A chain store or retail chain is a retail outlet in which several locations share a brand , central management and standardized business practices. They have come to dominate many retail markets, dining markets, and service categories in many parts of the world. A franchise retail establishment is one form of a chain store. In 2005, the world's largest retail chain, Walmart , became the world's largest corporation based on gross sales.
30-677: Lindex was founded as a Swedish fashion chain in 1954, however since 2007 it became a part of the Finnish Stockmann Group. The company has around 5000 employees and approximately 480 stores in 18 markets in the Nordic countries , the Baltic states , Central Europe and the Middle East . In addition to sales in store, Lindex also offers their fashion assortment via online shopping in 28 countries: all EU countries plus Norway . The company has had
60-540: A chain of teashops which became a staple of the High Street in the UK, and at its peak, the firm numbered around 200 cafes. The displacement of independent businesses by chains has sparked increased collaboration among independent businesses and communities to prevent chain proliferation. These efforts include community-based organizing through Independent Business Alliances (in the U.S. and Canada) and "buy local" campaigns. In
90-511: A lingerie store in Alingsås, Sweden. The company is the market leader of lingerie in Scandinavia. The bra concept is called Bra-volution and consists of 14 different fits for many different needs, body shapes and preferences. Each fit is available in several styles with different materials and colours to choose from and the customer can always match her bra with a variety of panties. The bra assortment
120-537: A news vending business in London that would become a national concern in the mid-19th century under the management of their grandson William Henry Smith . The world's oldest national retail chain, the firm took advantage of the railway boom during the Industrial Revolution by opening news-stands at railway stations beginning in 1848. The firm, now called WHSmith, had more than 1,400 locations as of 2017. In
150-449: A rapid international expansion and sales growth. The assortment includes several different concepts within women's wear, lingerie, kids’ wear and cosmetics. In 1954, Ingemar Boman and Bengt Rosell opened the lingerie store Fynd in Alingsås. Shortly thereafter, the Lindex company of Gothenburg was acquired, and this was the name then given in time to all the subsequent stores. During the sixties
180-705: A turnover of 650 MEUR. Since December 2007 Lindex is part of the Finnish Stockmann group that is listed on NASDAQ Helsinki, now named Lindex group. Stockmann has its head office in Helsinki. Chairman Lauri Veijalainen, CEO Stockmann Eva Hamilton, Senior Advisor Arholma landsort, former CEO SVT Rossana Mariano, CEO and founder RMPR Tracy Stone Munn, Global Sales Director L.K Bennet Susanne Najafi, Entrepreneur and founder BackingMinds Employee Representatives: Caroline Kull Magnusson and Ann-Britt Neckvall Deputies: Clary Erenman and Cecilia Dahlström Lindex head office
210-521: Is definied by Scandinavian design where inclusiveness, fit and comfort are key. Lindex also has a cosmetic brand (Lindex beauty) and an assortment with maternity wear and a range of accessories. Female engineering is a femtech brand by Lindex that offers innovative, science-based products designed to meet women’s real needs and improve well-being through the various stages of life. In their product range one can find period panties, menopause clothes and products for maternity and post-partum. Lindex started as
240-631: Is designed after extensive tests in which women of various ages, bra sizes and preferences tested several fits. In addition to the wide assortment Lindex also has the lingerie collections Ella M and So.U and offer socks, hosiery, nightwear and swimwear. Lindex is the market leader in kids’ wear in Sweden. Lindex works with a wide assortment consisting of tops and bottoms, outerwear, nightwear, underwear, swimwear and various types of accessories. The collections are created in three groups: Newborn collection in sizes 44-86, toddlers in sizes 92 -122, and sizes 128-170 for
270-556: Is located in Gothenburg, where approximately 400 people work in buying, design, marketing, IT, communication, human resources, finance, logistics and distribution Lindex is one of Europe's leading fashion chains with approximately 480 stores in 18 markets and Lindex Shop Online available in 32 countries. Lindex has country offices in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Czech Republic, The Baltics and England. Country offices are responsible for
300-509: Is the last remaining music chain store in the United States and has shrunk from over 1,000 at its height to 270 locations in 2018. In 2019, Payless ShoeSource stated that it would be closing all remaining 2,100 stores in the US. A restaurant chain is a set of related restaurants in many different locations that are either under shared corporate ownership or franchising agreements. Typically,
