Boscov's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department stores) |
| Founded | January 1, 1914 in Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Founder | Solomon "Sol" Boscov |
| Headquarters | Exeter Township , United States |
Area served | Northeastern United States (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia, Rhode Island) |
Key people | Jim Boscov (Chairman and CEO) |
| Products | Department store goods |
| Owner | Boscov family |
Number of employees | 2,200 (as of 1968) (1968) |
| Website | www |
Boscov's Inc. is a family-operated regional department store chain with more than fifty outlets throughout the Northeastern United States, spanning Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Rhode Island. Pennsylvania alone is home to twenty-six of these locations. The corporate headquarters are situated in Exeter Township, Pennsylvania, near Reading. Jim Boscov holds the positions of Chairman and CEO, having succeeded his uncle Albert Boscov.
History
Solomon "Sol" Boscov, the company's founder, immigrated from Russia to Reading, Pennsylvania in 1911 with limited resources and began his career as a traveling salesman. In 1914, he launched the original Boscov's store in Reading. Expansion efforts accelerated during the 1960s with several new stores opening in suburban areas around Reading. By 1968, Boscov's operated five stores generating annual revenues over $50 million and employed 2,200 people. Leadership transitioned to Solomon’s son, Albert "Albie" Boscov, in 1960.
The company’s growth extended beyond Berks County in 1972 when it opened a store at Lebanon Valley Mall. In 1980, Boscov's acquired Fowler, Dick and Walker (also known as the Boston Store), which became its first multi-level location. Its initial out-of-state expansion occurred in 1982 with a store at Dover Mall in Delaware. Later, Boscov's entered the Philadelphia market by converting Ports of the World stores under its brand.
In 1983, Boscov's inaugurated a flagship five-story store in downtown Binghamton, New York. Continued expansion included replacing an older Strawbridge's location at Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing with a new store in 2002, which led to the closure of the previous Sinking Spring location.
After Albert Boscov retired in 2006, Kenneth Lakin assumed the roles of chairman and CEO and pursued rapid growth by acquiring ten new stores from Federated Department Stores following its merger with May Company. Unfortunately, this expansion coincided with the 2008 economic downturn, resulting in Boscov's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Albert Boscov returned from retirement to steer the company back on course; most newly acquired stores were closed initially but two eventually reopened. The company successfully emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009.
By 2025, Boscov's operates 51 stores across nine states and remains under family ownership with Jim Boscov at the helm following Albert’s passing in 2017. Despite widespread challenges facing department stores nationwide, Boscov's has sustained consistent growth and achieved record sales of $1.2 billion in 2017. Its strategic focus involves acquiring anchor retail spaces left vacant by competitors such as JCPenney and Sears while investing significantly in store refurbishments.
Recent developments include entering Providence Place mall in Rhode Island (2019), launching a delayed store at Eastwood Mall in Ohio (2021), opening its first West Virginia location in Bridgeport (2023), and preparing to open a new outlet at The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, New York scheduled for fall 2025.
Civic affairs and charitable giving
Since the 1970s, Boscov's has hosted its annual "Friends Helping Friends" fundraising campaign, which raises roughly $1 million each year for nonprofit organizations—demonstrating its ongoing dedication to community involvement and corporate philanthropy.
Jazz Festival
Boscov's serves as the primary sponsor for the "Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest," which draws approximately 40,000 visitors each year to Reading, Pennsylvania. This partnership significantly boosts the company's brand prominence and influence within the local market.
Thanksgiving Day Parade
After the 1986 shutdown of Gimbels, Boscov's joined forces with WPVI-TV to co-sponsor the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade for more than twenty years, reinforcing its regional visibility and community engagement.
In Popular Culture
The Boscov's store located in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, was portrayed as the fictional Illustra department store in the 1987 movie Mannequin. The brand also appears in various entertainment media, such as Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 3), NBC's The Office (Season 5, Episode 25), and Netflix’s Tires (Season 2, Episode 3), highlighting its cultural significance and ongoing relevance in the marketplace.
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1914 establishments in Pennsylvania
- American companies established in 1914
- Clothing retailers of the United States
- Companies based in Reading, Pennsylvania
- Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008
- Department stores of the United States
- Economy of the Northeastern United States
- Family-owned companies of the United States
- Privately held companies based in Pennsylvania
- Retail companies based in Pennsylvania
- Retail companies established in 1914
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- Companies of the United States by year of establishment