J. J. Newberry
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1911 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Founder | John Josiah Newberry |
| Fate | Acquired by McCrory Stores Corporation in 1972; liquidated in 2002 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Five and dime retail goods |
J. J. Newberry's was a prominent American five and dime retail chain established in 1911 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania by John Josiah Newberry (1877–1954). Before founding the company, Newberry accumulated 17 years of experience in the retail sector. By 1918, the business had expanded to encompass seven locations.
John Josiah Newberry
Originating from Sunbury, Pennsylvania, John Josiah Newberry initially worked in the railroad industry before transitioning to retail. He was employed at Fowler, Dick and Walker starting in 1894, followed by a tenure at S. H. Kress & Co. until 1911. That year, he launched J. J. Newberry and swiftly opened a second outlet in Freeland, Pennsylvania in 1912. By 1919, management of the enterprise was shared with his brothers Edgar A. and C.T. Newberry, and under their leadership, the chain expanded to 475 stores by the time of John Josiah Newberry’s passing in 1954.
J. J. Newberry Company
As a family-operated enterprise, J. J. Newberry grew through strategic acquisitions such as Hested—which operated in Wyoming, Missouri, Ohio, North Dakota, Colorado, and Nebraska—and Lee Stores located in South Dakota, Minnesota, Maine, and Iowa. By 1961, the chain managed 565 outlets generating annual revenues of $291 million; this portfolio included Britt's Department Store.
In 1972, McCrory Stores Corporation purchased the 439-unit J. J. Newberry chain but preserved it as an independent division under the Newberry banner, concentrating expansion efforts primarily in the Northeast and California regions. Although the brand maintained solid performance throughout the 1980s, McCrory filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1992. The ensuing restructuring resulted in the shutdown of approximately 300 stores by 1997, which affected numerous Newberry locations.
Bankruptcy & Liquidation
By the year 2000, most outlets formerly operating under Newberry and McCrory had been converted to Dollar Zone stores as part of McCrory’s business model transformation. The remaining Newberry stores were shuttered entirely, culminating in the liquidation of McCrory’s complete chain in February 2002.
Early J. J. Newberry establishments were identified by a distinctive emblem featuring gold or white sans serif lettering set against a red backdrop—bearing resemblance to rivals such as Woolworth's, Neisner Brothers, and S. S. Kresge. Subsequent branding adopted a cursive style typical of the 1960s era while dropping the "J. J." prefix from its name.
The poet Donald Hall commemorated the closure of a Franklin, New Hampshire J. J. Newberry store through his poem titled "Beans and Franks."
Britt's
Britt's operated as a subsidiary division under J. J. Newberry and originated in the Pacific Northwest during the early twentieth century. The acquisition of Britt's by J. J. Newberry occurred in December 1928; all Britt’s outlets were subsequently rebranded under the Newberry nameplate. In the early 1960s, Britt's was revived as a discount store division aimed at broadening market penetration for Newberry. Notably, during Birmingham’s civil rights movement, Britt’s Department Stores became a focal point for sit-in protests against segregated lunch counters, leading to the arrest of twenty demonstrators.