Boscov's

Solomon "Sol" Boscov was of Jewish descent. He emigrated from Russia to Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1911.Charles Schuyler Castner. Berksiana. 1976, p.321. He had $1.37 in cash (equal to ${{Inflation|US|1.37|1911|r=2}} today) on arrival in the United States. He worked as a traveling salesman with an initial $8 worth of merchandise. Because he spoke Yiddish, he was able to converse with people in Berks County who spoke Pennsylvania Dutch. Boscov's fortunes changed in 1914 when he opened the first Boscov's store at 9th and Pike streets in Reading.Berksiana. Charles Schuyler Castner. 1976. Page 319{{cite news|last1=Kellar|first1=Travis|title=Boscov's transformed from general merchandise store to department cha|url=https://www.timesleader.com/news/634001/boscovs-transformed-from-a-general-merchandise-store-to-department-chain|access-date=23 April 2018|publisher=Times Leader|date=December 2014}} A Pennsylvania Historical Marker commemorating Solomon Boscov stands at the site of the original store.{{cite web |url= http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/apps/historical-markers.html|title= PHMC Historical Markers Search |author= Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |publisher= Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |format= Searchable database |access-date= October 16, 2019}}

Boscov's began expanding in the Reading suburbs during the 1960s, with the Boscov's West store in Sinking Spring opening in November 1962 and the Boscov's North store at the Reading Fairgrounds in Muhlenberg Township opening in August 1965.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}} The Boscov's East store along 9th Street in Reading was destroyed by fire in February 1967 and was replaced by a new Boscov's East store in Exeter Township in November 1967.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}} The Boscov's West store was destroyed by fire in November 1967 and reopened in November 1968.{{cite news|title=Boscov's history, highlights|work=Reading Eagle|date=September 18, 2009|url=http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=157412|access-date=October 15, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

By 1968, Boscov's had five stores, 2,200 workers, and annual sales exceeding $50 million.Berksiana. Charles Schuyler Castner. 1976. Page 323 Solomon Boscov retired and was succeeded by his son Albert "Albie" Boscov as head of the company in 1960.{{Cite web|url=http://www.boscovs.com/static/about_boscov/history.html |title=About Boscov's Department Stores |publisher=Boscovs.com |access-date=January 28, 2011}} The first Boscov's location outside of Berks County opened at the Lebanon Valley Mall in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, in August 1972. Boscov's bought Fowler, Dick and Walker, the Boston Store in 1980. One of Wilkes-Barre's last remaining downtown department stores, it was Boscov's first multi-story store.{{cite news |url=http://standardspeaker.com/news/grandchildren-of-retail-legend-boscov-publish-book-in-his-memory-1.2274731 |title=Grandchildren of retail legend Boscov publish book in his memory |date=December 3, 2017 |first=Denise |last=Allabugh |newspaper=Standard~Speaker |location=Hazleton, Pennsylvania |access-date=January 15, 2018 |quote=he purchased Fowler, Dick and Walker, the Boston Store ... in 1980}}{{cite web |url=http://www.kirbycenter.org/theater/history/ |title=Our History |publisher=The F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts |access-date=January 15, 2018 }}

Boscov's opened its first location outside of Pennsylvania at the Dover Mall in Dover, Delaware, in August 1982. Boscov's first entered the Philadelphia market in the late 1980s by opening Ports of the World stores.{{cite news|last1=Milford|first1=Maureen|title=Boscov's Evades Trends|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/159765808/|access-date=20 April 2018|publisher=The Morning News from Wilmington, Delaware|date=July 12, 1987}} These stores would later be re-branded as Boscov's sometime in the mid-1990s.

In 1983, Boscov's leased the Fowler's department store building and opened the next year in downtown Binghamton, New York.{{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/256061411/ |title = 20 Oct 1983, 5 - Press and Sun-Bulletin at Newspapers.com}}

In August 2002, Boscov's opened a store at the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, replacing a Strawbridge's store. As a result, the Boscov's West store in Sinking Spring closed.{{cite news|last=Negley|first=Erin|title=Plans submitted for former Boscov's West site in Sinking Spring|work=Reading Eagle|date=March 27, 2009|url=http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=131358|access-date=October 15, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In 2006, Albert Boscov, the son of Solomon Boscov, retired and his nephew Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive. Lakin led an aggressive expansion of the chain, opening 10 new stores by 2008. Boscov's acquired these locations from Federated Department Stores following the merger with The May Department Stores Company. The new stores opened just prior to the 2008 economic downturn and in August 2008, Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.{{cite news|last1=Burns|first1=Patrick|title=Retailer Boscov's goes bankrupt|url=https://lancasteronline.com/business/retailer-boscov-s-goes-bankrupt/article_b9354af2-6ff0-5ae0-af1f-07f680f2b937.html|access-date=23 April 2018|publisher=LNP Media Group|date=August 5, 2008}} Albert Boscov came out of retirement and regained control of the company. As part of the bankruptcy, 10 stores were shuttered, two of which were reopened.{{cite web | url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-boscovs-mall-opening-20120517-story.html | title=Boscov's will reopen at White Marsh Mall | date=May 17, 2012 }} The company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009.{{cite news|last1=Panaritis|first1=Maria|title=Boscov's emerges from bankruptcy|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20090918_Boscov_s_emerges_from_bankruptcy.html|access-date=23 April 2018|publisher=Philadelphia Inquirer|date=September 18, 2009}}

