Ames tried to get wide spread by acquiring other stores and the like, so they could compete with bigger chains, such as: Wal-Mart, and many others. But unfortunately this was their down fall. I talk elsewhere on the boards about the Hills merger. Although this helped them get into other states, where they weren't known... the debt brought on by Hills hurt Ames... but it didn't cripple 'em as some tend to believe. Ames had to acquire Hills to remain competitive. They figure 3rd is a good spot to be in.. and i agree with their move. Even though they went under, at the time, they thought it was a great move. Or else they wouldn't have made the acquisition. They get an A for trying at least...
Ames almost always acquired other stores to grow. Ames acquired Neisner's, King's, G.C.Murphy's, Zayre, Rich's and Caldor locations.... To acquire Hills was an obvious thing to do for Ames. Too bad it just failed... But as some said, Ames would have closed anyway in a few years with Wal-Mart & Target "invading" the Ames territory
Yes, very true!
It's kind of hard to say tough, wether to aquire another store, or stay with what you have now. Both cases, vould mean failure.
It is a tough decision! Maybe Ames was thinking more short-term than long term. I mean, surely they knew that they wouldn't be able to keep the # 3 spot for long, right?
Quote:
Originally posted by tokensafari
It is a tough decision! Maybe Ames was thinking more short-term than long term. I mean, surely they knew that they wouldn't be able to keep the # 3 spot for long, right?
was Ames EVER #1?
just asking
Ames was #4 behind Kmart, Target and Wal-Mart but #1 Regional discounter.
Ames was successful in small and medium sized towns. The stores were part of the community and the community loved the stores. They were the right size and the profit was great. They started to over expand into areas and communities where they just couldn't compete. Now there are a lot of small communities without general merchandise stores like Ames and no one will ever go into stores those size unfortunately. Now people are traveling long distances to go into that huge stores with no personality. There should have been a lot of towns that could use a store of that size with the selection.
Ames should have let some of the more experienced management tailor some of the merchandise selection for their area. Ames was not ready to go into the urban market with their selection.
QuoteOriginally posted by Anonymous
Quote:
Originally posted by tokensafari
It is a tough decision! Maybe Ames was thinking more short-term than long term. I mean, surely they knew that they wouldn't be able to keep the # 3 spot for long, right?
was Ames EVER #1?
Caldor Was No1 Before Ames and was 4th behind Kmart Target Wal Mart
Don't forget about Jamesway...that is where we pick Joe up from!
We used to joke, it is the AMES way, not Jamesway
from the Early 90's to 1998 Caldor was the NO1# rengel discounter and was 4th behined Wal Mart Target and Kmart untill 1999 WHEN THEY WENT OUT THEN AMES HELD THAT NUMBER TILL 2002
I agree 100% with BillyBoy.
Ames was successful because they put store in places where they were the only store for miles. There was no where else for people to shop in many of these areas, and they gave people decent merchandise for a decent price.
When they began to expand, by buying Zayres, thye began to get into areas which they had never been in before, major markets, like Boston which I think was a completely different challenge for them, one which they were not ready for.
Did they need to do it? Absolutely, unfortunately it didn't work out.
I agree with PRoy. I think this rings true for a lot of the discount chains of the past. They catered to an underserved market and once they tried to expand into bigger markets that had competitors, such as: Wal-Mart, Target, and the like, they just couldn't compete. Sadly, there aren't many retailers left. They're becoming extinct! Think back to a time when there were more regional discount chains than you could count. Now you can count all the major ones on 1 hand! No longer do we have: Ames, Hills, Zayre, Bradlees, or any of the other chains, but now we're left with KMart, Wal-Mart, and Target. The days of many chains are over, and all we can do is reminisce of the good ole days of regional discount chains.
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
I agree with PRoy. I think this rings true for a lot of the discount chains of the past. They catered to an underserved market and once they tried to expand into bigger markets that had competitors, such as: Wal-Mart, Target, and the like, they just couldn't compete. Sadly, there aren't many retailers left. They're becoming extinct! Think back to a time when there were more regional discount chains than you could count. Now you can count all the major ones on 1 hand! No longer do we have: Ames, Hills, Zayre, Bradlees, or any of the other chains, but now we're left with KMart, Wal-Mart, and Target. The days of many chains are over, and all we can do is reminisce of the good ole days of regional discount chains.
