Gadzooks (retailer)

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This article is about the defunct clothing retailer. For other uses, see Gadzooks.
Gadzooks, Inc.
Founded1983; 39 years ago (1983)
FounderJerry Szczepanski
Larry Titus
DefunctMarch 17, 2005; 16 years ago (2005-03-17)
FateAcquired by Forever 21 and shut down
HeadquartersCarrollton, Texas

Gadzooks, Inc. was a mall-based teenage clothing retailer. It was acquired by Forever 21 in 2005 and then shut down. All Gadzooks stores had a life-size version of part of a Volkswagen Beetle inside.[1]

History[]

The company was founded in 1983 as a T-shirt business by Jerry Szczepanski and Larry Titus.[2] The first store was in Mesquite, Texas.[3] By 1992, the company had 33 stores in Texas.[3] In 1995, the company became a public company via an initial public offering and within 3 months, the share price quadrupled from $15 to $61.[3] That year the company had 195 stores.[4]

In 2003, the company dropped its male clothing line to focus exclusively on 16- to 22-year-old females.[5] In February 2004, the company filed bankruptcy and announced plans to reduce its store count from 410 to 252.[6] In March 2005, Forever 21 purchased the chain[7][8] for $33 million.[9][7] The stores were eventually phased out.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ Nelson, Emily (December 1998). "Underground Tastemakers: Delia's, Gadzooks and Others". Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ a b Starkey, Ted (May 15, 2018). "U.S. chains that no longer exist". Newsday.
  3. ^ a b c HOLLANDSWORTH, SKIP (June 1999). "It's Like, You Know". Texas Monthly.
  4. ^ Lewis, Casey (August 27, 2014). "Where Are They Now: The Great Suburban Mall Store Demise". Vox Media.
  5. ^ "Gadzooks to sell only women's clothing". American City Business Journals. Dallas Business Journal. January 9, 2003.
  6. ^ "Gadzooks files for bankruptcy protection". American City Business Journals. St. Louis Business Journal. February 3, 2004.
  7. ^ a b "Mall stalwart Forever 21 files for bankruptcy as e-commerce cuts into sales". Dallas News. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  8. ^ Lewis, Casey (2014-08-27). "Where Are They Now: The Great Suburban Mall Store Demise". Racked. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  9. ^ "Forever 21 wraps up Gadzooks deal". American City Business Journals. Dallas Business Journal. March 17, 2005.
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