J. J. Newberry's was an American five and dime store chain in the 20th century. It was founded in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States, in 1911 by John Josiah Newberry (1877–1954). J. J. Newberry learned the variety store business by working in stores for 17 years between 1894 and 1911. There were seven stores in the chain by 1918.
J. J. Newberry Company
Company logo in terrazzo floor at a former store in Los Angeles
John Josiah Newberry (September 26, 1877 – March 6, 1954) was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, Newberry first worked in the railroad business before joining retail store Fowler, Dick and Walker in 1894. In 1899 he joined S. H. Kress & Co. where he stayed until 1911.
He founded the J. J. Newberry chain of five and dime stores in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1911. The first store was a success, and he opened a branch in Freeland, Pennsylvania in 1912. After 1919 he managed the company with his brothers Edgar A. Newberry and C.T. Newberry. At the time of Newberry's death (1954), the J.J. Newberry chain had 475 stores.
J. J. Newberry Companyedit
The company was a family business. J. J. Newberry was joined in management by his brothers C.T. Newberry and Edgar A. Newberry in 1919, at which time there were 17 stores with yearly sales of $500,000.
Over the years, the Newberry chain acquired other stores including Hested in Wyoming, Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota, Colorado, and Nebraska, and Lee Stores in South Dakota, Minnesota, Maine, and Iowa. At the time of founder J.J. Newberry's death (1954), the chain had 475 stores. By 1961, the company operated 565 stores with total yearly sales of $291 million. The chain also operated a larger department store called Britt's Department Store.
McCrory Stores purchased the 439 unit J. J. Newberry Co. in 1972. McCrory Stores continued to operate it under the Newberry banner as a separate division. McCrory opened additional stores under the Newberry banner especially in the Northeast and California where the name had a strong presence. The company thrived throughout the 1980s but fell on hard times in the early 1990s. The demise of the company became evident following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 1992.[2][3] In 1997, McCrory closed 300 stores including many in the Newberry's division, however several others remained.[4] In the year 2000, most remaining Newberry's and other McCrory-branded five and dime stores had been converted to the Dollar Zone brand, as McCrory's attempted to radically change its business model.[5] The remaining Newberry stores closed along with the whole McCrory's chain in February 2002.[5]
Early J. J. Newberry stores featured a recognizable logo composed of gold or white sans serif letters on a red background that usually occupied the entire width of the store facade.[6][7] This was similar to the early signage of competitors Woolworth's, Neisner Brothers and the S. S. Kresge.[8][9][10] Later stores featured a cursive 1960s modern logo style, dropping the "J. J." altogether.
Britt's was a division of J. J. Newberry. Founded in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1900s, the J. J. Newberry chain acquired it in December 1928 and all Britts stores were rebranded as J.J. Newberry locations. Newberry revived the Britts name in the early 1960s as a discount store division. During the Birmingham civil rights campaign, activists organized sit-ins at the segregated lunch counters in Britt's Department Stores, which led to the arrest of 20 protesters.[12]
Referencesedit
^ ab"Discount operation to make last markdown". The Albany Herald. November 30, 2001. p. 12B. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
^"Company News: 229 Stores To Be Closed By McCrory". The New York Times. December 24, 1991. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
^. Dayton Business Journal. December 19, 2001. Archived from the original on May 19, 2005. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
^"J.J. Newberry Stores to Close". Los Angeles Times. January 28, 1997. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
^ abMillman, Christian (November 30, 2001). "McCrory says it's going out of business** The five-and-dime chain joins others in giving up to bigger merchandisers". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
^Manning, Joe (1996). . Mornings on Maple Street. Archived from the original on 2008-07-26. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
^. RoadsideNut. Archived from the original on April 27, 2005.