What we COULD STILL DO IS AIM TO PUT WALMART OUT OF BUSINESS AND HELP Kmart stay alive!:yup::yup::yup::yup::yup:
QuoteOriginally posted by 76&AmesfanmanBBTB
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
I agree with PRoy. I think this rings true for a lot of the discount chains of the past. They catered to an underserved market and once they tried to expand into bigger markets that had competitors, such as: Wal-Mart, Target, and the like, they just couldn't compete. Sadly, there aren't many retailers left. They're becoming extinct! Think back to a time when there were more regional discount chains than you could count. Now you can count all the major ones on 1 hand! No longer do we have: Ames, Hills, Zayre, Bradlees, or any of the other chains, but now we're left with KMart, Wal-Mart, and Target. The days of many chains are over, and all we can do is reminisce of the good ole days of regional discount chains.
What we COULD STILL DO IS AIM TO PUT WALMART OUT OF BUSINESS AND HELP Kmart stay alive!:yup::yup::yup::yup::yup:
Kmart and Target join fousces to close down wal mart LOL
The interesting thing is if you look at the history of Wal-mart, they also started pretty much the same way as Ames, they built stores where there were none. They have just been better at doing business in places they are not the only store in town, where Ames was unable to do that.
And just for the record, I do not shop at Wal-mart any more than I have to.
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by 76&AmesfanmanBBTB
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
I agree with PRoy. I think this rings true for a lot of the discount chains of the past. They catered to an underserved market and once they tried to expand into bigger markets that had competitors, such as: Wal-Mart, Target, and the like, they just couldn't compete. Sadly, there aren't many retailers left. They're becoming extinct! Think back to a time when there were more regional discount chains than you could count. Now you can count all the major ones on 1 hand! No longer do we have: Ames, Hills, Zayre, Bradlees, or any of the other chains, but now we're left with KMart, Wal-Mart, and Target. The days of many chains are over, and all we can do is reminisce of the good ole days of regional discount chains.
What we COULD STILL DO IS AIM TO PUT WALMART OUT OF BUSINESS AND HELP Kmart stay alive!:yup::yup::yup::yup::yup:
Kmart and Target join fousces to close down wal mart LOL
Target-K lol:insane:
K Target lol well in a way it will help Kmart hey Maby target should Merged with JC penny or Maby Macys should spin off its own chain and merge with Target Macys is probley Feddrated most well known and biggist chain and i like Macys tehy sell clouths i like there:insane: and there not that expenive eather:yup:
I think Target is doing well on its own. They can hold there own. As well as JC Penneys and other stores of that nature. Wal-Mar t isn't a threat or vica versa. Specialty stores are key against Wal-Mart.
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
I think Target is doing well on its own. They can hold there own. As well as JC Penneys and other stores of that nature. Wal-Mar t isn't a threat or vica versa. Specialty stores are key against Wal-Mart.
the resion why JC Penny is not doing so well is there not giveing a resion for people to shop there but i dont wanna see them go out cause there a nice Dept store
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
I think Target is doing well on its own. They can hold there own. As well as JC Penneys and other stores of that nature. Wal-Mar t isn't a threat or vica versa. Specialty stores are key against Wal-Mart.
76&AmesfanmanBBTB
Then how come some many stores closed in New England when Wal-mart entered the area?:question:
becuase they were not prepared for a Wal-Mart takeover!
Exactly. Because most stores thought they could handle Wal-Mart. They under-estimated the power and size of Wal-Mart. Although, now more stores are aware of Wal-Mart and how to compete with the retail giant.
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
Exactly. Because most stores thought they could handle Wal-Mart. They under-estimated the power and size of Wal-Mart. Although, now more stores are aware of Wal-Mart and how to compete with the retail giant.
that is true DEPT store u saly have to worey about stores like Tj Max and Berlition Coat Factorey and such Wal Mart isent really a threat to then cause Dept stores like Macys and JC Penny sell better stuff then them
the only way to survive against Wal-Mart is to specialize in certain merchandise. But i do think Ames acquired too fast, too soon. When Ames bought Zayre and Hills that was 2 nials in the coffin. When they acquired these stores they also acquired their debt as well. If Ames wouldn't have acquired these two chains, i doubt they would've went out as fast. Who knows they might still be around today.. smaller sure, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all!
