720:
730:
307:(sandals), Collins of Texas (handbags), and Vera (scarves). These lines collectively reflected Casual Corner's distinctive look of the early 1960's; tailored cotton shirtdresses, Peter Pan collars, pin-tucked blouses, fine cotton and died-to-match woven and knit wool separates, jute-and-leather belts, and trendy hand-jeweled wooden purses.
235:
In the late 1950's, brothers
William "Bill" Miller and Irving Kent Miller acquired the rights to open Casual Corner stores in cities throughout the state of Texas, including Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Waco, Midland, Abilene, Lubbock, and McAllen. These stores were all designed around a traditional
27:
195:
Casual Corner broke tradition with retail conventions of the day, allowing women to physically browse clothing and try on items in fitting rooms, rather than encasing apparel behind glass. The store's name was chosen, in part, to reflect a more casual shopping experience than was typical of the era.
310:
By the 1990s, Casual Corner pivoted to target working women. Under the Women's
Specialty Retailing Group, the company owned and operated Casual Corner, Casual Corner Annex, August Max, Sophisticated Woman (subsequently merged and rebranded as August Max Woman), Petite Sophisticate, Ups & Downs,
236:
upscale country theme, featuring fine early
American furnishings, fixtures and trim, a fireplace, coffee station, New Yorker magazines, and dress forms as mannequins. The Texas chain remained intact until the late 1960's, once shopping plaza/center retailers began migrating to the newer supermalls.
306:
The chain's original merchandise was women's sportswear. In the early 1960's, the stores primarily featured high quality clothing and accessories from the following manufacturers: The
Villager, Ladybug (Juniors division of The Villager), Glen of Michigan, Cole of California (swimwear), Bernardo
274:
Under U.S. Shoe's ownership, Casual Corner became the foundation of a larger holding company, Women's
Specialty Retailing Group. During its market height, in 1989, US Specialty Retailing included over 1,500 stores nationwide.
246:
A year after acquisition by U.S. Shoe, the chain opened its twenty-fifth store and continued to grow rapidly after that. Many of the original stores were constructed by George Zunner III of West
Hartford, including those in
663:
239:
In its first year, company sales were $ 45,000; a decade later, annual revenue had increased to $ 2 million. In 1969, annual sales were reported as $ 14 million. Casual Corner was sold to
298:
and his family. With 525 stores operating in 2000, Casual Corner closed its remaining locations in late 2005, after selling them to a liquidator, due to increased competition.
172:
chain founded in 1950. It operated stores under the names Casual Corner, Petite
Sophisticate and August Max Woman brands, among others, with more than 525 stores at its peak.
763:
694:
671:
457:
243:(U.S. Shoe) in 1970, when the chain included 20 stores. Cofounder Vogel became president of the company's specialty retail division, retiring a decade later.
184:
manager, and Brown-Thomson buyer
Stanley W. Vogel each borrowed $ 5,000 (~$ 50,000 in 2023) to co-found Casual Corner, opening its first retail store that
192:. The first shop was 750 sq ft (70 m) and used poles, beams, and nets from old tobacco barns, and employed the founders' spouses as staff.
783:
773:
768:
788:
778:
758:
337:
290:
the Women's
Specialty Retailing Group, renamed Casual Corner Group, to Italian-controlled pLa Leonardo Finanziaria S.r.l., a
630:
571:
602:
511:
543:
414:
240:
260:
189:
100:
431:
252:
286:
division; losses of US$ 22 million were reported that second quarter. In
October 1995, Luxottica
483:
369:
248:
488:
295:
232:
Early Casual Corner logos and icons featured a cartoon-like rendition of a Dalmatian dog.
8:
576:
287:
635:
264:
607:
516:
199:
Throughout the 1950s. each store displayed the following poem near its front door:
725:
185:
395:
640:
400:
752:
721:"FRESHING UP SOME SURPRISES ARE IN STORE AMONG THE CLASSICS ON THESE RACKS"
283:
311:
Caren Charles, and J. Riggings, a menswear store, which it sold in 1987.
