L. S. Ayres Indianapolis on October 13, 1961. This subsidiary was one of the first discount store divisions launched by a traditional department store. The Indianapolis Ayr-Way store opened prior to the first Kmart, which opened in Garden City, Michigan, in March 1962, and the first Target store, which opened in May 1962. Ayres also opened Ayr-Way stores in other cities. Ayres encountered several challenges in establishing and operating the new discount store concept. First, Ayres needed to define a clear brand identity for the new subsidiary and its relationship to the L. S. Ayres store brand. Second, errors in selection of store
Bob's Discount Furniture Bob's Discount Furniture Bob's Discount Furniture is an American furniture store headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut. Bob's Discount Furniture was founded in 1991 with its first store in Newington, Connecticut and is ranked 12th in sales among United States furniture stores according to "Furniture Today"'s list of Top 100 Furniture Stores. As of May 2018, the company has 99 stores in 16 states, primarily in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and West Coast. In 1976, future company co-founder Bob Kaufman was injured in a motorcycle accident. He discovered the benefits of a waterbed for recuperation. The experience inspired Kaufman to become involved