Brendle's

Brendle's
Genre Catalog showroom
Fate Bankruptcy and liquidation
Founded 1918
Defunct 1996
Headquarters Elkin, North Carolina

Brendle's was a chain of catalog showrooms based in Elkin, North Carolina, USA. Its showrooms carried jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics. At its peak in 1990, Brendle's operated 58 showrooms in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee.[1][2]

The company announced it was closing in 1996 a few months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for a second time.

History

The company began in 1918 as a wholesale grocery-distributing business.[3] In 1953, Douglas D. Brendle, the grandson of the company's founder, joined the business. He began stocking toys and houseware items, becoming the company's first wholesale showroom. In 1957, Brendle began publishing the company's first catalog.

At its peak in 1990, Brendle's had 3,000 employees.

The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1992, closing six stores.[4][5]

Brendle's then filed for Chapter 11 for a second time in April 1996. The company, whose struggles mirrored Service Merchandise, closed 18 stores and tried to reinvent itself as a craft and party store, eliminating consumer electronics, toys and sporting goods. Company officials ultimately decided to close by the end of that year.[6]

The company was headquartered on North Bridge Street in Elkin.

References

  1. ↑ "Doug Brendle quits board of directors," The Tribune (Elkin, North Carolina), September 6, 1996
  2. ↑ ""City Brendle's Store Will Close"" (PDF). Savannah, GA: Savannah Morning News. 1992-01-28.
  3. ↑ Guenzel, Jessica (2006-02-12). "Store founder Douglas D. Brendle dies". Winston-Salem Journal. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  4. ↑ "Discount Store News, Feb. 17, 1992". Findarticles.com. 1992. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  5. ↑ "Brendle's Seeks Bankruptcy Court Protection". New York Times. 1996-04-17.
  6. ↑ "Brendle's to liquidate". Charlotte Business Journal (Bizjournals.com). 1996-12-05. Retrieved 2009-07-15.