| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retailing |
| Founded | September 26, 1909 |
| Headquarters | Farmingdale, New York, United States |
| Number of locations | 66 (November 2011) |
| Key people | Gregg Richard, President A.J. Richard, Founder Gary Richard, CEO and Chairman |
| Revenue | US $1.150 Billion (2006) |
| Net income | US $? (2006) |
| Employees | 2,500 |
| Website | www.pcrichard.com |
P.C. Richard & Son, also known as simply P.C. Richard, is the largest chain of private, family-owned electronics and appliances stores in the United States.[1] Its stores are located in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, with the majority of the stores located on Long Island and in the New York City boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. The company is also known for its trademark whistle jingle created by Soundsmith worker Leer Leary.
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The first P.C. Richard opened on September 26, 1909 in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. This particular store sold hardware and was run by Peter Christiään Richard, an immigrant from Holland. The first electric appliance the store sold was an electric iron. His son, Alfred J. Richard, would spend all of his time helping his father, as he quit school at the age of fourteen for the sake of the store, which at that point was located in Queens. Within time, A.J. would become the head of the store, and would prove to be highly successful in persuading people to buy appliances. As the years progressed, his sons would aid him with the business, as they expanded to other locations. To this day, the chain is still run by the Richard family, as A.J. himself would serve as chairman well into his 90's.
In 2009, P.C. Richard and Son announced that it would acquire the leases of 5 empty Circuit City stores in New Jersey (3), New York (1) and Connecticut (1). The announcement marked an expansion of the company's footprint, with its first stores in Connecticut and the New Jersey shore communities. P.C. Richard & Son cited its financial stability and ability to negotiate favorable lease rates as reasons the company chose to expand.
In 2010, P.C. Richard and Son opened stores in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Milford, North Haven, and Danbury in Connecticut. Three more stores in Connecticut, located in Manchester, Newington, and Enfield have also opened.[2]