S. S. Kresge store company. By 1924, Kresge was worth approximately $375,000,000 ($ in 2009 dollars) and owned real estate of the approximate value of $100,000,000. He was married and divorced at least twice by 1928. Kresge and his family were members of Detroit's North Methodist Episcopal Church. He held membership in organizations including four Masonic lodges and the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Detroit Athletic, Boat, and Golf Clubs, Rotary, and various commercial and automobiling societies. Kresge died on October 18, 1966, at the age of 99. The first Kmart opened
Howard Brothers Discount Stores Howard Brothers Discount Stores Howard Brothers Discount Stores (informally known as Howard Brothers and Howard's) was a chain of discount stores in the Southeastern United States. The chain was founded in 1959 by Alton Hardy Howard and W. L. "Jack" Howard, a five-term mayor of Monroe, Louisiana. The Howards were an early franchisee of Gibson's Discount Center, but they later pulled out of the franchise agreement and opened stores under their own name. In 1969, the company became a publicly traded company. In 1978, the then 78-store chain was purchased by Gamble-Skogmo, which later merged with Wickes Companies. It had