Casual Corner

Casual Corner

File:Casual Corner logo.png
Industry	Retail
Founded	1950 (1950)
Founders	Stanley W. Vogel Charles E. Carples
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Headquarters	West Hartford, Connecticut , United States
Number of locations	(formerly) 500+
Area served	U.S.
Products	Apparel
Owner	Luxottica
Subsidiaries	Petite Sophisticate August Max Woman

Casual Corner was a U.S.-based apparel retail chain established in 1950. The company operated stores under the Casual Corner, Petite Sophisticate, and August Max Woman names, expanding to over 525 outlets at its height.

History

Casual Corner was co-founded by childhood friends Charles E. Carples, then a manager at Sage-Allen, and Stanley W. Vogel, a buyer for Brown-Thomson, who each invested $5,000 to launch the business. They opened their inaugural store on April 1 in West Hartford, Connecticut, occupying 750 square feet fashioned from reclaimed tobacco barn materials and staffed with help from their spouses.

The brand introduced a novel retail concept by permitting customers to freely browse and try on clothing, diverging from the prevailing practice of displaying merchandise behind glass cases. The company’s name emphasized a relaxed shopping atmosphere that was unusual for the period.

During the late 1950s, brothers William "Bill" Miller and Irving Kent Miller acquired rights to establish Casual Corner outlets throughout Texas cities such as Houston and Dallas. These stores were distinguished by upscale country-inspired décor and operated until the late 1960s when retail trends shifted toward large shopping malls.

From an initial revenue of $45,000 in its first year, Casual Corner's sales increased to $14 million by 1969. In 1970, with a network of 20 stores, the company was purchased by United States Shoe Corporation (U.S. Shoe). Founder Vogel assumed leadership of U.S. Shoe’s specialty retail division before retiring ten years later.

By 1971, under U.S. Shoe’s control, Casual Corner had grown to 25 stores and continued expanding rapidly. Many of these early locations were constructed by George Zunner III across New England and New York.

Casual Corner served as the cornerstone of U.S. Shoe's Women's Specialty Retailing Group, which operated more than 1,500 outlets nationwide by 1989.

In April 1995, Italian eyewear leader Luxottica acquired U.S. Shoe for $1.4 billion mainly to obtain its LensCrafters division; however, the apparel segment posted a $22 million loss during that quarter. Later that year, Luxottica divested the Women's Specialty Retailing Group as Casual Corner Group to pLa Leonardo Finanziaria S.r.l., controlled by Luxottica founder Leonardo Del Vecchio.

Although Casual Corner operated 525 stores in 2000, it shuttered all locations by late 2005 after selling assets to a liquidator amid mounting competitive pressures.

Brands and market

Initially concentrating on women's activewear, Casual Corner offered premium clothing and accessories from labels such as The Villager, Ladybug, Glen of Michigan, Cole of California, Bernardo, Collins of Texas, and Vera during the early 1960s. The product lineup was characterized by a unique aesthetic featuring tailored cotton shirtdresses, Peter Pan collars, pin-tucked blouses, along with coordinated woven and knit wool pieces.

By the 1990s, the company reoriented its focus toward professional women. Operating within its Women's Specialty Retailing Group, Casual Corner managed several brands including Casual Corner itself, Casual Corner Annex, August Max (which was later renamed August Max Woman), Petite Sophisticate, Ups & Downs, and Caren Charles. Additionally, it previously owned J. Riggings, a menswear retailer divested in 1987. This varied brand assortment helped maintain the company's presence in the women's specialty apparel market throughout its years of operation.