Marshalls
Encyclopedia
Marshalls, Inc., is a chain of American
department store
s owned by TJX Companies
. Marshalls has over 750 conventional stores, as well as larger stores named Marshalls Mega Store, covering 42 states and Puerto Rico
. Marshalls expanded into Canada in March 2011. Marshalls is the U.S.'s second largest off-price family apparel and home fashion retailer, behind its sister company, T.J. Maxx
.
in Beverly, Massachusetts
, offering apparel and homewares at alluringly low prices. Additional floor space was "sublet" to offer customers shoes, hardware and sporting goods from separate sellers, but the separate ownership of those departments was invisible to the shopper. The original store also had a soda fountain/grill... another sublet of floor space, the "A & M Luncheonette" (for Alice & Mickey Masters, the proprietors).
The concept proved extremely successful; ten years later, Marshalls had become the leading off-price retail chain in the nation. Given the volatility of the American economy in the 1970s, with recession affecting the spending habits of most shoppers, the off-price industry gathered speed. By buying up manufacturers’ post-season, over-run, and close-out stock, Marshalls was able to offer fashionable, high-quality “designer” items at prices 20 to 60 percent less than those of the department stores.
In 1976, Marshalls was acquired by Melville Corporation
(owner of CVS), and experienced tremendous growth from 1977 into the 1980s. By 1993, Marshalls had expanded throughout 42 states including Hawaii
, and had opened several downtown locations. In 1995, Marshalls was purchased by TJX, the parent company of its main rival, T.J. Maxx
, for $606 million.
100 million settlement in California to settle an employee class-action suit in 2002 which alleged that Marshalls abused exempt/nonexempt classifications to avoid the payment of overtime or compensation time to employees in certain roles performing non-exempt job duties as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
stores, which are also divisions of TJX. There are further plans to open stores in Ajax and Mississauga in April 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
department store
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...
s owned by TJX Companies
TJX Companies
The TJX Companies, Incorporated , is the largest international apparel and home fashions off-price department store chain in the United States. Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, the company originally evolved from the Zayre discount department store chain, founded in 1956, which opened its first...
. Marshalls has over 750 conventional stores, as well as larger stores named Marshalls Mega Store, covering 42 states and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Marshalls expanded into Canada in March 2011. Marshalls is the U.S.'s second largest off-price family apparel and home fashion retailer, behind its sister company, T.J. Maxx
T.J. Maxx
T.J. Maxx, sometimes referred to as TJ's or the Maxx, is an American department store chain owned by TJX Companies. With more than 900 stores T.J. Maxx is a major clothes retailer in the United States, whilst also operating stores in a number of other countries.-History:In 1976, T.J...
.
History
Marshalls traces its history to 1956, when Alfred Marshall gathered a band of innovative entrepreneurs on the East Coast who included Bernard Goldston and Norman Barren (Frank Estey and Bernard Ribas joined the entrepreneurs in 1960 by purchasing Bernard Goldston's shares) to collectively start up the "Brand Names For Less" concept. Contemplating the dual postwar phenomena of a boom in the economy and growth in the suburbs, Marshall and associates came upon a way to meet it profitably. Together, they opened a self-service department storeDepartment 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 Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly, Massachusetts
Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
, offering apparel and homewares at alluringly low prices. Additional floor space was "sublet" to offer customers shoes, hardware and sporting goods from separate sellers, but the separate ownership of those departments was invisible to the shopper. The original store also had a soda fountain/grill... another sublet of floor space, the "A & M Luncheonette" (for Alice & Mickey Masters, the proprietors).
The concept proved extremely successful; ten years later, Marshalls had become the leading off-price retail chain in the nation. Given the volatility of the American economy in the 1970s, with recession affecting the spending habits of most shoppers, the off-price industry gathered speed. By buying up manufacturers’ post-season, over-run, and close-out stock, Marshalls was able to offer fashionable, high-quality “designer” items at prices 20 to 60 percent less than those of the department stores.
In 1976, Marshalls was acquired by Melville Corporation
Melville Corporation
Melville Corporation, formerly based in Rye, New York, was a large retail holding corporation incorporated in 1922 as the Melville Shoe company by Ward Melville. It changed its name to CVS Corporation in 1996...
(owner of CVS), and experienced tremendous growth from 1977 into the 1980s. By 1993, Marshalls had expanded throughout 42 states including Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, and had opened several downtown locations. In 1995, Marshalls was purchased by TJX, the parent company of its main rival, T.J. Maxx
T.J. Maxx
T.J. Maxx, sometimes referred to as TJ's or the Maxx, is an American department store chain owned by TJX Companies. With more than 900 stores T.J. Maxx is a major clothes retailer in the United States, whilst also operating stores in a number of other countries.-History:In 1976, T.J...
, for $606 million.
Legal troubles
TJX paid US$Dollar sign
The dollar or peso sign is a symbol primarily used to indicate the various peso and dollar units of currency around the world.- Origin :...
100 million settlement in California to settle an employee class-action suit in 2002 which alleged that Marshalls abused exempt/nonexempt classifications to avoid the payment of overtime or compensation time to employees in certain roles performing non-exempt job duties as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
Charity
The enterprise has developed national and local partnerships with U.S. charitable organizations. All donations and fund-raising efforts from Marshalls are connected to helping children, families, and their communities with these programs:- Domestic Violence Prevention
- United Way
- National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Saint Jude's Children's Hospital
Canada
Marshalls opened three stores in Ontario in March 2011 in the Toronto areas of Scarborough and Leaside, and the suburban Vaughan area of Woodbridge. These stores are located in the vicinity of Winners and HomeSenseHomeSense
HomeSense is a chain of off price home furnishing stores operated by TJX Companies with stores in Canada and the United Kingdom.-HomeSense in Canada:At year-end 2010, HomeSense operated 82 stores in Canada...
stores, which are also divisions of TJX. There are further plans to open stores in Ajax and Mississauga in April 2011.