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
the only way to survive against Wal-Mart is to specialize in certain merchandise. But i do think Ames acquired too fast, too soon. When Ames bought Zayre and Hills that was 2 nials in the coffin. When they acquired these stores they also acquired their debt as well. If Ames wouldn't have acquired these two chains, i doubt they would've went out as fast. Who knows they might still be around today.. smaller sure, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing after all!
Debt is waht killd Ames but also thats what killed Service Merchandise too they were a strong chain but they keeped on trying Newer idea witch is what killed them Service Merchandise was fine with Wal Mart it dident pose a thrat to them the New Company that has the rights to there name is thinking about putting them back into the retile world
when it comes to Caldor Bradlees and Jamesway thats a whole nouther storey they died cause of Wal Mart invading there spots compishion killed them
Montgomery Ward was a mix or Debt Faley to promote its self droping the catlog line and Compitshion is what killed them along with the Lechmer chain witch Wards Purched back in 1994
many super Markeys die due to merges or aquirring Grand Union was a mix of small stores agests bigger super marktes thats what manley killed them there now owned bu C&S wich uis curntley running 20 somthing GU stores
ajnd i thinnk Ames would have been around today if they dident purches the 155 Hills chain they should have done that with Bradlees in 2001 when they closed for good cause they were much smaller then hills if Ames aquirred Caldor in 1999 they probley would have gone out so much faster cause Caldor was 2nd behine ames in store count and it had just as many stores as hills
You can't blame the whole demise of Ames on the Hills acquisition. Because there were many times that Hills saved Ames' hind end! The problem with Hills was, Ames jumped the gun too quickly. If Ames would've operated the 155 Store Hills chain under the Hills name, instead of converting them all to Ames stores, it would've saved tons of money! You have no idea how much money went into converting these stores. I think ultimately it boils down to Zayre. If you remember Zayre had an enormous amount of debt and would have probably gone under if not for Ames. Not too long after Ames purchased Zayre, Ames sued the consulting firm who recommended the sale to Ames for marking the price of the chain too high. Ames got in too deep too quick. They didn't have the capablity to handle such an enormous amount of stores at one time. If they would've stayed small, specialize in certain products and maintained those few stores they had, they would've gone far.
Not really. Acquiring a few K-Mart locations wouldn't have helped Ames much. The hole was already there and that would have placed them farther in the hole, due to the fact that you would have to fill that store with merchandise, hire employees, place fixtures, buy the lease, signs, and all types of other stuff. Very expensive and not a good move for Ames. They needed to quit worrying about buying other stores and focus on making what stores they already had better and more competitive.
No.. that would be confusing for customers. Just make them subsidiaries and still operate them under their name. Instead of converting them all to Ames stores!
If they go out of business, why worry about it? They're out of business. I'm not sure i even understand what you are trying to say!
No, ames bought them "merged" and they were made into ames stores!
QuoteThe interesting thing is if you look at the history of Wal-mart, they also started pretty much the same way as Ames, they built stores where there were none. They have just been better at doing business in places they are not the only store in town, where Ames was unable to do that.
I have to agree with this poster; Ames' problems came as Walmart, and to a lesser degree, Target, fully expanded their national reaches into the Northeast. Ames did very well in the small towns where there was no competition.
On the flip side, look at Ames' top selling store...2542 in Washington DC. There were no other big box retailers in DC proper, and this store flourished.
When there was little competition, we did well. When the big boys began to put the squeeze on, we didn't have a solid plan to react, and tended to bounce from one short to mid range solution to another.
QuoteOriginally posted by ExcelMaster
QuoteThe interesting thing is if you look at the history of Wal-mart, they also started pretty much the same way as Ames, they built stores where there were none. They have just been better at doing business in places they are not the only store in town, where Ames was unable to do that.
I have to agree with this poster; Ames' problems came as Walmart, and to a lesser degree, Target, fully expanded their national reaches into the Northeast. Ames did very well in the small towns where there was no competition.
On the flip side, look at Ames' top selling store...2542 in Washington DC. There were no other big box retailers in DC proper, and this store flourished.
When there was little competition, we did well. When the big boys began to put the squeeze on, we didn't have a solid plan to react, and tended to bounce from one short to mid range solution to another.