^"A potted history of F.W. Woolworth". The Woolworth's Museum. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
Biography of J.J. Newberry 2005-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
December 18, 2023
newberry, american, five, dime, store, chain, 20th, century, founded, stroudsburg, pennsylvania, united, states, 1911, john, josiah, newberry, 1877, 1954, learned, variety, store, business, working, stores, years, between, 1894, 1911, there, were, seven, store. J J Newberry s was an American five and dime store chain in the 20th century It was founded in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania United States in 1911 by John Josiah Newberry 1877 1954 J J Newberry learned the variety store business by working in stores for 17 years between 1894 and 1911 There were seven stores in the chain by 1918 J J Newberry CompanyCompany logo in terrazzo floor at a former store in Los AngelesTypeVariety store Five and dimeFounded1911 1911 in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania U S FounderJohn Josiah NewberryDefunct2002FateBankrupt 1 SuccessorDollar Zone 2001 02 Area servedNortheast Southwest West Coast United States 1 CanadaParentMcCrory Stores Corporation 1972 2002 SubsidiariesJ J Newberry Canadian Ltd Contents 1 John Josiah Newberry 2 J J Newberry Company 3 Britt s 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksJohn Josiah Newberry editJohn Josiah Newberry September 26 1877 March 6 1954 was born in Sunbury Pennsylvania Newberry first worked in the railroad business before joining retail store Fowler Dick and Walker in 1894 In 1899 he joined S H Kress amp Co where he stayed until 1911 He founded the J J Newberry chain of five and dime stores in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania in 1911 The first store was a success and he opened a branch in Freeland Pennsylvania in 1912 After 1919 he managed the company with his brothers Edgar A Newberry and C T Newberry At the time of Newberry s death 1954 the J J Newberry chain had 475 stores J J Newberry Company editThe company was a family business J J Newberry was joined in management by his brothers C T Newberry and Edgar A Newberry in 1919 at which time there were 17 stores with yearly sales of 500 000 nbsp A 1988 photo of a Newberry s store in Portland OregonOver the years the Newberry chain acquired other stores including Hested in Wyoming Missouri Ohio North Dakota Colorado and Nebraska and Lee Stores in South Dakota Minnesota Maine and Iowa At the time of founder J J Newberry s death 1954 the chain had 475 stores By 1961 the company operated 565 stores with total yearly sales of 291 million The chain also operated a larger department store called Britt s Department Store McCrory Stores purchased the 439 unit J J Newberry Co in 1972 McCrory Stores continued to operate it under the Newberry banner as a separate division McCrory opened additional stores under the Newberry banner especially in the Northeast and California where the name had a strong presence The company thrived throughout the 1980s but fell on hard times in the early 1990s The demise of the company became evident following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 1992 2 3 In 1997 McCrory closed 300 stores including many in the Newberry s division however several others remained 4 In the year 2000 most remaining Newberry s and other McCrory branded five and dime stores had been converted to the Dollar Zone brand as McCrory s attempted to radically change its business model 5 The remaining Newberry stores closed along with the whole McCrory s chain in February 2002 5 Early J J Newberry stores featured a recognizable logo composed of gold or white sans serif letters on a red background that usually occupied the entire width of the store facade 6 7 This was similar to the early signage of competitors Woolworth s Neisner Brothers and the S S Kresge 8 9 10 Later stores featured a cursive 1960s modern logo style dropping the J J altogether Poet Donald Hall wrote a poem Beans and Franks about the closing of a J J Newberry store in Franklin New Hampshire 11 Britt s editBritt s was a division of J J Newberry Founded in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1900s the J J Newberry chain acquired it in December 1928 and all Britts stores were rebranded as J J Newberry locations Newberry revived the Britts name in the early 1960s as a discount store division During the Birmingham civil rights campaign activists organized sit ins at the segregated lunch counters in Britt s Department Stores which led to the arrest of 20 protesters 12 References edit a b Discount operation to make last markdown The Albany Herald November 30 2001 p 12B Retrieved November 5 2013 Company News 229 Stores To Be Closed By McCrory The New York Times December 24 1991 Retrieved November 5 2013 Local Dollar Zone stores shuttered Dayton Business Journal December 19 2001 Archived from the original on May 19 2005 Retrieved September 16 2019 J J Newberry Stores to Close Los Angeles Times January 28 1997 Retrieved November 5 2013 a b Millman Christian November 30 2001 McCrory says it s going out of business The five and dime chain joins others in giving up to bigger merchandisers The Morning Call Allentown Pennsylvania Retrieved September 3 2019 Manning Joe 1996 Newberry s North Adams Mornings on Maple Street Archived from the original on 2008 07 26 Retrieved January 1 2021 Former J J Newberry store photo RoadsideNut Archived from the original on April 27 2005 A potted history of F W Woolworth The Woolworth s Museum Retrieved January 1 2021 Postcard Detroit Historical Museum Retrieved January 1 2021 Morrell Alan June 18 2018 Whatever Happened To Neisner s The Democrat and Chronicle Rochester NY Retrieved January 1 2021 Beans and Franks The Writer s Almanac August 30 2009 Archived from the original on July 31 2012 Retrieved January 1 2021 Wright Barnett January 1 2013 1963 in Birmingham Alabama A timeline of events The Birmingham News Sources edit Biography of J J Newberry Rootsweb com Archived from the original on November 29 2005 Retrieved October 9 2006 Dye Elizabeth July 31 2001 J J Newberry A Eulogy Willamette Week Portland Oregon Archived from the original on June 9 2016 Halper Emanuel B 2001 Shopping Center and Store Leases Vol 2 New York City Law Journal Press p 175 ISBN 978 1588520036 External links editBiography of J J Newberry Archived 2005 11 29 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title J J Newberry amp oldid 1139491428, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
