|
Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) is an American retailer of home improvement and gardening products. Headquartered in San Jose, California, Orchard Supply Hardware has dozens of locations throughout California, with expansions into Oregon. The company, which started as a non-profit cooperative in 1931 and later as a for-profit corporation, was acquired by Sears in 1996. After a brief period as a public company in 2012–13, the company filed for a chapter 11 reorganization. In June 2013, the bulk of OSH's assets and locations were sold to the home improvement store chain, Lowe's. Since that time, the home improvement chain is being operated as a subsidiary and used for strategic expansion of retail operations. ==History== Orchard Supply was formed in 1931 as the Orchard Supply Farmers Co-op by 30 farmers, consisting mostly of orchardists and fruit tree ranchers who banded together to form a cooperative to buy essential farm supplies. Each farmer put up $30 and in the midst of the Great Depression a new company was formed. Stanley B. Smith served as the company's first general manager and president. Operations started in a rented warehouse at 230 Bassett St. in San Jose, CA. In spite of the Great Depression, the cooperative was successful. In 1933 the co-op moved to a larger location at 44 Vine St. in San Jose. The new location featured a large retail display area, off-street parking, and an adjoining warehouse. In 1946 the company moved to a site at 720 West San Carlos St. in San Jose, a location still in operation. By then, there were almost 2000 members. In 1962, Albert B. Smith (Stanley's son) became president, expanding the business into a chain of stores which at were considered large at the time. By 1950 the electronics industry began booming in the Santa Clara Valley, and with it came an abundance of new home owners in the San Francisco Bay Area. The orchards gradually became residential neighborhoods, and the "Orchard Supply Farmers Co-op" became a for-profit corporation, "Orchard Supply Hardware" retail stores.〔 In 1977, the company purchased a 19-acre warehouse and office complex from Sunsweet Growers to serve as a distribution center. In the 1980s, Loren S. Smith (another son of Stanley) became President and continued the expansion. In 1992 the distribution center was moved to Tracy, CA. 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「Orchard Supply Hardware」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|