181:
152:
548:
282:
purchased U.S. Shoe for $ 1.4 billion with the goal of acquiring its
279:
145:
26:
291:
169:
135:
256:
603:"Luxottica Sells Apparel Group In Enfield To Casual Corner"
268:
432:"Casual Corner Group closing includes 7 Triad location"
631:"Petite Sophisticate, Casual Corner in retail limbo"
572:"Luxottica to Acquire U.S. Shoe for $ 1.4 Billion"
393:
180:In 1950, childhood friends Charles E. Carples, a
750:
764:Defunct clothing retailers of the United States
394:Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023).
387:
218:And find here what’s good and fine in style
597:
595:
25:
695:"Small stores look to majors for traffic"
370:"Co-Founder of Casual Corner Stores Dies"
332:
330:
328:
326:
324:
719:Martin, Ellen Rooney (10 January 1999).
661:
484:"Casual Corner Plans To Open 25th Store"
364:
362:
360:
358:
228:Come in as a stranger—leave as a friend.
223:And if you wish your business we’ll tend
784:Retail companies disestablished in 2005
692:
592:
564:
774:American companies established in 1950
769:Defunct companies based in Connecticut
751:
718:
544:"Casual Corner closing all 525 stores"
321:
294:company operated by Luxottica founder
789:2005 disestablishments in Connecticut
662:Hajewski, Doris (November 24, 2005).
538:
536:
534:
355:
203:Come in and browse and tarry and chat
779:Retail companies established in 1950
693:Hagerty, Thomas J. (1 August 1972).
301:
208:Casual Corner is meant just for that
13:
759:1950 establishments in Connecticut
664:"Women's apparel chain shuts down"
531:
14:
800:
213:Come in and leisurely look awhile
712:
686:
655:
639:. 8 August 2005. Archived from
623:
415:Gross Domestic Product deflator
668:The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
504:
476:
450:
424:
241:United States Shoe Corporation
1:
396:"What Was the U.S. GDP Then?"
314:
492:. 18 April 1971. p. 14B
458:"Casual Corner Sale Planned"
267:; and at least one store in
7:
75:; 19 years ago
47:; 74 years ago
10:
805:
338:"Casual Corner Group, Inc"
261:Springfield, Massachusetts
190:West Hartford, Connecticut
175:
101:West Hartford, Connecticut
151:
141:
131:
121:
111:
95:
87:
69:
59:
41:
33:
24:
253:Providence, Rhode Island
168:was an American retail
462:The Milwaukee Sentinel
699:The Milwaukee Journal
512:"ZUNNER, GEORGE III"
489:The Hartford Courant
436:The Business Journal
296:Leonardo Del Vecchio
417:figures follow the
376:. 25 September 1989
157:Petite Sophisticate
113:Number of locations
21:
643:on 5 November 2012
577:The New York Times
65:Charles E. Carples
19:
636:Chicago Sun-Times
611:. October 4, 1995
552:. 23 October 2005
464:. 30 October 1969
438:. 2 December 2005
302:Brands and market
265:Buffalo, New York
163:
162:
16:American retailer
796:
743:
742:
740:
738:
733:on July 14, 2012
729:. Archived from
716:
710:
709:
707:
705:
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
674:on July 12, 2012
670:. Archived from
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
627:
621:
620:
618:
616:
608:Hartford Courant
599:
590:
589:
587:
585:
580:. April 18, 1995
568:
562:
561:
559:
557:
540:
529:
528:
526:
525:
517:Hartford Courant
508:
502:
501:
499:
497:
480:
474:
473:
471:
469:
454:
448:
447:
445:
443:
428:
422:
412:
410:
408:
391:
385:
384:
382:
381:
374:Associated Press
366:
353:
352:
350:
348:
342:Encyclopedia.com
334:
159:August Max Woman
83:
81:
76:
63:Stanley W. Vogel
55:
53:
48:
29:
22:
18:
804:
803:
799:
798:
797:
795:
794:
793:
749:
748:
747:
746:
736:
