13 April-F W Woolworth

Woolworth was an international retail company. It was founded by Frank Winfield Woolworth in Utica, New York on February 22nd 1878. During the 20th century it became one of the largest retail chains in the world. Woolworth’s had stores in Ireland, including one at 24/25 Tullow Street Carlow in Carlow town.

Frank Winfield Woolworth was born into a farming family in Rodman, New York in 1852. In 1873, he began working as a stock boy in a general store. He observed how a clearance by the store of leftover items at reduced prices was a success. He opened his own five-and-ten-cent stores which became very successful.

Following its foundation the Woolworth Corporation began to expand. By 1904 the corporation was operating stores across the US and Canada. Woolworth’s opened its first store in Great Britain in the city of Liverpool in 1909. The first Woolworth store in Ireland opened on Grafton Street in Dublin in 1914. F W Woolworth was one of the wealthiest people in the world at the time of his death on April 8th 1919

Following the opening of the store in Dublin in 1914 further Woolworth stores were opened across Ireland. These included stores at 24/25 Tullow Street Carlow and at 91/92 High Street Kilkenny. By the 1980’s the Woolworth business was in decline. All Woolworth stores in Ireland were closed down in 1984 and the company went out of business and ceased trading on July 17th 1997.

F W Woolworth founder of the Woolworth international retail business was born in New York in the year 1852 On This Day.

WOOLWORTH

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*