What is the oldest department store chain in the US?
Christopher Ramos
Updated on February 22, 2026
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor – 1826 Samuel Lord and George Washington Taylor founded the store in 1826 to sell specialty women’s apparel. It is now the oldest mid- to high-range department store chain in the United States.
Who is the largest department store chain?
Macy’s
In 2020, Macy’s was ranked as the the leading department store in the United States, with sales amounting to 17.35 billion U.S. dollars. Kohl’s followed, with sales reaching 15 billion.
What was the first chain department store?
Arnold Constable was the first American department store. It was founded in 1825 as a small dry goods store on Pine Street in New York City. In 1857 the store moved into a five-story white marble dry goods palace known as the Marble House.
What is the oldest store chain?
Brooks Brothers is the oldest U.S. retail industry company that is still doing business today. The company was founded only 42 years after the United States itself was born. The first Brooks Brothers store opened April 7, 1818, on Cherry Street in New York City.
What is the oldest store in the USA?
Gray’s General Store
Gray’s General Store is a general store located at 4 Main Street in Adamsville, Rhode Island. Founded in 1788, it operated for almost 225 years and was reputed to be the oldest continually operating general store in the United States.
What is the oldest general store in America?
The Brick Store
The Brick Store is the “Oldest General Store in America”.
What is the oldest grocery store in North America?
J.A. Moisan
The oldest grocery store in North America is truly one-of-a-kind. Founded in 1871, J.A. Moisan is renowned for its selection of fine food, products made in Québec (preserves and fine cheeses) and foodstuffs from around the world. Old-fashioned décor with music from the 1920’s and 1930’s. We look forward to seeing you!
When did the last department store go out of business?
Many United States department store chains and local department stores, some with long and proud histories, went out of business or lost their identities between 1986 and 2006 as the result of a complex series of corporate mergers and acquisitions that involved Federated Department Stores and The May Department Stores Company with many stores …
Where was the first department store in the United States?
At one time, it had 10 stores in three states with locations Terre Haute, Marion, Elkhart, and Kokomo in Indiana, Danville, Mattoon, and Carbondale in Illinois, and Paducah, Kentucky. Root Dry Goods Co. ( Terre Haute) First opened in 1856 and operated until 1998 when it was sold to May Department Stores and converted to L.S. Ayres stores.
Are there any department stores that have closed?
For stores and chains that have closed, see List of defunct department stores of the United States. This is a list of department stores of the United States from past and present. This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Are there any defunct retailers in the United States?
Some may have been lost due to mergers, while others were affected by a phenomenon of large store closings in the 2010s known as the retail apocalypse . Below is a list of defunct retailers of the United States . Al’s Auto Supply – Chain that operated in Washington, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and Alaska; purchased by CSK Auto.