Barkers
Encyclopedia
Barkers Discount Department Stores was a chain of department stores located in the United States and the Caribbean. Originally, they were owned by Franklin Stores Corporation (Bronx,NY), then sold to Cornwall Equities, LTD. Barkers were located in two separate areas of the continental United States, the northeast and the south central. Locations in the northeast US were in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

, while locations in the south central US were Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

 and Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, primarily the New Orleans area. Barkers locations in the Caribbean were in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 and the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...

.

Business Layout

Barkers did not have a distribution center like other retail chains. They invested heavily in imports, which played a major role in their discounting plans. They made use of import distributors domestically, as well as direct buying from overseas. Barkers belief was that to offer discounts, they must offer a wide variety of brand names, private brands, imports and domestic labels. Barkers layout was mostly the same as other retailers. They had departments featuring furniture, electrical, hardware, clothing, health and beauty aids, records, books, TV's, camera's, automotive, camping, bicycles, garden, etc.

Competition

Barkers, like other department stores, had their share of competition. Nichols Discount City, Bradlees
Bradlees
Bradlees was a chain of discount department stores which operated primarily in the Northeastern United States. The chain went bankrupt in 2000 and all of its stores were closed by March 2001.-History:...

 and King's Department Stores
King's Department Stores
King's Department Stores was a chain of discount stores in the Eastern United States. The chain started in 1956, in Brockton, Massachusetts. They expanded to about 190 stores when, in 1978, they purchased the bankrupt Mammoth Mart chain. Three stores operated in the Buffalo, New York area...

 were a few.

The Beginning

Barker's Discount Department Stores was started February 1, 1961. At this time, Franklin Stores Corporation acquired all outstanding stock of Barker's Inc. Barker's Inc. was an operator of two discount department stores in the state of Connecticut. With this purchase, Barker's began a period of 19 years in business. Between 1961 and 1970, Barker's would open over 11 more stores. From 1970 to 1975, Barker's would become one of the nations fastest growing retail chains in the United States, opening almost 20 stores alone in New York State. In 1976, Barkers would open up several former W.T. Grant store locations in central New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

.

The Downfall

After years of prosperity, Barkers was on its downfall, along with several other major retailers. King's Department Stores (KDT Industries, Inc) acquired the financially ailing Barkers for $30 million in August 1980. Included in this deal was the 125 Franklin Store chain, a women's specialty shop retailer. Barker's stores retained their name until early 1981, when most Barker's were renamed King's. Barker's stores not purchased by King's were closed, or sold to other retailers. At the time of this purchase, Barker's operated 63 stores. Only the stores in Louisianna, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands retained the Barker's name.

United States locations

  • Auburn, NY Auburn Plaza, Grant Ave.
  • Avon, NY East Avon Mall, RT. 5 & RT. 20
  • Bath, NY 330 West Washington Street
  • Bedford Hills, NY 747 Bedford Road
  • Binghamton, NY Northgate Plaza, 1250 Front Street
  • Canandaigua, NY Townline Plaza, East Lake Road
  • Carmel, NY Putnam Shopping Plaza, RT. 6
  • Clifton Park, NY RT. 146 and Vischer Ferry Road
  • Cortland, NY RT. 281 and McLean Road
  • Elmira, NY Diven Plaza, Lake Street
  • Endwell, NY Park Manor Plaza, 840 Hooper Road
  • Fishkill, NY RT. 52 & Blodgett Road
  • Fulton, NY Pyramid Mall, RT. 3 West
  • Geneva, NY 510 Hamilton Street/ RT. 5 & 20
  • Glens Falls, NY Upper Glen Street/ RT. 9
  • Guilderland, NY Twenty Mall, RT. 155
  • Hudson, NY RT. 9
  • Hyde Park, NY The Mall, RT. 9
  • Johnstown, NY Pyramid Mall, RT. 30A
  • Latham, NY 711 Troy & Schenectady Roads
  • New Paltz, NY Simmons Plaza, RT. 299
  • Oneonta, NY Pyramid Mall, RT. 28
  • Ossining, NY Arcadian Shopping Center, RT. 9
  • Rotterdam, NY 1400 Altamont Avenue
  • Saratoga Springs, NY Pyramid Mall, RT. 50 North
  • Saugerties, NY Simmons Plaza, RT. 9W
  • Troy, NY Troy Plaza, Hoosick Street
  • Vails Gate, NY RT. 94 & RT. 300
  • Branford, CT East Main Street
  • Bridgeport, CT
  • Dayville, CT
  • Meriden, CT 1231 East Main Street
  • New Milford, CT
  • Norwich, CT
  • Old Saybrook, CT
  • Orange, CT
  • Wallingford, CT Route 5 / South Colony Road
  • Waterford, CT Boston Post Road & Clark Lane
  • Westport, CT
  • Willimantic, CT
  • Flemington, NJ Flemington Mall, RT. 302
  • Chalmette, LA
  • Harahan, LA
  • Harvey, LA Manhatten Boulevard
  • Monroe, LA
  • New Orleans, LA 9701 Chef Menteur Boulevard
  • Brownsville, TX 1401 East Washington Street
  • Groves, TX 32nd Street
  • San Antonio, TX

Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands locations

There were MANY locations in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 and Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...

. At the time of King's purchase, it was stated that 18 Barker's were to keep their names in PR and the VI. Locations found are:
  • Ponce, PR
  • Puerto Nueve, PR
  • St. Thomas, VI

External links


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