Welcome Wagon

{{Short description|American marketing company}}

{{About|the company|the band|The Welcome Wagon|the episode of Veronica Mars TV show|Welcome Wagon (Veronica Mars)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2012}}

Welcome Wagon is a marketing business in the United States (and formerly in Canada{{Cite web |title=Welcome Wagon Canada |url=http://www.welcomewagon.ca/|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417124527/https://www.welcomewagon.ca/ |archive-date=2020-04-17}}) that contacts new homeowners after relocation, providing them with coupons and advertisements from local businesses.

The company was founded in 1928, by Thomas Briggs in Memphis, Tennessee.{{cite web|url=http://www.thomaswbriggsfoundation.com/history.html |title=History |publisher=Thomas W. Briggs Foundation |access-date=2010-12-21}} Briggs later established the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation in 1957.

When the company was founded, Welcome Wagon "hostesses" would visit new homeowners with a gift basket containing samples, coupons, and advertising from contributing businesses.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/25/nyregion/about-long-island-keeping-up-with-suffolk-s-last-welcome-wagon-lady.html|title=About Long Island; Keeping Up With Suffolk's Last Welcome Wagon Lady|last=Ketcham|first=Diane|date=November 25, 1990|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 21, 2010}} These home visits continued for over 50 years until 1998, when then-owner Cendant laid off the "hostesses", saying that changing demographics meant few homeowners would be at home when representatives called.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/12/business/welcome-wagon-to-make-its-visits-via-post-office.html|title=Welcome Wagon to Make Its Visits Via Post Office|last=Hays|first=Constance L.|date=October 12, 1998|work=The New York Times|access-date= November 26, 2015}}

Welcome Wagon Canada, a separate company, continued to offer home visits until its closed in May 2020.{{Cite news|title=Welcome Wagon pulls up stakes after 90 years in business|url=https://www.orilliamatters.com/coronavirus-covid-19-local-news/welcome-wagon-pulls-up-stakes-after-90-years-in-business-2345453|first1=Miriam |last1=King|date=May 13, 2020 |access-date=2022-01-15|website=OrilliaMatters.com|language=en}}{{Cite news|last=Darr|first=Julie Ann|title=Welcome Wagon Closes|url=https://highriveronline.com/local/welcome-wagon-closes|date= May 24, 2020

|access-date=2022-01-15|website=HighRiverOnline.com|language=en-ca}} It also operated events for people planning a wedding or expecting a baby. Welcome Wagon in Canada was founded in 1930 and was run for many years by Pauline Hill, who first became a Hostess in 1953 and advanced to be head of the company as CEO (1962–1990). Welcome Wagon Ltd. became a wholly Canadian-owned entity in 1979 when a group of Canadian managers purchased it outright from the US owners. Its head office was situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Hostesses were subsequently known as representatives.{{cite web |url=http://www.welcomewagon.ca/ |title=Welcome Wagon Ltd. A Canadian Tradition Since 1930 |publisher=Welcome Wagon Ltd |access-date=December 21, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203094148/http://www.welcomewagon.ca/ }}

Welcome Wagon International has had several owners. In 1995, CUC International Inc. which subsequently merged into Cendant acquired Welcome Wagon.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/02/03/business/company-news-welcome-wagon-acquired-by-cuc-international.html|title=Company News; Welcome Wagon Acquired by CUC International|date=February 3, 1995|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 21, 2010}} In 2001, Homestore Inc., later known as Move, Inc., bought Welcome Wagon.

Move, Inc. announced in August 2008 that it was putting Welcome Wagon International, Inc. up for sale.

On June 26, 2009, the South Florida Media Group, publisher of South Florida-based local publications, acquired Welcome Wagon International, Inc.{{cite web|url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/06/prweb2575624.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628074427/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/06/prweb2575624.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2009 |title=DeSilva+Phillips, Mediabankers Client Move, Inc. Sells Welcome Wagon to South Florida Media Group |publisher=Prweb.com |date=June 26, 2009 |access-date=2010-12-21}} In 2014, Welcome Wagon was sold to coupon company Money Mailer.[http://petskyprunier.com/transactions/?id=2042 Petsky Prunier Advises Welcome Wagon on its Merger with an Affiliate of Money Mailer]

Welcome Wagon International, Inc., originally based in Memphis, Tennessee, moved from Westbury, New York to Plainview, New York in 2004.{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04EFDE123DF932A05753C1A9629C8B63|title=L.I.@Work; This Time, Welcome Wagon Is New in Town|last=Strugatch|first=Warren|date=October 31, 2004|work=The New York Times|access-date=December 21, 2010}} The company had local representatives throughout the United States. Welcome Wagon still markets to new residents through mail and telemarketing calls, and online. The company is now based in Coral Springs, Florida.{{cite news

|url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/careers/fl-welcome-wagon-1011-20101011,0,6086716.story

|title=Entrepreneurial team welcomes new challenge Former CEOs join to build on 82-year-old Welcome Wagon brand

|last=Kent

|first=Cindy

|date=October 11, 2010

|work=Sun Sentinel

|access-date=December 20, 2010

|location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida}}