William Walker McLellan
Encyclopedia
William Walker McLellan was born in Glasgow
, Scotland
. He came to the United States at the end of the nineteenth century, and began working at a department store
in Newark, New Jersey
. He became a manager of the first S. H. Kress store in Memphis, Tennessee
, and then joined McCrory Stores
as a vice president. In 1917 he founded McLellan Stores
, a chain of five and dime
s, which grew to 200 stores by 1933. He lost control of the company during the Great Depression
to United Stores Corporation and left soon thereafter. He then founded the W.W. Mac Company, a chain that he built to 70 stores at the time of his death. His wife was Margueritta S. McLellan, who died in 1954.
His McLellan stores merged with McCrory Stores
in 1958.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He came to the United States at the end of the nineteenth century, and began working at a 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...
in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. He became a manager of the first S. H. Kress store in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, and then joined McCrory Stores
McCrory Stores
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 shoes, clothing, housewares, fabrics, penny candy, toys, cosmetics, and often included a lunch counter or snack bar...
as a vice president. In 1917 he founded McLellan Stores
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...
, a chain of five and dime
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....
s, which grew to 200 stores by 1933. He lost control of the company during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
to United Stores Corporation and left soon thereafter. He then founded the W.W. Mac Company, a chain that he built to 70 stores at the time of his death. His wife was Margueritta S. McLellan, who died in 1954.
His McLellan stores merged with McCrory Stores
McCrory Stores
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 shoes, clothing, housewares, fabrics, penny candy, toys, cosmetics, and often included a lunch counter or snack bar...
in 1958.