Cellular Sales

In the early 1990s, Cellular Sales opened a retail kiosk in a mall in Knoxville, Tennessee.{{cite web | url=http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/schofield/ae_200909/index.php?startid=19 | title=Cellular Sales of Knoxville | publisher=American Executive | accessdate=September 17, 2012}} Dane and Margaret Scism purchased Cellular Sales for $14,000 in 1993 using his last commission check for the assets of the company. By the end of Scism's first year as owner, the company had around 10 stores. The main cellphone store was based in Knoxville on Kingston Pike.{{cite web | url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/feb/14/partners-in-life-business/ | title=Some married couples find that love, commerce can work together beautifully | publisher=Knox News | accessdate=September 17, 2012 | author=Carly Harrington}} In 1996, the company bought out one of its contract partners, Mike Collins, and added its 4th and 5th locations. Cellular Sales continued to grow through the late 1990s and early 2000s by making its original independent sales representatives partners in new territory markets it opened.

Cellular Sales marketed service on behalf of Cellular One and GTE Wireless prior to the advent of Verizon Wireless in April 2000. In 2009, the company opened 68 new stores across the country. Following its rapid growth, Cellular Sales was named to Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing companies,{{cite web | url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/jul/21/200-250-jobs-to-knox/ | title=Cellular Sales Verizon Wireless adding 200-250 jobs in Knox | publisher=Knox News | accessdate=September 12, 2012 | author=Ed Marcum}} and was featured nine times from 2008 to 2017. The company opened its 300th store in Blount County, Tennessee in April 2010.{{cite web| url=http://ackermannpr.com/from-a-single-cell-phone-store-to-the-nations-largest-retailer-of-verizon-wireless/| title=Cellular Sales goes from a single cell phone store to the nation's largest retailer of Verizon Wireless| publisher=AckermannPR| accessdate=May 4, 2015}}

Cellular Sales made $488.5 million in revenue in 2010. The following year, the company opened its 400th store, in Hope Mills, North Carolina.{{cite web| url=http://ackermannpr.com/wish-granted-to-fayetteville-girl-during-cellular-sales-grand-opening-event/| title=Wish granted to Fayetteville girl during Cellular Sales Grand Opening event| publisher=AckermannPR| accessdate=May 4, 2015}} In 2012, following a 242% growth over a 36-month period, marked by a revenue increase of $207.3 million to $708.6 million. In 2013, the company’s revenue was over $1 billion.

In December 2015, the Cellular Sales consolidated four of its five Knoxville-area locations into one corporate headquarters. The building houses 350 of the company’s employees{{cite web| url=http://www.wbir.com/story/entertainment/2015/02/17/verizon--retailer--products/23589033/| title=HomeGrown: Cellular Sales| author=HomeGrown: Cellular Sales| date=February 17, 2015| publisher=WBIR| accessdate=May 4, 2015}}{{cite web| url=http://www.knoxnews.com/business/cellular-sales-headquarters-boosts-operational-maturity_62714838| title=Cellular Sales headquarters boosts operational maturity| author=Carly Harrington| date=December 8, 2014| publisher=Knoxville News Sentinel| accessdate=May 4, 2015}} and includes a call center with 140 employees. In 2017, the headquarters underwent a remodel and expansion. At that time, the company was hiring 300 new employees each month, nationwide.{{cite web| url=http://www.wbir.com/video/news/local/knoxville-based-cellular-sales-expands/51-2667731| title=Knoxville-Based Cellular Sales Expands| publisher=10 News WBIR}}{{cite web| url=https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news/2017/10/03/cellphone-sales-company-expanding-in-metro-market.html| title=Cellphone sales company expanding in metro market| author=Stephanie Rebman| date=October 3, 2017| publisher=Birmingham Business Journal}}

In August 2016, Cellular Sales expanded its presence into California with a location in Goleta,{{cite web| url=https://www.noozhawk.com/article/bizhawk_goleta_entrepreneurial_magnet_prepares_new_startups_summer_program| title=Goleta Entrepreneurial Magnet Prepares New Startups with Summer Accelerator| author=Sam Goldman| date=August 4, 2016| publisher=Noozhawk}} and a second California store in Fresno that same month.{{cite web| url=http://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/article97948017.html| title=Fresno cell store company's second in state| date=August 25, 2016| author=Bethany Clough| publisher=The Fresno Bee}} Its first store in Idaho opened in Coeur d'Alene in September 2016.{{cite web| url=http://www.cdapress.com/archive/article-cf1bd6d8-dc5f-5990-b9ad-6853d6d12471.html| title=Verizon Coming to Appleway and 4th| date=September 18, 2016| publisher=Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls Press}} By 2019, Cellular Sales reported that its revenue had exceeded $2 billion, while averaging a new store opening every three days.

In 2010, Cellular Sales joined Cell Phones For Soldiers[https://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/ Cell Phones for Soldiers] to distribute free calling cards to U.S. Soldiers overseas.{{cite web| url=http://www.wach.com/news/story.aspx?id=452101#.VTU7yyHBzGd| title=Cellular retailer helping soldiers call home| date=May 3, 2010| publisher=WACH FOX| accessdate=May 4, 2015}}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Cellular Sales donated $15,000 to SOAR Youth Ministries, a nonprofit serving at-risk youth, in 2012. The company has also sponsored the annual SOAR Golf Tournament.{{cite web| url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local-news/soar-youth-ministries-gets-15k-donation| title=SOAR Youth Ministries gets $15K donation| date=June 3, 2012| publisher=Knoxville News Sentinel| accessdate=May 4, 2015}} Also in 2012, Cellular Sales offered free cell and internet service for Kentucky and Indiana storm victims.{{cite web| url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/17077774/help-for-kentucky-and-indiana-storm-victims| title=How to help Kentucky and Indiana storm victims| date=March 5, 2012| publisher=WDRB| accessdate=May 4, 2015}} The company donated $45,000 in September of the same year to Great School Partnership to help fund programs in Knox County Schools. The donation went toward the Verizon Cellular Sales Center for Academic Excellence at West High School, a tutoring center to help students complete credits to graduate and prepare for the ACT.{{cite web| url=http://www.dalecarnegietn.com/concierge-model-customer-service/| title=Concierge model distinguishes Cellular Sales call center| date=June 7, 2013| publisher=Dale Carnegie of Tennessee| accessdate=May 4, 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.cellularsales.com}}

Category:Companies based in Knoxville, Tennessee

Category:American companies established in 1993

Category:Retail companies established in 1993

Category:1993 establishments in Tennessee