330-662: The Russian market opened up for Lindex. In 2008 Lindex opened its first store in St Petersburg and the following year the first Lindex store in Moscow was opened. In 2009 Lindex opened its first store in Slovakia. During the 2010s Lindex continues to focus on Central Europe. Stores are opened in Prague and Bratislava. Lindex is now one of Europe's largest fashion chains with approximately 480 stores and
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#1732852360551360-664: The Stockholm Stock Exchange. At the end of the nineties the trademark Fix was acquired, with colourful kids’ wear. The beginning of the 21st century was characterized by huge international expansion. Lindex looked east and started its expansion in Central Europe and opened stores in the Baltic States, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In 2007 the Finnish listed company Stockmann became the new owner of Lindex and with their help
390-492: The U.S. Supreme Court in 1931. Between then and 1933, 525 chain-store tax bills were introduced in state legislatures, and by the end of 1933 special taxes on retail chains were in force in 17 states. A chain store is characterised by the ownership or franchise relationship between the local business or outlet and a controlling business. While chains are typically "formula retail", a chain refers to ownership or franchise, whereas "formula retail" or "formula business" refers to
420-653: The U.S., trade organizations such as the American Booksellers Association and American Specialty Toy Retailers do national promotion and advocacy. NGOs like the New Rules Project and New Economics Foundation provide research and tools for pro-independent business education and policy while the American Independent Business Alliance provides direct assistance for community-level organizing. A variety of towns and cities in
450-530: The U.S., chain stores likely began with J. Stiner & Company, which operated several tea shops in New York City around 1860. By 1900, George Huntington Hartford had built The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company , originally a tea distributor based in New York, into a grocery chain that operated almost 200 stores. Dozens of other grocery, drug, tobacco, and variety stores opened additional locations, around
480-676: The US), or as exceeding municipal zoning authority (i.e., regulating "who owns it" rather than the characteristics of the business). Non-codified restrictions will sometimes target "chains". A municipal ordinance may seek to prohibit "formula businesses" in order to maintain the character of a community and support local businesses that serve the surrounding neighborhood. Brick-and-mortar chain stores have been in decline as retail has shifted to online shopping , leading to historically high retail vacancy rates. The hundred-year-old Radio Shack chain went from 7,400 stores in 2001 to 400 stores in 2018. FYE
510-415: The United States whose residents wish to retain their distinctive character—such as San Francisco ; Provincetown, Massachusetts and other Cape Cod villages; Bristol, RI ; McCall, Idaho ; Port Townsend, Washington ; Ogunquit, Maine ; Windermere, Florida and Carmel-by-the-Sea, California —closely regulate, even exclude, chain stores. They don't exclude the chain itself, only the standardized formula
540-497: The buying routines, since almost all textile manufacturing moved abroad. Lindex now tested new markets such as Denmark, Great Britain and Finland, but by the end of the eighties, operations were focused on Sweden, Norway and Finland. In August 1993, IK Partners (formerly Industri Kapital) acquired Lindex from ICA, and Lindex opened its first production office in Hong Kong, initiating inspections to check that no child labour occurred at
570-547: The chain uses, described as " formula businesses ". For example, there could often be a restaurant owned by McDonald's that sells hamburgers, but not the formula franchise operation with the golden arches and standardized menu, uniforms, and procedures. The reason these towns regulate chain stores is aesthetics and tourism. Proponents of formula restaurants and formula retail allege the restrictions are used to protect independent businesses from competition. Henry Walton Smith Henry Walton Smith (1738 – 23 August 1792)
600-466: The characteristics of the business. There is considerable overlap because key characteristic of a formula retail business is that it is controlled as a part of a business relationship, and is generally part of a chain. Nevertheless, most codified municipal regulation relies on definitions of formula retail (e.g., formula restaurants ), in part because a restriction directed to "chains" may be deemed an impermissible restriction on interstate commerce (in
630-470: The company, while his brothers split the remaining 49%. Under Isidore's (and later his son Louis') leadership, Maisons Dewachter would become one of the most recognized names in Belgium and France with stores in 20 cities and towns. Some cities had multiple stores, such as Bordeaux, France . Louis Dewachter also became an internationally known landscape artist, painting under the pseudonym Louis Dewis . By
