Sprouse-Reitz

Sprouse-Reitz (Sprouse!)

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Former type	Public (NASDAQ: STRS)
Industry	Retail
Fate	Liquidation
Founded	Portland, Oregon, United States (1909 (1909))
Defunct	1994 (1994)
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Number of locations	Approx. 320 stores (max.)
Area served	Western United States
Products	General Merchandise
Total assets	$80 million (1991)

Sprouse-Reitz is a defunct chain of five-and-dime stores based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The Sprouse-Reitz Company was founded in 1909 in Tacoma, Washington and at its peak had more than 300 stores in eleven states in the Western United States.

Around January 1989, the declining retailer tried to revive its business by rebranding its stores "Sprouse!". In December 1993, Sprouse-Reitz Inc. decided to liquidate and close its remaining 84 stores after failing to find a buyer. The company estimated that the last stores would close in February. As of late February 1994, the last stores were scheduled to close on March 20.

File:Former Sprouse-Reitz store in Bisbee, Arizona.jpg

An early Sprouse-Reitz store still lettered for the company (as of 2008) long after its closure, in Bisbee, Arizona

References

• "Sprouse Reitz stores sold; Sprouse family members will remain as consultants - variety store chain" Discount Store News Dec. 17, 1990

External links

• Sprouse store in Red Bluff, California in 1947
• Sprouse-Reitz Store to Sell Off All Assets - The New York Times