I was sure we had a thread for them...can't find it.
They were owned by Supermarkets General Corp. (aka Pathmark), but they all closed by the end of 1997. Many locations were picked up by Staples, but some are once again empty because Staples has been moving to newer shopping centers.
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Article of shut down:
RICKEL SHUTS DOWN
In the final analysis, it was a question of money--or simply the lack of it. "You can't run a business without a specific line of credit, and we had reached the maximum of our lines," explains Joe Nusim, president and chief executive officer of Rickel Home Centers
For that reason, Rickel Home Centers, a chain of 49 stores in four Northeastern states, has announced that it will close its retail operation by the end of the current year. Based in South Plainfield, NJ, Rickel will eliminate 2,800 jobs.
Industry observers say that a cold spring resulted in very disappointing May sales, sending out a warning signal to creditors who have been supporting the company in Chapter 11 bankruptcy since January 1996.
"Another factor affecting us was the fact that we were really running two chains: one of 38 stores, each of which covered 35,000 square feet and less," adds Nusim. "They were the true neighborhood home centers with annual sales of $5 to $8 million a unit. Their sales this year were ahead of last year's sales. At the same time, we were running 11 larger units, each one covering from 35,000 square feet to as much as 80,000 square feet. Naturally they did substantially more volume than the smaller stores. These larger units had a much greater impact from Home Depot than the smaller stores. Certainly, this competition hurt the company."
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By JAY L. JOHNSON
Copyright of Discount Merchandiser is the property of VNU eMedia, Inc.. Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Source: Discount Merchandiser, Nov97, Vol. 37 Issue 11, p14, 1p
Article from when they merged with the "Channel" hardware chain from 1994
RICKEL AND CHANNEL TO MERGE
EOS Partners, L.P., a New York-based investment film, has agreed to acquire Rickel Home Centers and the stores of Channel Home Centers, 33 and 60 stores respectively. All will operate under the "Rickel Home Centers" name, though Channel Home Centers, Inc., will retain an equity ownership in the new company.
"The combination of Rickel and Channel will create an organization that can grow and compete effectively in the expanding do-it-yourself marketplace," said Jules Borshadel, president and CEO of Rickel and the newly formed organization. "Rickel has already improved its performance significantly by offering a broad and differentiated product selection, superior customer service, and excellent overall value through convenient locations and easy-to-shop stores. This transaction will enable us to build upon the success of our concept by bringing some of our proven strategies to the Channel stores and using our greater efficiency to provide better service and lower prices to our customers while increasing profitability."
The new company expects to have a total capitalization of $170 million, including cash of approximately $30 million, at the closing, which should take place by late fall of this year. During the next six months, three new stores will open, as the company will "use the economies generated in the combination to expand within its core markets," said a spokesperson for Rickel.
Based in South Plainfield, NJ, Rickel Home Centers reported sales of $344 million for fiscal 1993. Its stores are located in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey, as are the 60 Channel Home Centers, with the addition of one store in Maryland. Channel reported sales of $30] million for fiscal 1993.
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By Loretta Roach
Copyright of Discount Merchandiser is the property of VNU eMedia, Inc.. Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
Source: Discount Merchandiser, Nov94, Vol. 34 Issue 11, p16, 2p
I knew both of these stores. My Rickels was in Warminster Pa. and is now a Staples. My Channel was in Willow Grove PA. and is a video stores that has changed its name over seven times in the past ten years.
Anyone remember Rickels or have pictures of the former home improvement center? I remember playing a game of only walking on the yellow or black tiles as a kid, and marveling at the naked woman mannequin in the bathtub on display. Plus, you couldn't beat riding on the lumber carts.
I actually found an old recept from them a while back ago. their use to be one in Newington, CT that later turned into a Noboby Beat the wiz and then demolished to where Walmart toom over.
The one in Bristol was located in Bristol Farms Plaza on Route 6. It was formerly a Woolco. After Rickel closed down, they subdivided it into a Pergament Express and an empty store front. After Pergament closed it became Sears Hardware. The Salvation Army finally built a store into the empty part of the old Rickel.