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#1732852360551660-487: The early 1920s, chain retailing was well established in the United States, with A&P, Woolworth's , American Stores, and United Cigar Stores being the largest. By the 1930s, chain stores had come of age, and stopped increasing their total market share. Court decisions against the chains' price-cutting appeared as early as 1906, and laws against chain stores began in the 1920s, along with legal countermeasures by chain-store groups. State taxes on chain stores were upheld by
690-650: The first fish and chips restaurant (as opposed to a take-away) in London, and its instant popularity led to a chain comprising 22 restaurants with locations around London and seaside resorts in southern England including Brighton , Ramsgate and Margate . In 1864, the Aerated Bread Company (ABC) began operating a chain of teashops in Britain. ABC would be overtaken as the leader in the field by Lyons , co-founded by Joseph Lyons in 1884. From 1909 Lyons began operating
720-499: The lingerie selection was complemented by women's wear, in particular jumpers and blouses. Operations were expanded and the first Lindex store in Norway was opened. During the seventies Lindex continued to grow in Sweden and Norway. The assortment was expanded and Lindex also became known for skirts and trousers as well as kids’ wear. The eighties meant major changes for Lindex and the expansion reached record levels. Major changes occurred in
750-965: The oldest children. Today 100% of the Newborn assortment is made of more sustainable materials. Lindex started Shop Online in Sweden in 2007. In 2010 the Shop online was launched for Finland and 2011 it was launched in Norway and all EU countries. 2009-2011 Ewa Larsson 2010 Narciso Rodriguez 2011 Rachel Zoe - stylist collaboration 2012 Missoni 2013 Matthew Williamson 2014 Jean Paul Gaultier 2019 By Malina 2020 Emma von Brömssen 2021 Emilia Ilke 2022 Hanna Wendelbo 2005 Emma Wiklund 2007 Izabella Scorupco 2007 Alec Wek 2007 Mini Andén 2008 Caroline Winberg 2010-2011 Carmen Kass 2011 Reese Witherspoon 2012 Gwyneth Paltrow 2013 Penélope Cruz 2014 Kate Hudson 2014 Karen Elson 2016 Sienna Mieller 2016 Ashley Graham Chain store In 1792, Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna established W.H. Smith as
780-430: The restaurants within a chain are built to a standard format through architectural prototype development and offer a standard menu and/or services. Fast food restaurants are the most common, but sit-down restaurant chains also exist. Restaurant chains locations are often found near highways , shopping malls and densely populated urban or tourist areas . In 1896, Samuel Isaacs from Whitechapel , east London opened
810-417: The results and store operations, but also that the Lindex concept is realized in the stores. Lindex does not own any factories, instead they work with independent suppliers and factories around the world. Lindex has production offices in the main production markets - China, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, India and Turkey. Lindex offers women's wear, kids’ wear, lingerie and cosmetics. Lindex women's wear assortment
840-969: The same time, so that retail chains were common in the United States by 1910. Several state legislatures considered measures to restrict the growth of chains, and in 1914 concern about chain stores contributed to passage of the Federal Trade Commission Act and the Clayton Antitrust Act. Isidore, Benjamin and Modeste Dewachter originated the idea of the chain department store in Belgium in 1868, ten years before A&P began offering more than coffee and tea. They started with four locations for Maisons Dewachter (Houses of Dewachter): La Louvière , Mons , Namur and Leuze . They later incorporated as Dewachter frères (Dewachter Brothers) on January 1, 1875. The brothers offered ready-to-wear clothing for men and children and specialty clothing such as riding apparel and beachwear. Isidore owned 51% of
870-677: The suppliers. That same year, Lindex sold the fashion chain Gulins, with 770 employees, to the Norwegian Finansgruppen. The company's requirements on suppliers were increased and a code of conduct for all suppliers was introduced. During the nineties the company also started to make serious efforts with regard to environmental issues, in addition to the introduction of a loyalty card scheme - the Lindex Club. IK sold its stake in April 1995 via listing on
900-581: Was an Englishman who was the founder of W. H. Smith , one of the United Kingdom 's largest bookselling and newspaper vending businesses. Brought up in Wrington in Somerset , Henry Walton Smith moved to London and became a personal assistant to Charles Rogers , an English customs official and art collector. In 1792, together with his wife Anna, he founded his news vending business in London . He died only
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