Gadzooks (retailer)

Gadzooks, Inc. was a mall-based teenage clothing retailer. It was acquired by Forever 21 in 2005 and then shut down. The company logo included the Volkswagen Beetle and all stores had a life-size version of part of a Beetle inside.

This article is about the defunct retailer. For the defunct storage area network company or the television show, see Gadzooks (disambiguation).
Gadzooks, Inc.
FateAcquired by Forever 21 and shut down
Founded1983 (1983)
FounderJerry Szczepanski
Larry Titus
DefunctMarch 17, 2005 (2005-03-17)
HeadquartersCarrollton, Texas

History

The company was founded in 1983 as a T-shirt business by Jerry Szczepanski and Larry Titus.[1] The first store was in Mesquite, Texas.[2] By 1992, the company had 33 stores in Texas.[2] In 1995, the company became a public company via an initial public offering and within 3 months, the share price quadrupled from $15 to $61.[2] That year the company had 195 stores.[3]

In 2003, the company dropped its male clothing line to focus exclusively on 16- to 22-year-old females.[4] In February 2004, the company filed bankruptcy and announced plans to reduce its store count from 410 to 252.[5] In March 2005, Forever 21 purchased the chain[6][7] for $33 million.[8][6] The stores were eventually phased out.[1]

References
  1. Starkey, Ted (May 15, 2018). "U.S. chains that no longer exist". Newsday.
  2. HOLLANDSWORTH, SKIP (June 1999). "It's Like, You Know". Texas Monthly.
  3. Lewis, Casey (August 27, 2014). "Where Are They Now: The Great Suburban Mall Store Demise". Vox Media.
  4. "Gadzooks to sell only women's clothing". American City Business Journals. Dallas Business Journal. January 9, 2003.
  5. "Gadzooks files for bankruptcy protection". American City Business Journals. St. Louis Business Journal. February 3, 2004.
  6. "Mall stalwart Forever 21 files for bankruptcy as e-commerce cuts into sales". Dallas News. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  7. Lewis, Casey (2014-08-27). "Where Are They Now: The Great Suburban Mall Store Demise". Racked. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  8. "Forever 21 wraps up Gadzooks deal". American City Business Journals. Dallas Business Journal. March 17, 2005.
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