Philadelphia's Strawbridge & Clothier department store chain operated its Clover discount division between 1971 and 1997. Small in comparison to the likes of Kmart or Walmart, the chain had twenty-six stores at its highpoint. These were a veritable clone of stores in Minnesota's Target chain. Clover units averaged between 80,000 and 100,000 square feet.
Graphic from the Strawbridge & Clothier
The first Clover store opened -in the Marlton area of Burlington County, New Jersey- in February 1971.
Photo from Strawbridge & Clothier Annual Report 1975
Our trip down Discount Mart Memory Lane takes us to the inside of an unnamed Clover store. In the image above, we see a ladies' wear section.
Photos from Strawbridge & Clothier Annual Report 1975
Photos from Strawbridge & Clothier Annual Report 1975
The TG&Y enterprise was centered in Oklahoma City. A Family Center was a larger version of the standard TG&Y 5 & 10. "Super Stores" covered up to 80,000 square feet and included a snack bar and departments for sporting goods, cameras and pets. Some stores had a supermarket and drug store.
Photo from White Chipmunk's Photostream / Atkinson Heritage Center
The first Family Center logo was introduced in 1964. This trademark was a simple adaptation of the logo used in TG&Y variety store advertisements of the time.
Graphic from the T G & Y Stores Company
A new Family Center logo was in use by 1967.
Graphic from the T G & Y Stores Company
An updated Family Center logo was being used in print ads in the early 1980s.
Graphic from the T G & Y Stores Company
The trademark seen above, which debuted in 1983, would be the final TG&Y Family Center logo. By this time, the entire TG&Y enterprise was foundering. All assets were sold to the McCrory Corporation in January 1986. Family Centers were either shuttered, sold or repurposed.
Graphic from the T G & Y Stores Company
Graphic from the T G & Y Stores Company
