Zayre
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| Zayre | |
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| Fate | Acquired by Ames |
| Founded | 1956, Hyannis, Massachusetts |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Location | Framingham, Massachusetts |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, toys, and housewares. |
| Key people | Malcolm L. Sherman, CEO; Max Feldberg and Morris Feldberg, Founders |
Zayre was a chain of discount retail stores that operated in the United States from 1956 to 1990. The company headquarters was in Framingham, Massachusetts.
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[edit] History
Zayre was founded by brothers Max and Morris Feldberg, who immigrated to the United States from Russia in the early 1900s. Their first chain of stores was the Bell Shoppes, which sold women’s apparel. Zayre started in Hyannis, Massachusetts in 1956 as a discount department store. It was initially focused on the Northeast but soon expanded to other areas including a considerable midwestern presence. During the early 1970s the company started the TJ Maxx chain. In 1984 it started the BJ's Wholesale Club chain. In 1985, Zayre acquired California based Home Club. After the sale of the Zayre chain to Ames, the company changed its name to TJX Companies, which is still in business today.
Zayre also acquired a few locations in Ohio in 1986 from Meijer; these locations were part of Meijer's failed "Meijer Square" concept.
In 1975 Zayre started a program entitled "Zayre '75" to remodel and update the stores. However, many of the new stores opened up during the 1980s suffered from cluttered aisles and messy appearances. Zayre began to feature appearances from celebrities such as Sherman Hemsley and Robert Guillaume in "Grand-Reopenings" of their major stores. These events failed to improve their market share. In Feb 1988 they filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, and in October 1988 the Zayre stores were sold to Ames. This doubled the size of the Ames chain, but it caused many problems for Ames and brought about a large loss for that chain. Eventually Ames would close 74 stores, and convert the rest into Ames stores. As a result, some of the remaining Zayre stores operated under the Ames name until Ames ceased operations in 2002.
[edit] Name
The original name of the company was "Zayre Gut," which means "very good" in Yiddish. Not having enough money to pay for a sign that included both words, ownership instead installed the first word "ZAYRE" to the front of their building with the intentions of adding the "GUT" later. However, the company became branded as "ZAYRE" and the owners feared that adding the second half of the name might confuse customers.[citation needed]
[edit] Slogans
- It pays to shop at Zayre...Everyday! (this was while stores transitioned from Zayre to Ames)
- Zayre - Fabulous Department Stores!
- Compare...you can't do better than Zayre!
- Zayre is going "Price-happy!" (circa 1977)
- We'd like to make Zayre your store!
- There's always a sale a Zayre!
- Save at Zayre - All Day and Night We'll Be There. (70's holiday jingle when stores opened for 24hrs)
- TakeAnotherLook, TakeAnotherLook...at Zayre! (1970s)
- Be a Super Santa! (December 1978)
- Get a Good Look at Zayre!
- Get to Zayre and Get It All! (circa 1981)
- "Before you go back to school, go to Zayre! You can learn the ABC's of savings there!" (from musical jingle used in radio & TV advertising, circa early-to-mid 1960's) -- contributed by Zayre employee, Waltham & Hadley, Massachusetts stores, 1976-80
- "Where? Zayre!" circa 1981
