Allied Stores
| Company type | Holding company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department stores) |
| Predecessor | Hahn's Department Stores |
| Founded | 1930s |
| Founder | B. E. Puckett |
| Defunct | February 1992 |
| Fate | Merged into Federated Department Stores |
Area served | United States |
Key people | B. E. Puckett (founder) |
| Products | Department stores, specialty stores |
| Parent | Campeau Corporation (from December 1986) |
Allied Stores was a holding company managing various department store chains throughout the United States, established in the 1930s by businessman B. E. Puckett amid a period of retail industry consolidation. It emerged as the successor to Hahn's Department Stores, a holding entity founded in 1928.
In 1981, Allied significantly increased its presence by purchasing the 24-year-old retail group Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. for $228 million, thereby acquiring control over 178 department stores and 48 specialty outlets spanning 28 states.
The Canadian businessman Robert Campeau's Campeau Corporation took ownership of Allied Stores in December 1986. By April 1988, Campeau had merged Allied with Federated Department Stores, integrating their worldwide operations. Although initially maintained as separate companies, financial difficulties led to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring. Eventually, Federated fully absorbed Allied in February 1992, concluding Allied’s existence as an independent firm.
This timeline highlights pivotal acquisitions and corporate mergers that influenced Allied’s strategic direction and financial results within the competitive department store sector.
Department store divisions at time of Campeau acquisition
- Jordan Marsh (established 1841), purchased by Hahn's in 1928 and retained after Campeau's acquisition. It merged with Federated's Abraham & Straus in 1992 to form A&S/Jordan Marsh, later incorporated into Macy's East division in 1994 and rebranded as Macy's in 1996.
- Jordan Marsh Florida (created 1956), merged with Maas Brothers in 1987.
- William H. Block of Indianapolis, acquired by Allied in 1962 and sold to Federated in 1987; some locations were converted into F&R Lazarus & Co. stores, while others were closed or sold.
- The Bon Marché of Seattle, founded in 1890 and acquired by Hahn's in 1927, remained under Campeau ownership. It was renamed Bon-Macy's in 2003 and later became Macy's in 2005.
- Cain Sloan based in Nashville, Tennessee, divested to Dillard's in 1987.
- Dey Brothers from Syracuse, New York, sold to Wilfree Property in 1987.
- Donaldson's of Minneapolis, founded in 1883 and acquired by Allied in 1928; it was sold to Carson Pirie Scott in 1987.
- Herpolsheimer's located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, included with William H. Block stores sold to Federated in 1987; these stores briefly operated as Lazarus outlets before closing.
- Heer's of Springfield, Missouri.
- Joske's from San Antonio, acquired in 1932; following Allied’s merger with Federated, it was taken over by Dillard's after 1987.
- Maas Brothers of Tampa, Florida, established in 1886 and acquired by Hahn's in 1929; maintained under Campeau, it merged with Jordan Marsh Florida in 1987, rebranded Maas Brothers/Jordan Marsh in 1989, and eventually merged into Burdines by 1991.
- Miller & Rhoads based in Richmond, Virginia.
- Miller's, serving Tennessee and Virginia markets; sold to Hess's in 1987.
- Pomeroy’s stores located throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, acquired by Hahn’s in 1934 and sold to The Bon-Ton in 1987.
- Read's Department Stores from Bridgeport, Connecticut, merged into Jordan Marsh during the restructuring of 1987.
- Stern's (Stern Brothers) of New Jersey, acquired by Allied in 1951; the division closed its operations by 2001 with stores converted either into Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s locations.
- L.H. Field & Co. (Field’s) based in Jackson, Michigan, founded in 1891 and part of Allied since 1933. It had ties to Chicago’s Marshall Field’s but was shuttered following the Campeau takeover during the late 1980s.
This collection of stores illustrated a wide-reaching national presence across the United States, reflecting Allied’s approach of expanding through acquisitions and consolidating regional markets before its reorganization under Campeau Corporation.
Specialty store divisions during Campeau acquisition
- Ann Taylor, based in New York City, remained under Campeau ownership, later sold in 1989
- Bonwit Teller, New York location, obtained in 1979, divested to the Hooker Corporation in 1987
- Brooks Brothers, headquartered in New York, held by Campeau and sold in 1988 to Marks & Spencer; subsequently acquired by Retail Brand Alliance in 2001
- Catherine's, with outlets in Memphis, Nashville, Tennessee, and Los Angeles, California
- Jerry Leonard
- Garfinckels, Washington, D.C., transferred to Raleigh's in 1987
- Plymouth, New York store, sold to Tribeca Holdings in 1987; ceased operations by the mid-1990s
Additional retail locations
- Almart, a discount department chain operating across several states including Florida, Tennessee, and New York
- Barnes – Woodin of Yakima, Washington; merged with Draper's in 1953 and rebranded as the Bon Marché
- James Black Company (Black's), based in Waterloo, Iowa, with three stores; assets transferred to Donaldson's in 1978 followed by closures by 1989
- Gertz, located in Jamaica, New York, integrated into Stern's
- Golden Rule of St. Paul, Minnesota, purchased by Hahn's in 1928; renamed Donaldson's Golden Rule before full absorption into Donaldson's
- C. C. Anderson's of Boise, Idaho, acquired in 1937 and later incorporated into Bon Marché
- A. M. Jensen's from Walla Walla, Washington, acquired in 1946; converted to Bon Marché brand by 1951
- Laubach's of Easton, Pennsylvania, taken over in 1947; merged with Pomeroy's and shuttered during the 1970s
- Levy's from Savannah, Georgia, merged into Maas Brothers in 1986
- Rollman & Sons of Cincinnati, merged with Mabley & Carew in 1962
- Rumbaugh-MacLain from Everett, Washington, acquired in 1944 and merged into Bon Marché
- Titche-Goettinger located in Dallas, Texas; subsequently renamed Joske's
- Wren's of Springfield, Ohio, absorbed into Block's
- Quackenbush of Paterson, New Jersey, merged with Stern's during the late 1960s
- Troutman's operated eight stores across Western Pennsylvania; merged with Pomeroy's in 1984
- Mabley & Carew of Cincinnati, Ohio; acquired in 1960; incorporated Rollman & Sons; sold to Elder-Beerman in 1978
- Polsky's from Akron, Ohio; acquired in 1929; expanded to four locations before closing in 1978 to prioritize investments elsewhere
- Harzfeld's based in Kansas City, Missouri; purchased in 1981 and closed by 1984
- Sterling-Lindner Co. of Cleveland, Ohio; formed through mergers between 1947 and 1950; ceased operations in 1968
- The Fashion of Columbus, Ohio; acquired in 1949; combined with Morehouse Martens to form Morehouse Fashion; closed by 1969
- The Palace located in Spokane, Washington; bought from Kemp & Hebert in 1951 and sold shortly thereafter
- The Paris of Montana from Great Falls, Montana; obtained in 1937 via C. C. Anderson's acquisition; merged into Bon Marché and closed by 1999