F. W. Woolworth Company F. W. Woolworth Company The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the original pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was arguably the most successful American and international five-and-dime business, setting trends and creating the modern retail model that stores follow worldwide today. The first Woolworth store was opened by Frank Winfield Woolworth on February 22, 1878, as "Woolworth's Great Five Cent Store" in Utica, New York. Though it initially appeared to be successful, the store soon failed. When Woolworth searched for a new location, a friend suggested Lancaster,
F. W. Woolworth Company in the U.S. and changed its corporate name to Venator. In 1999, Venator moved out of the Woolworth Building in New York City to offices on 34th Street. On October 20, 2001, the company changed names again; this time, it took the name of its top retail performer and became Foot Locker, Inc., which Woolworth started in 1974. All corporate history of Woolworth is included in the history of Foot Locker, Inc., resulting in the company in 2012 observing the F. W. Woolworth Company's centennial of joining the New York Stock Exchange. The 2012 annual report cover used a 1912