I agree. Ames had no solid plan, so it bounced around trying to survive, fearing the worst, praying for the best. Ames just simply couldn't build any momentum.
Ames Is returning! Keep hope. My profile has my contact info. All can help!
Andy
I have my doubts about this whole deal. It's one of those things i wont believe it, until i see it. When things sound too good to be true, they really are!
I think we were being played for fools, but i refuse to fall for it. I would hope no one is really that stupid!
Trust me and Chris on this one!
there are to resions why ames went out
1 was because of the mearger with hills witch cause them to clsoed stores down and also caused them to file for ch11 and they tryed many times to stay in there but it was hard for them being in ch11 and haveing stores such as wal mart opeing in there ariea dident help they also had to closed many stores and many of there stores were out dated useing the loooks of the fomer stores such as Kings Zayre Jamesway Bradlees caldor ect they just man took down teh logo and put up there they did nothing to keep much of there stores up to date and with the ecommie softing all this put togther will = a death of a stores it sad to see it happen though :(
ames closed in a diffrebt way then caldor and bradlees did
with bradlees it was a soften ecomty closing to many stores and comtishion from wal mart and such
caldor closed cause they were deep in debt and no matter how many stores they closed they couldent get out of it witch is why they had to go the coptishion from wal mart dident help them eather caldor also opened stores when they were in ch 11 but they first stated closing stores in late 1996 and again in 1998 before GOB IN 1999
the same storey is waht happned int Service Merchandise and Montgomery Ward
Ames acquired too quickly. Their focus was on size. The mind set: the more stores we have the better we will do! Not really.. if they would have focused on the markets they were already in and put money into stores that over-preformed then Ames may have not been as big, but they might still be around to this very day!
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
Ames acquired too quickly. Their focus was on size. The mind set: the more stores we have the better we will do! Not really.. if they would have focused on the markets they were already in and put money into stores that over-preformed then Ames may have not been as big, but they might still be around to this very day!
the merger of kmart and sears does not seem to have helped much. it says kmart is doing better than sears.
QuoteOriginally posted by d_fife
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
Ames acquired too quickly. Their focus was on size. The mind set: the more stores we have the better we will do! Not really.. if they would have focused on the markets they were already in and put money into stores that over-preformed then Ames may have not been as big, but they might still be around to this very day!
the merger of kmart and sears does not seem to have helped much. it says kmart is doing better than sears.
maby kmart will stay around longer they have imporved over the years wel at leats teh kmarts hear have but i see sears might end up like motgomery ward sad to say cause just like wards they hahve tryed so hard to stay in there
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by d_fife
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
Ames acquired too quickly. Their focus was on size. The mind set: the more stores we have the better we will do! Not really.. if they would have focused on the markets they were already in and put money into stores that over-preformed then Ames may have not been as big, but they might still be around to this very day!
the merger of kmart and sears does not seem to have helped much. it says kmart is doing better than sears.
maby kmart will stay around longer they have imporved over the years wel at leats teh kmarts hear have but i see sears might end up like motgomery ward sad to say cause just like wards they hahve tryed so hard to stay in there
sears could turn around you never know. montgomery ward never tried hard and their merchandise was not as good. the sears essentials concept does not see to work. people probably thing, different name, same kind of store.
QuoteOriginally posted by d_fife
QuoteOriginally posted by Caldor1999
QuoteOriginally posted by d_fife
QuoteOriginally posted by tokensafari
Ames acquired too quickly. Their focus was on size. The mind set: the more stores we have the better we will do! Not really.. if they would have focused on the markets they were already in and put money into stores that over-preformed then Ames may have not been as big, but they might still be around to this very day!
the merger of kmart and sears does not seem to have helped much. it says kmart is doing better than sears.
maby kmart will stay around longer they have imporved over the years wel at leats teh kmarts hear have but i see sears might end up like motgomery ward sad to say cause just like wards they hahve tryed so hard to stay in there
sears could turn around you never know. montgomery ward never tried hard and their merchandise was not as good. the sears essentials concept does not see to work. people probably thing, different name, same kind of store.
yes ward sdid try to have a compact stores tehy were called Lechmere and Electrice ave & more and they dident do so well and i dont this teh Sears essentials is working verey well yea it will be sad to see sears go away but u never know they might turn around but im seeing a simaler pattern to Montgomery ward in a way