Hess's | |
Company type | Private |
Industry | Department stores |
Founded | February 19, 1897 | (as Hess Brothers)
Founders | Charles Hess and Max Hess |
Defunct | November 23, 1994[1] |
Fate | Converted to other department stores |
Successor | Dillard's (1992–) Hecht's (1993–2006) Proffitt's (1993–2006) Kaufmann's (1994–2006) The Bon-Ton (1994–2018) |
Headquarters | Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics and housewares |
Parent | Crown American Realty Trust |
Hess's, originally known as Hess Brothers, was a department store chain based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The company was founded a single store in 1897, and grew to nearly 80 stores by its commercial peak in the late 1980s. The chains stores were closed or sold off in a series of deals in the early to mid-1990s.
No "Black Friday" shoppers will crowd the two area Hess's department stores. Both stores will close their doors for good Wednesday evening. Hess's, part of the Harrisburg retailing scene since the mid-1970s, announced Aug. 1 that it was selling the two area stores to May Department Stores Co. of St. Louis. The purchase is expected to be completed by the end of the month. May intends to renovate and expand the Harrisburg East Mall and Capital City Mall stores and reopen them as Hecht's department stores sometime next year. Liquidation sales have been under way at the two Hess's stores for more than a month.