mutual of Omaha Companies
2010 Highlights
- Opened 21 new stores and completed 25 substantial remodels; closed 2 stores post-holiday to end the fiscal year with 420 stores in 41 states.
- Achieved average sales per store of $2.1 million, up from $1.67 million in fiscal 2007.
- Average sales per square foot were $428, up from $335 in fiscal 2007.
- Total denimDenimDenim is a rugged cotton twill textile, in which the weft passes under two or more warp threads. This produces the familiar diagonal ribbing identifiable on the reverse of the fabric, which distinguishes denim from cotton duck. Denim has been in American usage since the late 18th century...
sales increased for the eleventh consecutive year, with the category representing approximately 45% of fiscal 2010 net sales. - Improved merchandise margins for the tenth consecutive year and achieved gross margins of 44.1%, as a percentage of net sales.
- Average transaction value increased 4.6% to $98.20 and average price point increased 1.9% to $45.90.
Merchandise
Buckle markets a wide selection of brand names and private label casual apparel, including denims, other casual bottoms, fashion tops, sportswear, outerwear, accessoriesFashion accessory
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement and complement clothes, such as jewelery, gloves, handbags, hats, belts, scarves, wigs, watches, sunglasses, pins, stockings, bow ties, hand fans, leg warmers, leggings, neckties, suspenders, and tights....
and footwear.
Men's and women's brands found at Buckle include: BKE, BKE Boutique, BKE Sole, Buckle Black, Big Star, Big Star Vintage, Reclaim, Daytrip, Guess?
Guess?
Guess is a American clothing line brand. Guess also markets other fashion accessories besides clothes, such as watches, jewelry and perfumes. The company also owns the line Marciano.-Founding:...
, !It Jeans, Lucky Brand Jeans
Lucky Brand Jeans
Lucky Brand Jeans is a designer denim company founded in Vernon, California, United States in 1990 by Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman. Lucky Brand is a subsidiary of the Liz Claiborne fashion company. Lucky also produces sportswear, outerwear, T-shirts and active wear. Lucky Brand products are...
, MEK Denim, Miss Me, Jack B.B. Dakota, Gossip, See Thru Soul, Zoo York
Zoo York
Zoo York is a style and social philosophy inspired by the New York City graffiti art subculture of the 1970s. Its name originates from a subway tunnel running underneath the area of the Central Park Zoo...
, 7 Diamonds, Truth, Manchester, Silver, Roxy, BC Ethic, Bullboxer, Dr. Martens, Billabong
Billabong (clothing)
Billabong International is a clothing company traded on the Australian Securities Exchange since 11 August 2000. Billabong was founded in 1973 by Gordon and Rena Merchant....
, Mia, O'Neill, Hurley, Obey, Fossil, Rocket Dog, Rampage, Report, Puma, Steve Madden, Yellow Box, Raisins, Reef, Becca, Sinful, Jedidiah, Volcom, Flojos, Sanuk, Filter, Naughty Monkey, Affliction Clothing
Affliction Clothing
Affliction Clothing is an American clothing manufacturer based in Seal Beach, California. It is owned by Affliction Inc., which ran a mixed martial arts promotion, Affliction Entertainment.- History :Affliction was launched in August 2005...
, Von Zipper, Ed Hardy, Archaic, DC, Division E, Marc Ecko, Pop Icon, Projek Raw, RVCA, RZST, Converse, K-Swiss, Rock Revival, Bed Stu, Bullboxer, Diesel, English Laundry, Kenneth Cole, Roar, Zoo York, Antique Rivet, Xtreme Couture, Aqua VI, Throwdown, American Customs, American Fighter, Buffalo, Crash & Burn, Nike 6.0, Nixon, Fox and Xzavier.
Service
The company emphasizes personalized attention to its guests (customers) and provides individual customer services such as free alterations, free gift–wrapping, layaways and a frequent shopper program. Employee Commission is 3 percent. Most stores are located in upscale malls across the country and have an online store at buckle.com.Screen Printing Service
Buckle screen printing is a full-service solution offering a selection of promotional merchandisePromotional merchandise
Promotional merchandise, promotional items, promotional products, promotional gifts, or advertising gifts, sometimes nicknamed swag or schwag, are articles of merchandise used in marketing and communication programs. They are given away to promote a company, corporate image, brand, or event...
to outside athletic teams, organizations, clubs and individuals.
Sources
- Buckle 2010 Annual Report
- Buckle Corporate Website, www.buckle.com
- Buckle Corporate Office, Lydia Pierson and Callie Erickson