Casual Corner

Casual Corner
Defunct 2005
Headquarters West Hartford, Connecticut
Number of locations
 500+ at peak
Area served
 U.S.
Products Clothing

Casual Corner was an American retail clothing chain founded in 1950. It operated stores under the names Casual Corner and Petite Sophisticate. The chain operated more than 525 stores at its peak.

History

Stanley W. Vogel founded Casual Corner in 1950[1] in West Hartford, Connecticut.[2] It was sold to United Shoe Corporation in 1970.[3] A year later, the chain opened its twenty-fifth store.[4]

The chain's target demographic was originally sports-themed wear for women,[5] but by the 1990s it had been redesigned to target working-class women.[6] It also operated two other chains, Casual Corner Annex and Petite Sophisticate.[7]

With 525 stores in business, Casual Corner closed its remaining locations in late 2005 after selling them to a liquidator.[7][8] The stores were closed due to increased competition.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Stanley W. Vogel; co-founder of Casual Corner chain". The Providence Journal. 26 September 1989. pp. E–04. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  2. ↑ "Casual Corner Group closing includes 7 Triad locations Read more: Casual Corner Group closing includes 7 Triad locations". The Business Journal. 2 December 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  3. ↑ "Casual Corner Sale Planned". The Milwaukee Sentinel. 30 October 1969. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  4. ↑ "Casual Corner Plans To Open 25th Store". The Hartford Courant. 18 April 1971. p. 14B. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  5. ↑ Hagerty, Thomas J. (1 August 1972). "Small stores look to majors for traffic". The Milwaukee Journal. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  6. ↑ Martin, Ellen Rooney (10 January 1999). "FRESHING UP SOME SURPRISES ARE IN STORE AMONG THE CLASSICS ON THESE RACKS". The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Casual Corner closing all 525 stores". USA Today. 23 October 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  8. ↑ "Petite Sophisticate, Casual Corner in retail limbo". Chicago Sun-Times. 8 August 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
  9. ↑ Hajewski, Doris (November 24, 2005). "Women's apparel chain shuts down". The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 25 July 2011.