Ben Franklin

[d_fife]

ben franklin is or is soon to be was a chain that sells crafts. it was also a downtown department store like woolworth.

this is a picture of the recently closed Ben franklin in tilton new hampshire, on the border of franklin, in the townline plaza.

[BillyGr]

This location was formerly a Ben Franklin.  It is in the plaza with the current Price Chopper in East Greenbush.  Prior to being Ben Franklin, this space (plus part of the adjoining Fashion Bug to the left and another small store around the corner) were one of several Carl Company stores.
Carl Company (or Carl's) was a old Schenectady based department store that went out of business a number of years ago - but on their own, so as not to have to go into bankruptcy.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by BillyGr
This location was formerly a Ben Franklin.  It is in the plaza with the current Price Chopper in East Greenbush.  Prior to being Ben Franklin, this space (plus part of the adjoining Fashion Bug to the left and another small store around the corner) were one of several Carl Company stores.
Carl Company (or Carl's) was a old Schenectady based department store that went out of business a number of years ago - but on their own, so as not to have to go into bankruptcy.

the letttering was on the building when I went there (ben franklin in east greenbush) last summer.

[BillyGr]

Yep - I knew it hadn't been taken down too long ago - luckily you can still make out most of the info as they didn't paint it

[d_fife]

here is the ben franklin in lockport il

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

here is the ben franklin in malone il

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

Originally posted by d_fife
here is the ben franklin in malone il

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

here is the ben franklin sign in malone il

http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

here is the ben franklin in mt carmel il. it has the old school logo

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

here is the ben franklin in fort madison ia

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

hhere is the ben franklin in gilman il

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[d_fife]

here is the ben franklin in wilmington il

from http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/lecentre/benfranklin.html

[BillyGr]

First is a fairly new store in Kingston (KIngston Plaza) - this (along with the Blockbuster) was formerly Walgreens until they moved to a free-standing store a couple years ago.

The 2nd is an older store in Saugerties on Route 9W/32 south of the village - they have been remodeling the plaza (including the new & unusual Eckerd red sign), but don't appear to have done anything with this store (at least not the roof/sign).  I haven't been in in quite some time - I forget if they also have a few non-craft items in this one as well (as many older BF's did).

[d_fife]

here is ben franklin in towanda pennsylvania in downtown. the store was like a j.j. newbury's. the store's prices were higher and this must been one of the few remaining ben franklins.

[Mobil]

A Ben Franklin Crafts opened in a former Wal-Mart near me. Odd because Sam Walton had his beginnings as a Ben Franklin franchisee. This Wal-Mart originally opened in 1984 and moved in 1990. :holysh: The store recently moved again to a supercenter. The Ben Franklin closed when they were bankrupt in 1996. The store is now a Big Lots.

[jmcnamara96]

there was one in derry nh but closed then ace hardware now vacant

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Ben Franklin is a chain of five and dime discount stores found in small towns across the United States. The Ben Franklin stores were named after Benjamin Franklin, and have revolutionized retailing by using an organized franchise system. The chain started in Boston, Massachusetts as Butler Brothers, a mail-order wholesaler selling general store and variety store items. The Ben Franklin Stores franchise is currently owned by Promotions Unlimited, a company based out of Racine, Wisconsin, that has provided community-based retailers with products, merchandise, and advertising solutions.

Ben Franklin acquired Duke & Ayres, a variety store based out of Dallas, Texas, in the 1970s.

Walmart founder Sam Walton made his start in retailing, as an operator of a Ben Franklin store.
In 1973, Michael J. Duprey founded the Michaels store chain in Texas by converting a Ben Franklin store to Michaels.

Ben Franklin had 2,500 stores in 47 states at its peak.

A typical Ben Franklin variety store location in Warroad, Minnesota:


The website for the Warroad, Minnesota Ben Franklin franchise, featuring before and after photos of the store's interior:
http://www.marnie.com/BF

Official websites:
http://www.benfranklin.com/ Official Ben Franklin website
http://www.promot.com/ Promotions Unlimited Website
http://shopbenfranklin.com/ Ben Franklin Muncy/Milton/Towanda, Pennsylvania Website
http://huffords-benfranklin.com/ Hufford's Ben Franklin Utica, Ohio
http://www.benfranklinoberlin.com/ Ben Franklin Oberlin, Ohio

Even though Ben Franklin has officially gone out of business in September 2012, there are still many independently-operated Ben Franklin franchises that hung on as of May 2013.

[BillyGr]

Hmm - wonder what that Milton (PA) store you mention could have been? (look at the photo on their site - it might help).

https://www.facebook.com/kingstonbenfranklin - Page for the store in Kingston (NY) - also references the store in Saugerties, but there is a post from January 2nd mentioning that that store is closing shortly (so by now it probably is).

Also we had one in East Greenbush for a few years, but that one has been closed for some time now (space is currently Planet Fitness in the Price Chopper Plaza for those who might know the area).

[ynkeesfn82]

They had one on Route 6 (Main Street) in Terryville, CT. Later it became a junk store called Affordable Foods, which moved there from The North Side Plaza at the corner of Route 6 and North Main in Bristol. Don't know what's in the Terryville Ben Franklin now. Haven't been to Terryville in years. Probably more than 10 years. No need to go to that small hooterville town.

[IGA/Kmart Is Forever!]

There is still a Ben Franklin Store in my area. It is a very nice store. Old, but nice.