W.T. Grant / Grants

[palooza68]

Anyone rember GRANTS talk about it here:)

[amesman]

I know the name, but, I have no pictures of them

[store215]

Another NorthEast chain I don't know much about: W.T. Grant stores i think were the 5 and 10 type stores, and Grants were the larger Kmart type stores

"Grants in Clementon NJ
More recently this was a Jefferson Ward and then a Bradlees."

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by MBZ321
Another NorthEast chain I don't know much about: W.T. Grant stores i think were the 5 and 10 type stores, and Grants were the larger Kmart type stores

"Grants in Clementon NJ
More recently this was a Jefferson Ward and then a Bradlees."

[Anonymous]

All I really know about them is they went bankrupt in 1976. They stretched beyond the Northeast, though, we had a Grant City in Reedley, Ca, and a regular Grant's store in Clovis, Ca. When I was younger we had a Grants brand blender in our house, and I always see those "Grants -- Known For Values" christmas albums in the local thrift shops...

[Zayre88]

I've learned that canadian discounter Zellers concluded a deal with the W.T. Grant Company in the late 50's or 60's.  

Grant was allowed to purchase 10% of Zellers common shares, and was given options that eventually translated into a 51% effective ownership of Zellers in 1959. In return for this, the "Grant Company was making available to Zellers its experience on matters of merchandise, real estate, store development, and general administration". This arrangement greatly benefited Zellers. The two chains made common buying trips to the Orient, a practice that benefited both companies.   Zellers went on its own when Grant closed in 1976.

http://www.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/acquisitions/retail/zellers.asp

[Caldor1999]

heas what a logo looked like

[Rayco7030]

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[BillyGr]

This photo shows the location of a former Grant's store (EG Routes 9 & 20) (not sure which type, but likely the 5 and 10 style as it is smaller).

The store occupied the left end of the building (I believe about as far as where the trees are).  After Grants it housed a flea market for a while and then was divided into smaller stores as it is seen today - though the number/type of stores has changed repeatedly).  To the left (behind the flag - in the separate building) is the EG Hannaford which was added to the plaza - this is also the plaza with the old small Price Chopper at the opposite end.

[storehistoryguy]

Clementon, NJ. in the early 60's. This was later a Jefferson Ward and then a Bradlees.


http://www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/60sdiscountstores/page2.html

[Crawford]

I kinda remember this store. My parents used to shop there all the time. It was a Woolworth's type of five and dime and had a lunch counter. The one in Rumford RI was in the Gansett Plaza, after the store went bankrupt in 1976 it became a Save-Rite (they sold electronics, gifts, and jewelry sorta like a Service Merchandise) This went out of business in the late 80's and is now an Ocean State Job Lot. The one in Barrington is now offices.

[storehistoryguy]

Grants Ad.

[storehistoryguy]

Another.

[storehistoryguy]

Bangor, Maine, Mid-60's. You can also see a Zayre in the picture.


http://www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/60sdiscountstores/index.html

[d_fife]

IS grants the Same as WT Grant??

I know the Kmarts in Acton massachusets and Chelmsford mass (now a relocated MArket BAsket) and Laconia NH were WT Grants.

[storehistoryguy]

Originally posted by d_fife
IS grants the Same as WT Grant??

I know the Kmarts in Acton massachusets and Chelmsford mass (now a relocated MArket BAsket) and Laconia NH were WT Grants.

Yes, they're the same. They just dropped the W.T. like Kresge was originally S.S. Kresege and F.W. Woolworth and others.

[Crawford]

Yes, it is the same store

[storehistoryguy]

This is inside of one in the 50's.


http://www.library.gsu.edu/

[df559]

It's too bad we can't post audio clips here... I have a 60's Grant's radio jingle...

"W.T. Grant company...

If you want more
If you want more
If you want more for your money keep your eye on Grant's!"

[Zayre88]

These all appear to be former W.T.Grant/Grants store.  They all have the same pattern of windows and two door sets.  Some like Ogdensburg, NY and Houlton have the original building style where the logo was.

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by Zayre88
These all appear to be former W.T.Grant/Grants store.  They all have the same pattern of windows and two door sets.  Some like Ogdensburg, NY and Houlton have the original building style where the logo was.

Hey thanks, Zayre88, for including my hometown store (Ogdensburg NY) here!  That was a Grants, from 1972-76, then Kmart from 1976-90.  Unfortunately, it's been vacant since.  This store (64,960 sf) replaced a smaller Grants (15,000 sf) in the Seaway Shopping Center on Canton Street (from 1959-72).

[Crawford]

Grants was pretty popular around New England. Most cities had one downtown next door to Kresge's and Woolworths. However once malls started opening people didn't go there anymore.  I suppose they missed out on a golden opportunity that others capitalized on and started moving to the suburbs in the 60's but then it was too late. Too bad, I liked their lunch counters better than Woolworth's

Grants I know

Rumford RI-closed in the mid 70's, became a Save-Rite (Service Merchandise type of store) then when that closed Ocean State Job Lot moved in and has been there ever since. Oddly enough when Job Lot remodeled they set the store back up in a Grants style

Barrington RI--closed in the mid 70's, it is now some sort of office type building. Not sure if that has always been the case since I lived near the Rumford one.

Both the cities of Pawtucket and Providence also had Grants but the buidlings have been so remodeled and changed I am not sure where exactly they were.

[shakethis1234]

if you go to the jamesway page on page 7 it shows a picture of jcpenny that use to be a wt grant pennys been their for 30 years grants closed around 75-77 penny opened in 77

[shakethis1234]

jamesway was located across the road from the former wtgrant/jcpenny

[mikey7290]

Originally posted by shakethis1234
if you go to the jamesway page on page 7 it shows a picture of jcpenny that use to be a wt grant pennys been their for 30 years grants closed around 75-77 penny opened in 77

The same situation happened in Potsdam, NY.  There used to be a Grants (large enough to possibly be a "Grant City" store).  It was in the Potsdam Plaza on Market Street.  When Grants closed, the store became a JCPenney.  I think that the space where the JCPenney Catalog Center could have originally been a restaurant for Grants.  After Penney's took over, the space on the far right was a JCPenney Hair Salon.  Penney's moved to the St. Lawrence Centre mall in Massena in 1990 and the store was split three ways.  Penney's kept the space on the left for their catalog outlet, P&C Foods took the middle part and the area where the hair salon was became a Sears Authorized Retail Dealer store.  The catalog center later moved into the Eckerd (then closed), while the Sears moved across the street and the plaza space became a Dollar Tree.  Here is a pic of how it looked a few years ago.  The former Penney's Catalog Center is at left, P&C in the middle, and the former Sears at right.

[Rayco7030]

pictures i found of wt grant on flickr

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