H. J. Wilson Co.
{{Short description|Former catalog showroom chain}}
{{Infobox company
| name = H. J. Wilson Co.
| logo = Wilson's Discount Store Logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| caption =
| trade_name = Wilson's
| industry = Retail
| fate = Acquisition by Service Merchandise
| predecessor =
| successor = Service Merchandise
| founded = 1947
| founder = Huey John Wilson
| defunct = 1985
| hq_location_city = Baton Rouge, Louisiana
| locations = 80
| area_served = Southern United States
| key_people =
| products = Jewelry
}}
H. J. Wilson Co., also known as Wilson's, was an American catalog showroom chain based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Founded in 1947 as a jewelry store, it was acquired in 1985 by Service Merchandise.
History
The store was begun by Huey John Wilson in 1947 as a jewelry vendor in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ten years later, Wilson opened his first catalog showroom. By 1982, Wilson's was the third-largest catalog showroom chain in the United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/1982/1026/102642.html|title=Wilson's: retailing by the (big) book|last=Walker|first=Ruth|date=26 October 1982|work=The Christian Science Monitor|accessdate=3 April 2013}} At its peak, it had 80 stores in 12 states. In 1985, rival chain Service Merchandise purchased all 80 of the Wilson's stores.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2506&dat=19850515&id=4-5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BgwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,5136919|title=Service Merchandise buys Wilson's|last=Kellerhalls|first=Merle D.|date=15 May 1985|work=The News and Courier|accessdate=3 April 2013|archive-date=11 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511023306/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2506&dat=19850515&id=4-5QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BgwNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990%2C5136919|url-status=dead}}
Wilson died on February 8, 2008, at age 80.{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?pid=103045738#fbLoggedOut|title=Huey John Wilson obituary|date=10 February 2008|work=The Advocate|accessdate=3 April 2013}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hawilsonfoundation.org Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation]
Category:Defunct companies based in Louisiana
Category:Defunct retail companies of the United States
Category:Companies based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Category:Retail companies established in 1947