Britt's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1911 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | John Josiah Newberry |
| Fate | Acquired by McCrory Stores Corporation in 1972; brand discontinued in 2002 |
Area served | United States |
Key people | John Josiah Newberry (founder) |
| Products | Five and dime retail goods |
J. J. Newberry's was a U.S.-based five and dime retail chain established in 1911 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania by businessman John Josiah Newberry (1877–1954). After accumulating 17 years of experience in the retail sector, Newberry launched the enterprise, which expanded to seven outlets by 1918.
John Josiah Newberry
Born on September 26, 1877, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, John Josiah Newberry initially worked in the railroad industry before transitioning to retail with Fowler, Dick and Walker in 1894. He later joined S. H. Kress & Co. in 1899 and stayed there until he founded J. J. Newberry in 1911. The original store’s favorable reception prompted swift growth, including a location in Freeland, Pennsylvania by 1912. By 1919, Newberry managed the company alongside his brothers Edgar A. and C.T. Newberry. When he passed away in 1954, the chain had grown to encompass 475 stores.
J. J. Newberry Company
The family-operated business expanded through acquisitions such as Hested stores throughout the Midwest and Lee Stores across multiple states. By 1961, the company ran 565 outlets generating $291 million in annual revenue, also incorporating Britt's Department Store within its portfolio.
In 1972, McCrory Stores Corporation purchased J. J. Newberry’s chain of 439 stores but retained it as a separate division, focusing growth mainly in the Northeast and California markets where the brand held significant presence. The company continued to expand during the 1980s; however, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1992. Following reorganization efforts, numerous stores were closed, and by 1997 McCrory had shut down around 300 locations, including many Newberry stores. Ultimately, the brand was discontinued by 2002 after McCrory’s complete liquidation.
Bankruptcy & Liquidation
By the year 2000, most former Newberry and McCrory outlets had been converted to Dollar Zone stores as part of McCrory’s strategic shift toward discount retailing. The final remaining Newberry stores were closed before McCrory’s entire chain was liquidated in February 2002.
Early J. J. Newberry stores were identified by a distinctive logo featuring gold or white sans serif lettering on a red background—similar to competitors such as Woolworth's, Neisner Brothers, and S. S. Kresge. In later years, the branding evolved into a cursive logo emblematic of the 1960s style, dropping the "J. J." portion.
The poet Donald Hall commemorated the closing of a J. J. Newberry location in Franklin, New Hampshire through his poem "Beans and Franks."
Britt's
Britt's originated as a division of J. J. Newberry in the early twentieth century within the Pacific Northwest region. After acquiring Britt's in December 1928, J. J. Newberry rebranded all Britt's outlets under its own name. The Britt's brand was revived during the early 1960s as a discount store segment of Newberry’s operations. During Birmingham’s civil rights movement, Britt's Department Stores became notable sites for sit-ins protesting segregated lunch counters; these demonstrations led to the arrest of twenty participants.