 | |
| Company type | Defunct |
|---|---|
| NYSE: VEN | |
| Industry | Retail (Department & Discount) |
| Founded | 1968 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Defunct | July 15, 1998 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy And Liquidation |
| Headquarters | O'Fallon, Missouri |
Key people | Robert Wildrick, Julian Seeherman |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics, and housewares. |
Number of employees | 10,000 |
| Website | www.venturestores.com (archived at Deadmalls.com) |
Venture Stores, Inc. was a chain of retail stores aimed at the discount department-store market. John Geisse, formerly of Target Stores, and May Department Stores' executive vice president, Dave Babcock, founded the chain in 1968. Venture Stores expanded to operate over 70 stores with major market share in St. Louis, Chicago, and Kansas City, and expanded across various areas in the United States over a period of nearly 30 years, becoming the largest discount chain in Chicago. In January 1998, Venture Stores entered a Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed within six months.