Ben Franklin (company)
| Company type | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (five and dime, arts and crafts) |
| Predecessor | Butler Brothers |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Fate | Trademark purchased by Promotions Unlimited in 1997; Promotions Unlimited filed bankruptcy in 2017 |
| Headquarters | Mount Pleasant , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Owner | Promotions Unlimited (until 2017 bankruptcy) |
Ben Franklin is a network of five and dime as well as arts and crafts retailers, predominantly situated in smaller communities throughout the United States. The chain was last owned by Promotions Unlimited, based in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin. Operating under a franchise model, each store is independently owned and managed. Established in 1927, Ben Franklin was one of the pioneering retail franchise operations. Its name honors Benjamin Franklin, reflecting his famous adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned," which is echoed in the store’s product selection. Although Promotions Unlimited declared bankruptcy in 2017, a number of Ben Franklin outlets remain active.
Origins
The origins of the chain trace back to 1877 in Boston with Butler Brothers, a mail-order wholesaler that served over 100,000 customers across the United States by the early 1900s. To tap into the expanding variety store sector, Butler Brothers introduced the Ben Franklin chain in 1927 and later divested it in 1959. At its height, the Ben Franklin brand encompassed approximately 2,500 stores nationwide.
In the early 1970s, Ben Franklin expanded by acquiring Duke & Ayres, a Texas-based five and dime retailer headquartered in Dallas with locations operating statewide from around 1910 until 1990.
Throughout the 1970s, the company also operated larger-format outlets known as Ben Franklin Family Center stores that featured an extended range of merchandise including apparel. Some of these stores were branded as B&C Family Center and incorporated supermarket sections.
Bankruptcy
Ben Franklin Retail Stores Inc. functioned mainly as a wholesaler supplying variety and craft items to its franchisees. However, in the early 1990s, it attempted to open its own retail locations, which were not successful and impaired its capacity to provide inventory to approximately 860 independently owned stores across 47 states. These operational challenges culminated in bankruptcy proceedings and led to the shutdown of company-operated stores between 1996 and 1997.
In 1995, Ben Franklin acquired V&S Variety Store chain from Cotter & Co., the parent company of True Value.
Promotions Unlimited
Amidst Ben Franklin’s bankruptcy process, Promotions Unlimited emerged as a principal supplier for many franchise owners and purchased the Ben Franklin trademark in 1997 after the original entity filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Operating as a distributor, Promotions Unlimited supported franchisees by supplying products and managing advertising efforts through direct mail campaigns and newspaper inserts. Additionally, it offered promotional services to thousands of other independent retailers. Despite sustaining the brand for years, Promotions Unlimited itself filed for bankruptcy in 2017. Nonetheless, multiple Ben Franklin stores continue to operate across the country under this established banner.
Impact
- Sam Walton, founder of Walmart, began his retail career managing a Ben Franklin store.
- Dollar Tree traces its origins back to K. R. Perry’s 1953 Ben Franklin variety store located in Norfolk, Virginia.
- In 1973, Michael J. Dupey transformed a Ben Franklin location into what became the Michaels chain in Texas.
See also
- Hindman Ben Franklin: Recognized on Kentucky’s National Register of Historic Places