Buzz
While these are undoubtedly iconic American establishments, not all of them are still American-owned, as demonstrated in our Top 10 American Icons that Are No Longer American. This list highlights the ten largest mega-franchises, representing the biggest players in the business world.
10. Costco
Costco, the largest membership warehouse chain globally in terms of sales volume, is headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, U.S., and was originally founded in Kirkland, Washington. The company’s flagship warehouse is located in Seattle. Costco also operates in Canada, with its Canadian headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. It ranks as the fourth-largest general retailer in the United States.
9. Kmart
Kmart, as of January 28, 2006, operated 1,416 stores across 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This total included 1,361 discount outlets, each covering an average of 92,000 square feet, and 55 Super Centers, which averaged 165,000 square feet. Kmart's global headquarters was based in Troy, Michigan, in a large complex that is now set for demolition following the company's move to Illinois. Kmart became famous for its ‘Blue Light Specials,’ which would surprise customers with a discount announced via a mobile police light in different store departments.
8. Target
Target, a prominent American retailer, was established in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, originally as Dayton Dry Goods Company. In 1962, the first Target store opened in Roseville, Minnesota. The company rebranded in 2000, changing its name from Dayton Hudson to Target. Today, Target ranks as the fifth-largest retailer in the U.S. by sales revenue.
7. Kroger
Founded in 1883 by Bernard Henry Kroger in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is a leading American supermarket chain and its parent company. In fiscal year 2008, the company reported sales exceeding $70 billion. Kroger is currently the second-largest grocery retailer in the U.S. by volume and ranks as the third-largest general retailer overall.
6. Lowe’s
Lowe’s, a home improvement and appliance retail chain based in the U.S., was established in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The company now services over 14 million customers weekly through 1,555 stores across every state and in Canada. With the addition of a new store in South Burlington, Vermont, Lowe’s operates in all 50 states. The company expanded into Canada in 2007, opening its first store in Hamilton, Ontario. Lowe’s is ranked 48th on the Fortune 500 list and is headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina. It stands as the second-largest hardware retailer in the U.S., following The Home Depot, and ahead of Menards.
5. Best Buy
Best Buy, the top specialty retailer of consumer electronics in both the U.S. and Canada, commands a 21% market share. It owns subsidiaries such as Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and in Canada, the Best Buy Canada branch operates primarily under the Future Shop brand. Together, these entities run over 1,150 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, China, Mexico, and Turkey. The company’s headquarters is located in Richfield, Minnesota, USA. On June 26, 2007, Best Buy revealed plans to expand operations by 40%, with a target of operating more than 1,800 stores globally, including 1,400 Best Buy stores in the U.S.
4. Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage firm, holding the title of the leading manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. Known for its iconic product, Coca-Cola, which was created by pharmacist John Stith Pemberton in 1886, the company was later purchased by Asa Candler in 1889, who then founded The Coca-Cola Company in 1892. Today, Coca-Cola boasts an extensive portfolio of nearly 400 brands across over 200 countries, serving 1.5 billion servings daily. The company operates a franchise model, where it focuses solely on producing syrup concentrate, which is then sold to exclusive bottlers worldwide.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, The Coca-Cola Company is listed on the NYSE and is a key component of major indices such as the DJIA and S&P 500. The current president and CEO is Muhtar Kent.
3. Walmart
Walmart’s international reach extends beyond North America, with operations in Mexico under the name Walmex, in the UK as ASDA, and in Japan as Seiyu. The company has wholly-owned subsidiaries in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Puerto Rico. While Walmart has seen success in countries like South America and China, its ventures in Germany and South Korea were less successful, leading the company to withdraw from those markets.
This article is licensed under the GFDL, as it incorporates quotations from Wikipedia.
2. Microsoft
Walmart operates as a major global retail force, offering discount shopping in numerous countries. It remains one of the largest corporations in the world, not just in terms of revenue but also as an employer. With Sam Walton's vision from the 1960s to today, Walmart continues to lead the grocery retail industry in the United States, boasting a massive market share.
Microsoft Corporation is a leading American multinational technology company that became a dominant player in the home computer operating system market starting in the 1980s with MS-DOS, followed by its widely successful Windows operating systems. The company develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a vast array of software products for computing devices. Its most popular offerings include the Microsoft Windows OS and the Microsoft Office productivity suite.
1. 7/11
The origins of 7-Eleven trace back to 1927 in Dallas, Texas, when Joe C. Thompson, an employee at Southland Ice Company, began selling basic items like milk, eggs, and bread from an ice dock. The improvised storefront, situated in the Southland Ice Company—a business run by John Jefferson Green—was the first of what would eventually become a retail chain. Thompson recognized the convenience of selling goods preserved by the ice, saving customers the trouble of traveling far for groceries. He later acquired the Southland Ice Company, transforming it into the Southland Corporation, which operated several stores across Dallas. The original stores, open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., led to the brand's name. The 7-Eleven name was officially adopted in 1946, and by 1952, the chain opened its 100th store. The company became known as The Southland Corporation in 1961.
