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Sebastian Spering Kresge (July 31, 1867 – October 18, 1966) was an American businessman. He created and owned two chains of department stores, the S. S. Kresge Company, one of the 20th century's largest discount retail organizations, and the Kresge-Newark traditional department store chain.
S.S. Kresge (born July 31, 1867, Bald Mount, Pa., U.S.—died Oct. 18, 1966, East Stroudsburg, Pa.) was an American merchant who established a chain of nearly 1,000 variety and discount stores throughout the United States.
S. S. Kresge, the founder of the company that would become Kmart, met variety-store pioneer Frank Winfield Woolworth while working as a traveling salesman and selling to all 19 of Woolworth's stores at the time. In 1897, Kresge invested $6,700 saved from his job into a five-and-dime store in Memphis, Tennessee.
S.S.Kresge Company is a new entity that aims to bring back Kmart and Sears as independent retailers. Learn about the history, vision and investors of the company founded by S.S.Kresge.
With swift expansion through the Midwest and across the nation over the next half century, the S.S. Kresge Co. would later become the iconic American department store chain, Kmart Corp. The success of the new dime-store concept, offering household goods at reasonable prices, allowed Mr. Kresge to direct much of his profits into charitable ...
The S.S. Kresge Company made notable contributions to Detroit architecture, specifically the Kresge Building (now the Kales Building) on Grand Circus Park, an Albert Kahn design that served as company headquarters from 1914-1930. The second headquarters, on Second Avenue at Cass Park, was world headquarters from 1930-1972 and was also a Kahn ...
The S.S. Kresge Co. grew to be the second-largest variety chain in the U.S. The stores changed as retail trends matured over the years. The company battled anti-chain store sentiment in the 1920s and 30s.