Yep, there was a Rickel right down the street from me. Like most of their former PA/NJ locations, the lease was taken over by Staples. Well Staples built a brand new store last year, so the space is empty again. Funny thing is, Staples never took up the whole space, there was always a small section that was empty. However this piece became some patio furniture clearance place that opened last spring. If you go around back, you can still see the outdoor register "booth" from Rickel's garden shop. I remember wandering around back there around a year after the store closed and a register was still plugged in and powered on back there! Of course I come back a few months later to grab it and it was smashed to pieces :(
On a side note, this Rickel was connected into an ajoining property which was a Pathmark supermarket from the 70's up until last January when it also closed (space also empty). Rickel and Pathmark were at one time operated by the same company.
Norwalk Plaza in Norwalk, CT contained a Rickel, which moved into a vacant K-Mart in late 80s-early 90s. It was eventually replaced by Nobody Beats The Wiz. I've been out of the area for years, but apparently it's now a Best Buy.
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/pics/9/1032/ground/jpg/190006.jpg)
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/aerial/1091009/jpg/110050.jpg)
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/aerial/11742/jpg/11742088.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by FearlessSwan
Norwalk Plaza in Norwalk, CT contained a Rickel, which moved into a vacant K-Mart in late 80s-early 90s. It was eventually replaced by Nobody Beats The Wiz. I've been out of the area for years, but apparently it's now a Best Buy.
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/pics/9/1032/ground/jpg/190006.jpg)
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/aerial/1091009/jpg/110050.jpg)
(http://www.siteride.com/srimg/aerial/11742/jpg/11742088.jpg)
Yep its a WORSTBUY now.
http://maps.live.com/?v=2&where1=330%20Connecticut%20Ave%2C%20Norwalk%2C%20CT%2006854-1821&encType=1
Click Birds eye.
There is a vacant rickel that still has the logo up on landis avenue in vineland, new jersey. it is next to another vacant store as well.
The once, former Kmart entrance is still "vacant." Basically, the 70's facade is still up to this day even if The Wiz, Best Buy took over a bulk of its former store space. I took this in January 2008.
Don't remember it but I have a small metal tape measure with their logo on it somewhere around. I'll take a photo of it and throw it up here soon.
I remember their spokesman was "Dr. Wally", The Michaels/Office Max building in Brookfield was a Channel after Woolco went out of business
Here's a Stanley tape measure with Channel's logo I found around the house.
Don't remember much about them...however I remember Rickel must have bought much of their merchandise when they closed down because I remember seeing Channel price stickers in Rickel (before they closed as well)
I used to go to the Brookfield one, this was way before Lowes and Home Depot, the only other Home improvemnt store we had was Grossmans, I remember that Channel had free donuts and coffee on saturday.
The one I used to go to was located near Willow Grove, PA...i only realized years later this was a Channel (I would walk around in there when it was a Gateway retail store...you could still see the cement floor with spackle, etc. on it, and a fenced off garden area. I forget what, if anything, is in the space now.
I worked at Channel in Wappinger Falls NY for a few months way back in 1985. It was my first official job. They sold crap. If you ever bought anything there you'd know why HD and Lowes took over.
The building is now a GoodWill store
QuoteOriginally posted by davidsky
I worked at Channel in Wappinger Falls NY for a few months way back in 1985. It was my first official job. They sold crap. If you ever bought anything there you'd know why HD and Lowes took over.
The building is now a GoodWill store
Stores like Channel were always lower on the food chain for the retail/hardware market. Direct competitors are/were "hometown" sized hardware chains like Pergament, Rickel and ACE. I'd be lying if I didn't say the juggernauts Home Depot and Lowes helped bury them.
The one in Springfield, PA was a former Penn Fruit and closed in 1990. It has been a Staples ever since. The one in Brookhaven, PA is now Save-a-Lot. One in Sharon Hill, PA closed in 1994 when they were bought by Rickel because there was a Rickel in Glenolden. The Rickel is now National Wholesale Liquidators, the Channel is
Harbor Freight Tools.
Heres a few Rickels
First Ewing-Lawrence, NJ
Second Pequannock - Rt. 23, NJ
Property of Siteride
Channel Home Center was in Southington, CT in the Queen Bee Plaza. It is now Cardio Express.
I lived near 2 Channel Home Center locations.
The first was at Roosevelt Boulevard and Red Lion Road, in Philadelphia, PA. This location closed in the 1990's and moved up US Route 1 to Boulevard Plaza (which is the 2nd), as 1 of 3 anchors of this shopping center, the other two being Caldor and Shop Rite.
The first location is now a Pep Boys Auto Center. The 2nd was demolished when the Caldor/ames was demolished and replaced by a Petsmart, while the Caldor/Ames was replaced by Target Greatland