Yankee Stores

Yankee Stores was an American discount department store chain begun in Flint, Michigan. Partners Joseph Megdell and Wilbert Roberts opened their first store in 1948 to sell military surplus under the name U.S. Surplus. By 1964, it had become a discount chain with 21 stores throughout southeastern Michigan, primarily around Flint. Many of its locations were paired with local supermarket chain Hamady Brothers.[1] Some larger stores, including those in Lansing and Bay City, were called Yankee Stadium.[2]

Yankee Stores

Former type	formerly: Private
Industry	Retail
Fate	Purchased by Zody's
Founded	Flint, Michigan
Founder	Joseph Megdell, Wilbert Roberts
Defunct	1974
Headquarters	Flint, Michigan , United States
Number of locations	0 (2018)
Area served	Flint, Michigan-Saginaw, Michigan area
Products	General merchandise

Megdell and Roberts sold the chain to Borman Foods, then-parent of Farmer Jack supermarkets, in 1965. Borman unsuccessfully expanded the chain into Metro Detroit, closing those stores by 1971.[1] Many of the Detroit stores were sold to Shoppers Fair.[3] In 1972, Borman sold the Yankee chain to California-based Zody's.[4][5] Zody's closed its Michigan operations in 1974 as part of the chain's bankruptcy proceedings.[1][6]

References

1. "Hamady Sacks and Yankee Hats". 20 February 2004. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
2. "Large Yankee Store To Be Built on M-21". Owosso Argus-Press. Google News Archive. 30 April 1962. p. 1. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
3. "8 more Yankee stores sold". Detroit Free Press. December 23, 1971. p. 3B. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
4. The Food Institute's Weekly Digest. 79. American Institute of Food Distribution. 1972. p. 210. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
5. "Yankee Stores Transferred". Owosso Argus-Press. Google News Archive. 21 February 1972. p. 16. Retrieved 2014-02-21.
6. Passic, Frank (21 October 2001). "Yankee Store". Albion Morning Star. City of Albion, Michigan. p. 19. Retrieved 2014-02-21.