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Grafton-Fraser Inc. is a leading Canadian seller of men's apparel. Grafton-Fraser Inc. operates through its retail chains, Tip Top Tailors, George Richards Big and Tall, Mr. Big & Tall, and Kingsport Clothiers, which are located coast to coast in Canada. The company's leading competitor is Men's Wearhouse's Moores. ==History== In 1853, James Beatty Grafton, son of Irish immigrants, left school at the age of 16 to become an apprentice in the dry goods industry. Moving later that year to Dundas, Ontario, he went into business with Anthony Gregson and opened a dry goods, millinery and clothing shop known as Gregson & Grafton. The company was established later that year, fourteen years before Canadian Confederation. In 1858 Anthony Gregson retired and James Grafton was joined in business by his brother John to form the J.B. & J.S. Grafton Co. In 1884, James John Grafton, the son of James Beatty Grafton joined the company as a full partner and the company was once again renamed to Grafton & Co. In 1889 the store was ready to expand and opened its second branch in Owen Sound, Ontario. Within the next 16 years five more branches opened in southern Ontario in Peterborough, Hamilton, London, Brantford and Woodstock. In 1900 Grafton & Co. opened a factory across the street from its original store in Dundas to ensure that all the products they offered were manufactured with their trademark "High Grade". By the 1960s Grafton & Co. was a well known name in Ontario with eight stores around the province. On July 19, 1967 Grafton & Co. purchased Jack Fraser Stores Limited and became Grafton-Fraser Limited. The middle of the line pricing and well established quality of the clothing offered at both of these stores made for the perfect partnership between the companies. Jack Fraser had been founded in 1926 by Jack Fraser in Toronto's east-end. The store was quickly established for its superior value to the customer. By the 1950s the chain had 17 stores across south-central Ontario. Jack Fraser offered its selection in the Boys and Menswear departments at Woolco stores, giving it coast to coast exposure, in addition to its own 23 Jack Fraser stores, located principally in shopping centres. In the late 1960s, after the merger, the decision was made to expand Jack Fraser from Ontario to across Canada, while continuing to expand with Woolco in their Menswear department. The expansion started in 1969 was completed by 1976 with the establishment of their 80th store. At this time Jack Fraser stores were found in every province. 1977 saw the next merger for Grafton-Fraser when they purchased George Richards Kingsize Clothes Limited, Canada's largest chain of specialty apparel for big and tall men. In 1984, Grafton-Fraser launched its Grafton & Co. Store which was an upscale menswear specialty retailer featuring high fashion sportswear and casual clothing. Faced with the recession of the early 1990s, Grafton-Fraser was forced to re-evaluate its operational strategy, reinventing itself centered on its key strength in the men's apparel market. The company divested itself of all footwear operations as well as home furnishings, business, women's departments, children departments and leased department activities (such as Woolco), as well as all non-Canadian enterprises launched during the late '70s and early '80s. Emerging from reorganization in 1992 as a leaner but stronger company, Grafton-Fraser was composed of three complementary chains of retail stores: Grafton & Co., Jack Fraser Menswear and George Richards Big & Tall Menswear. The company underwent major changes with the majority of shares being sold to the Cadillac Fairview Corporation and the addition of new President & CEO, Glenn Stonehouse. In 1994, Stonehouse was able to buy a majority of shares from the Cadillac Fairview Corporation. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Grafton-Fraser」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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