734:
726:Chicago Tribune
717:
713:
703:
701:
691:
687:
677:
675:
660:
656:
646:
644:
629:
628:
624:
614:
612:
601:
600:
593:
583:
581:
570:
569:
565:
555:
553:
542:
541:
532:
523:
521:
510:
509:
505:
495:
493:
482:
481:
477:
467:
465:
456:
455:
451:
441:
439:
430:
429:
425:
406:
404:
392:
388:
379:
377:
368:
367:
356:
346:
344:
336:
335:
322:
317:
304:
278:In April 1995,
186:April Fools Day
178:
158:
124:
117:(formerly) 500+
114:
107:
103:
79:
77:
74:
64:
51:
49:
46:
17:
12:
11:
5:
802:
792:
791:
786:
781:
776:
771:
766:
761:
745:
744:
711:
685:
654:
622:
591:
563:
530:
503:
475:
449:
423:
419:MeasuringWorth
413:United States
401:MeasuringWorth
386:
354:
319:
318:
316:
313:
303:
300:
177:
174:
161:
160:
155:
149:
148:
143:
139:
138:
133:
129:
128:
125:
122:
119:
118:
115:
112:
109:
108:
105:
99:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
71:
67:
66:
61:
57:
56:
43:
39:
38:
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
801:
790:
787:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
756:
754:
732:
728:
727:
722:
715:
700:
696:
689:
673:
669:
665:
658:
642:
638:
637:
632:
626:
610:
609:
604:
598:
596:
579:
578:
573:
567:
551:
550:
545:
539:
537:
535:
519:
518:
513:
507:
491:
490:
485:
479:
463:
459:
453:
437:
433:
427:
420:
416:
403:
402:
397:
390:
375:
371:
365:
363:
361:
359:
343:
339:
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
320:
312:
308:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
276:
272:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
244:
242:
237:
233:
230:
229:
225:
224:
220:
219:
215:
214:
210:
209:
205:
204:
200:
197:
193:
191:
187:
183:
173:
171:
167:
166:Casual Corner
156:
154:
150:
147:
144:
140:
137:
134:
130:
126:
120:
116:
110:
106:United States
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
72:
68:
62:
58:
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
23:
20:Casual Corner
735:. Retrieved
731:the original
724:
714:
702:. Retrieved
698:
688:
676:. Retrieved
672:the original
667:
657:
645:. Retrieved
641:the original
634:
625:
613:. Retrieved
606:
582:. Retrieved
575:
566:
554:. Retrieved
547:
522:. Retrieved
520:. 2005-07-02
515:
506:
494:. Retrieved
487:
478:
466:. Retrieved
461:
452:
440:. Retrieved
435:
426:
418:
407:November 30,
405:. Retrieved
399:
389:
378:. Retrieved
373:
345:. Retrieved
341:
309:
305:
284:LensCrafters
277:
273:
245:
238:
234:
231:
227:
226:
222:
221:
217:
216:
212:
211:
207:
206:
202:
201:
198:
194:
179:
165:
164:
153:Subsidiaries
96:Headquarters
123:Area served
91:Liquidation
753:Categories
737:29 January
704:29 January
647:29 January
615:January 3,
584:January 3,
556:29 January
524:2022-09-25
496:29 January
468:29 January
442:29 January
380:2022-09-25
347:29 January
315:References
182:Sage-Allen
549:USA Today
280:Luxottica
146:Luxottica
421:series.
292:Delaware
288:spun off
170:clothing
132:Products
60:Founders
34:Industry
678:25 July
249:Warwick
176:History
136:Apparel
78: (
70:Defunct
50: (
42:Founded
257:Boston
37:Retail
142:Owner
739:2011
706:2011
680:2011
649:2011
617:2018
586:2018
558:2011
498:2011
470:2011
444:2011
409:2023
349:2011
269:Ohio
259:and
251:and
127:U.S.
88:Fate
80:2005
73:2005
52:1950
45:1950
188:in
755::
723:.
697:.
666:.
633:.
605:.
594:^
574:.
546:.
533:^
514:.
486:.
460:.
434:.
398:.
372:.
357:^
340:.
323:^
271:.
263:;
255:;
104:,
741:.
708:.
682:.
651:.
619:.
588:.
560:.
527:.
500:.
472:.
446:.
411:.
383:.
351:.
82:)
54:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
