Type Private Founder Solomon Boscov CEO Jim Boscov (2015–) | Industry Retail Number of locations 50 Founded 1911 | |
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Key people Jim Boscov, Chairman & CEO Products Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, candy, household goods, toys/games, decor, small appliances Revenue $1.051 billion USD (2006) Headquarters Reading, Pennsylvania, United States Profiles | ||
Boscov's is a 5-star and award-winning family owned department store with 50 locations throughout the eastern United States. The current company chairman is Jim Boscov, who took over after his uncle Albert died in February 2017.
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History
Solomon "Sol" Boscov was of Jewish descent, he immigrated to Reading, Pennsylvania in 1902. He had $1.37 in cash on arrival in the United States. He worked as a traveling salesman with an initial $8 worth of merchandise. Because he spoke Yiddish, he was able to converse with those people in Berks County who spoke Pennsylvania Dutch. Solomon's fortunes changed in 1911 when he opened the first Boscov's store in Reading to much fanfare. With growing notoriety, Boscov's began expanding in the Pennsylvania suburbs through the 1940s. As early as 1948, Boscov's had five stores, 2,200 workers, and annual sales exceeding $50 million. Solomon Boscov retired and was succeeded by his son Albert "Albie" Boscov as head of the company in 1950.
Today
In October 2011, Boscov's opened a new store at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown, New Jersey in a former A&S space. This marked the first expansion for the company since the great recession of 2008 where the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. In November 2011, Boscov's announced plans to open a location at the White Marsh Mall in White Marsh, Maryland. The location opened on October 5, 2012. On May 15, 2012, Boscov's announced it would be opening a location in the Woodbridge Center Mall in Woodbridge, New Jersey in a former Fortunoff space. Boscov's opened a new Ohio location at the Ohio Valley Mall in October 2013. In October 2015, Boscov's opened a new Hartford, Connecticut store at the Westfield Meriden Mall in a former JCPenney space. In October 2016, Boscov's opened a store in the Sangertown Square Mall in New Hartford, New York in a former Sears space.
Later in 2017, Boscov's plans to open a store at Millcreek Mall in Erie, Pennsylvania in a recently shuttered Sears space.