TG&Y
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TG&Y was a five and dime, or variety store, chain in the United States. The chain was named for founders Tomlinson, Gosselin and Young (the full name of the latter is Raymond A. Young). Founded in 1935, the chain was headquartered in Oklahoma City. At its peak, there were more than 900 stores.[1][2]
It was acquired by McCrory Stores in 1986, when it had about 720 stores. Shortly after McCrory's purchased TG&Y, that company cut over 8,000 employees and closed 205 stores, including 23 in its former home-state of Oklahoma.[3] It did business under the TG&Y Family Center and later TG&Y Dollar and Aim for the Best and Dollar-T names as well. Toward the end of its successful years, the chain used the advertising slogan, "Your best buy is at TG&Y."
In 2001, the chain filed bankruptcy and eventually all stores were closed.
Among consumers, it often had the nickname of "Turtles, Girdles, and Yo-Yos" (alternately: "Tulsa, Garden & Yard"), referring to one of the first stores in which a consumer could get products of various varieties.
In the final years of the chain and as the stores deteriorated in both appearance and cleanliness, shoppers sometimes referred to the chain as "Tacky, Gross and Yucky."
