J.J. Newberry
J.J. Newberry's was a
five and dime store chain in the
twentieth century. It was founded in
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania,
USA in
1911 by
John Josiah Newberry (
September 26,
1877 -
March 6,
1954). J.J. Newberry had learned the variety store business by working at
S.H. Kress stores for 12 years between 1899 and 1911, after having worked for
department store Fowler, Dick, and Walker for five years. There were 7 stores in the chain by
1918.
The company was a
family business, J.J. Newberry was joined in management by his brothers
C.T. Newberry and
Edgar A. Newberry in
1919, at which time there were 17 stores with yearly sales of $500,000.
Over the years, the Newberry chain acquired other stores including
Hested in
Wyoming,
North Dakota,
Colorado, and
Nebraska, and
Lee Stores in
South Dakota,
Minnesota, and
Iowa. It was ultimately purchased by
McCrory's, and then folded slowly as
McCrory's entered
bankruptcy.
At the time of founder J.J. Newberry's death (1954), the chain had 475 stores. By
1961 the company operated 565 stores with total yearly sales of $291,000,000.
They opened a new store in
Stockton, California on
February 22,
1950 located at 331 East Weber Ave.
McCrory closed this location on
April 10,
1997.
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Biography of J.J. Newberry
