Dunlaps

Dunlaps

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (department stores)
Founded	c. 1890
Founder	H.G. Dunlap
Defunct	2007
Fate	Liquidation
Headquarters	Fort Worth , United States
Area served	Central and Southern United States
Products	Department store goods
Number of employees	Unknown

Dunlaps, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, was a family-operated department store chain serving various market segments across the central and southern United States. The company conducted business under multiple brand names, including Dunlaps, Stripling & Cox, MM Cohn, Rogers, Clark's, Schreiner's of Kerrville, Hieronimus, Kerr's, Kline's, The White House, and Gabriel's. At its peak, the chain managed 38 locations spanning eight states. Facing intense competition from larger retail chains and legal challenges from suppliers, Dunlaps ultimately ceased operations following liquidation sales in mid-2007.

History

The origins of The Dunlap Company trace back to approximately 1890 when H.G. Dunlap established a modest general store in Wagoner, Oklahoma, then part of Indian Territory during the significant Land Rush. After operating independently for several years, this store merged with the Dunlap Brothers store—founded by his sons in nearby Coweta, Oklahoma. By 1921, the Dunlap Brothers had grown their presence to 20 outlets throughout eastern Oklahoma. Eventually, the family opted to retire and relocate to California with plans to launch a new chain of stores.

Retha R. Martin, who joined the Dunlaps workforce in 1916 and had advanced to managing the final remaining store, was invited to become a partner holding a 40% stake. The initial strategy involved Martin closing the Eufaula, Oklahoma location and moving to California to oversee the new enterprise. However, due to unexpectedly strong sales performance in Eufaula that year, it was decided that Martin would remain there. Under his guidance, the store flourished and expanded.

In 1939, recognizing opportunities amid the thriving ranching and oil industries of West Texas, Martin began acquiring additional stores in that region. By 1943, the company operated fourteen stores primarily situated in West Texas and New Mexico, prompting relocation of corporate headquarters to Lubbock, Texas.

Among notable acquisitions were Goldstein-Migel of Waco, TX (1976), The White House of Beaumont, TX (1986), MM Cohn of Little Rock, AR (1989), Steketee's of Grand Rapids, MI (1991), and Porteous of Portland, ME (1992).

Eventually, the company ceased rebranding acquired stores to preserve their local heritage and continued operating even single-location outlets. Nevertheless, some brands such as Heironimus, Steketee's, Katz, McClurkans, and Goldstein-Migel were either shuttered or converted into Dunlaps stores over time due to logistical challenges or lease expirations. Despite their regional recognition, these stores struggled to maintain competitiveness in an evolving retail environment.

In June 2007, Dunlaps announced it would liquidate all operations along with its affiliated stores—marking the closure of one of the nation’s remaining small regional department store chains. The company attributed this outcome primarily to its inability to secure financing necessary for continued operation. Within a few months, all locations completed liquidation sales and permanently closed.

List of Dunlaps-Owned Retail Locations

• Clark's - located in Lufkin, Texas
• Dunlap's - serving communities in Amarillo, Texas, Big Spring, Texas, Midland, Texas, Odessa, Texas, Bullhead City, Arizona, Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Liberal, Kansas, Victoria, Texas, Kermit, Texas, Stephenville, Texas, and Lubbock, Texas
• MM Cohn - operating in Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee
• Eiband's - based in Galveston, Texas
• Gabriel's - found in Plainview, Texas
• Goldstein - Migel - situated in Waco, Texas
• Heironimus - locations in both Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia
• Klines - stores located in Dodge City, Kansas, Hays, Kansas, and Salina, Kansas
• Lintz - operating out of Brady, Texas
• McClurkan's - serving the area of Wichita Falls, Texas
• Pegues - based in Hutchinson, Kansas
• Porteous - located throughout Maine
• Hirsch's Department Store - situated in St. Joseph, Missouri
• Rogers - stores found in Florence, Muscle Shoals, and Decatur, Alabama
• Russel's - operating in Denton, Texas
• Schreiner's - located in Kerrville, Texas
• Steketee's - with multiple sites including Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan; Eastbrook Mall in Grand Rapids; Kalamazoo; Holland; Grand Haven; and Muskegon—all within Michigan
• Stripling & Cox - based in Fort Worth, Texas
• The White House - stores positioned in Beaumont, Texas, El Paso, and Lake Charles, LA