Albert Boscov died from pancreatic cancer on February 10, 2017, at the age of eighty-seven.{{cite news |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-albert-boscov-20170211-story.html |title=Boscov's chairman Albert Boscov dies at 87 |date=February 11, 2017 |access-date=January 27, 2018 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=January 28, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180128021122/http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bs-md-ob-albert-boscov-20170211-story.html |url-status=dead }} The chain is now headed by his nephew, Jim Boscov.{{cite news|last1=Allabaugh|first1=Denise|title=Boscov's doing retail right|url=http://thetimes-tribune.com/boscov-s-doing-retail-right-1.2316770|access-date=22 April 2018|publisher=The Scranton Times-Tribune|date=25 March 2018}}

Boscov's continuing success makes it regarded as somewhat of an "outlier" because many department store retailers had begun pulling back to a degree on brick-and-mortar formats. Boscov's saw record sales of $1.2 billion in 2017. Since 2009, the chain continues to expand and opened its 47th store in Milford, Connecticut, in October 2018. Boscov's plans to continue to open one store per year and has invested in older stores by renovating them. Boscov's announced plans to move into the Providence Place mall in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2019.{{cite news |last=List |first=Madeleine |url= http://www.providencejournal.com/news/20181009/nordstrom-to-close-store-at-providence-place-boscovs-set-to-enter-space |title=Nordstrom to close store at Providence Place; Boscov's set to enter space |work=The Providence Journal |date=October 9, 2018 |access-date=October 25, 2018}} The store opened on September 26, 2019.

In 2020, Boscov's announced plans to open at Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio.{{Cite web|date=2020-01-06|title=Boscov's Inc. department store coming to Eastwood Mall|url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/boscovs-inc-coming-to-eastwood-mall/|access-date=2020-09-13|website=WKBN.com|language=en-US}} The store opened on October 7, 2021, a year late due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, Boscov's announced that a store will open at the Meadowbrook Mall in Bridgeport, West Virginia, in the later part of the year; this will be Boscov's 50th store and first location in the state.{{cite news|author=Staff|title=Boscov's announces new store coming to Bridgeport, West Virginia's Meadowbrook Mall|publisher=WVNews|date=February 15, 2023|url=https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/boscov-s-announces-new-store-coming-to-bridgeport-west-virginias-meadowbrook-mall/article_912a4702-ad4f-11ed-b46c-43379b51b962.html|access-date=February 16, 2023}} The 50th store located in West Virginia opened on October 7, 2023.[https://wvmetronews.com/2023/10/07/boscovs-officially-opens-in-bridgeport/ "Boscov’s officially opens in Bridgeport"], Metro News, October 7, 2023

On March 28th 2025, Boscov’s announced the addition their 51st store opening Fall 2025 in the Greece Ridge Mall in Rochester NY.

During the 1970s, Boscov's launched its "Friends Helping Friends" program, an annual fundraising event which has raised roughly a million dollars each year for non-profit organizations.Mallett, Karin. "[https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/boscov-s-holds-annual-friends-helping-friends-fundraiser/article_a5638b5a-5031-11ed-b5e8-17826198e9c5.html Boscov’s holds annual ‘Friends Helping Friends’ fundraiser]." Allentown, Pennsylvania: WFMZ-TV, October 19, 2022."[https://www.timesleaderonline.com/news/community/2022/10/boscovs-sets-goal-of-1m-for-charity-with-friends-helping-friends-event-wednesday/ Boscov’s sets goal of $1M for charity with Friends Helping Friends event Wednesday]." Martins Ferry, Ohio: The Times Leader, October 18, 2022.

Boscov's sponsors the annual "Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest" which draws 35,000 to 40,000 people to the Reading area.{{cite news|last1=Long|first1=Jeremy|title=The 28th Annual Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest drew 35,000 to 40,000 people to the area|url=http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/the-28th-annual-boscovs-berks-jazz-fest-drew-35000-to-40000-people-to-the-area|access-date=22 April 2018|publisher=Reading Eagle|date=22 April 2018}}{{cite news|last1=Vasil|first1=Jim|title=2018 Berks Jazz Fest taking shape ahead of opening night|url=http://www.wfmz.com/news/berks/2018-berks-jazz-fest-taking-shape-ahead-of-opening-night-1/725247178|publisher=WFMZ-TV|date=4 April 2018}}

When Gimbels went out of business in 1986, WPVI-TV and Boscov's took over the sponsorship of the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. Boscov's remained a co-sponsor until 2007.

The Boscov's in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania was used to represent the fictional department store Illustra in the 1987 film Mannequin.

Boscov's is mentioned in the Season 3 episode Kimmy Steps on a Crack! of the Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.{{cite magazine | url=https://ew.com/recap/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-season-3-binge/ | title='Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt': Follow Our Recaps as You Binge Season 3 | magazine=Entertainment Weekly }}

It is also mentioned in NBC's The Office, Season 5, Episode 25, “Casual Friday”.

{{Reflist}}

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• [https://www.boscovs.com Official website]

{{Department stores in the United States}}

{{Philadelphia Corporations}}

{{Reading, Pennsylvania}}

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Category:Privately held companies based in Pennsylvania

Category:Economy of the Northeastern United States

Category:Department stores of the United States

Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008

Category:American companies established in 1914

Category:Companies based in Reading, Pennsylvania

Category:1914 establishments in Pennsylvania

Category:Clothing retailers of the United States

Category:Retail companies established in 1914

Category:Family-owned companies of the United States