G. E. M. Membership Department Stores was a chain of discount stores in the United States and Canada. The chain extended membership to direct and indirect government employees;[1] the name was an acronym for "Government Employees Mart."[2]
clothing, footwear, housewares, sporting goods, hardware, toys, electronics, appliances, cameras, drugs, and auto repair
Appliance and electronics departments in G.E.M. stores were operated by Wards Company, which later changed its name to Circuit City.[3]
The stores closed during the discount store shakeout of 1973.
Canadian pharmacist Murray Koffler was an investor in the G.E.M. chain, bringing the first G.E.M. store to Toronto in 1959. He eventually subleased the G.E.M. drug department in several Toronto area stores. Following the G.E.M. discount model, Koffler later opened one of the first "big box" store chains, Shoppers Drug Mart.[2]
On November 7, 1964, GEM opened its first store in the UK. This branch in West Bridgford, Nottingham was the first out-of-town superstore in the UK.[4] GEM didn't actually sell anything, they rented out companies and then took a percentage of sales. Most of the departments in GEM were nation companies such as Boots or TIMES Furnishing.
References
^"Discount Stores of the '60s". Wtv-zone.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
^ ab Woodward, A. "Company History: Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation". International Directory of Company Histories. The Gale Group, Inc. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
^. Circuit City Stores, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
^"How first out-of-town superstore changed the UK". BBC News. 2 September 2013.
February 20, 2023
membership, department, stores, chain, discount, stores, united, states, canada, chain, extended, membership, direct, indirect, government, employees, name, acronym, government, employees, mart, typediscount, membership, storeindustryretailfounded1956defunct19. G E M Membership Department Stores was a chain of discount stores in the United States and Canada The chain extended membership to direct and indirect government employees 1 the name was an acronym for Government Employees Mart 2 G E M TypeDiscount membership storeIndustryRetailFounded1956Defunct1973FateClosedHeadquartersDetroit MichiganProductsclothing footwear housewares sporting goods hardware toys electronics appliances cameras drugs and auto repairAppliance and electronics departments in G E M stores were operated by Wards Company which later changed its name to Circuit City 3 The stores closed during the discount store shakeout of 1973 Canadian pharmacist Murray Koffler was an investor in the G E M chain bringing the first G E M store to Toronto in 1959 He eventually subleased the G E M drug department in several Toronto area stores Following the G E M discount model Koffler later opened one of the first big box store chains Shoppers Drug Mart 2 On November 7 1964 GEM opened its first store in the UK This branch in West Bridgford Nottingham was the first out of town superstore in the UK 4 GEM didn t actually sell anything they rented out companies and then took a percentage of sales Most of the departments in GEM were nation companies such as Boots or TIMES Furnishing References Edit Discount Stores of the 60s Wtv zone com Retrieved 2013 12 27 a b Woodward A Company History Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation International Directory of Company Histories The Gale Group Inc Retrieved 2008 03 29 Circuit City Stores Inc Company Timeline Circuit City Stores Inc Archived from the original on 2007 09 28 Retrieved 2008 03 29 How first out of town superstore changed the UK BBC News 2 September 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title G E M Membership Department Stores amp oldid 1134347827, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
