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Bailey Banks & Biddle was a retailer of jewelry and designer of US medals that was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1832.
| | This article needs additional citations for verification .(April 2012) |
Bailey Banks & Biddle was a retailer of jewelry and designer of US medals that was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1832.
 | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2011) |
Bailey & Kitchen, as it was originally known, was founded at 136 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, on September 20, 1832, by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey (1806–1854) and Andrew B. Kitchen (died 1850). The partnership was dissolved in November 1846. It was reformed with new partners as Bailey & Co. in 1841, and on March 1, 1878, again re-established as Bailey Banks & Biddle. [1] [2] [3] From about 1852–1862, the company made its own silver; they were principally supplied by Taylor and Lawrie before 1852, and from about 1862–1870, by George B. Sharp. [4] After 1870, they resold silver from a variety of manufacturers.
At the turn of the century, Bailey Banks & Biddle was commissioned by the U.S. government to update the Great Seal of the United States; its design today remains the official version of the seal. The company also designed and made many of the military medals that are still used today, including the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star the Spanish Campaign Medal and the first 40,000 Purple Hearts awarded, as well as class rings for West Point and Annapolis. [1]
In 1962, Bailey Banks & Biddle became a part of the Zale Corporation. Zale opened many Bailey Banks & Biddle stores in numerous cities. In 2007, Zale Corporation sold the 65-store jewelry chain to Finlay Enterprises. [5] Finlay Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2009, [6] and Bailey Banks & Biddle was relaunched as a private company by the new owners in the spring of 2010. The new owners bought the name and eight original locations. They did not honor guarantees on any items purchased prior to their ownership as all prior warranties were voided with the dissolution of Finlay Enterprises. [6] The company utilizing the name Bailey Banks & Biddle declared bankruptcy in November 2019. At the time the company was reduced to one store located in Houston, Texas. [7] The remaining inventory was seized for back taxes, interest and penalties and sold at auction in June 2020. [8] The website for Bailey, Banks and Biddle leads to Finlay as of March 2023 with a copyright dated 2020.
A building which once contained the Bailey Banks & Biddle flagship store and at which the company was flagship occupant exists as at 1218 Chestnut Street near Philadelphia City Hall. It is now a multi tenant corporate office building owned by the Thylan Associates. It backs onto the adjoining former factory building on Sansom Street.
The Bailey & Co. factory building stands at 1217 Sansom St., in Center City, Philadelphia. As of 2019, it has been renovated as the Biddle Building, an office building with a variety of creative and technical industry tenants. [9] [10]
Strawbridge's, formerly Strawbridge & Clothier, was a department store in the northeastern United States, with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The Center City Philadelphia flagship store was, in its day, a gracious urban emporium. The retailer started adding branch stores starting in the 1930s and, by their zenith in the 1980s, enjoyed annual sales of over a billion dollars By the 1990s, Strawbridge's became part of the May Department Stores conglomerate until May's acquisition by Federated Department Stores on August 30, 2005.
Signet Jewelers Ltd. is, as of 2015, the world's largest retailer of diamond jewellery. The company is domiciled in Bermuda and headquartered in Akron, Ohio, and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The group operates in the middle market jewellery segment and has number one positions in the US, Canada and UK speciality jewellery markets. Certain brands operate in the upper middle market. Signet Jewelers owns and operates the companies Blue Nile, Zales, Kay Jewelers, Jared, JamesAllen.com, and others.
The Zale Corporation is an American jewelry retailer, incorporated in Delaware in 1993. The principal executive offices are located in Coppell, Texas.
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Finlay Enterprises Inc. was a holding company based in New York that conducted business through its wholly owned subsidiary "Finlay Fine Jewelry". It was founded in 1887. Finlay Enterprises Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August, 2009.
Birks Group Inc. is a designer, manufacturer, and retailer of jewellery, timepieces, silverware and gifts, with stores and manufacturing facilities located in Canada and the United States. The Group was created in November 2005 through the merger of Henry Birks and Sons Ltd. (Canada) and Mayors Jewelers Inc..
Harry Winston, Inc. is an American luxury jeweler and producer of Swiss timepieces. The company was founded in 1932 as Harry H. Winston Jewels, Inc. and changed its name to Harry Winston Inc. in January 1936. The company is named after its founder, Harry Winston, who was called by many as the "King of Diamonds".
ULTRA Diamonds was a seller of fine jewelry in factory outlet and value centers in the United States. ULTRA was a manufacturer as well as a direct importer of diamonds, gemstones, and gold jewelry. At one point, Ultra operated over 100 stores in outlet centers and 38 other format locations. The company went through though bankruptcy in 2001–2002, and again after the financial crisis of 2007–2008. On November 2, 2012, the company was acquired by Signet Jewelers.
Sterling Jewelers, Inc. is an American specialty jewelry company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. The company was founded in 1910 by Henry Shaw, from LeRoy's Jewelers in Lorain, Ohio. Sterling Jewelers is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK-based Signet Jewelers Limited, having been acquired in 1987.
James Emott Caldwell was an American jeweler who founded J.E. Caldwell & Co. in 1839. While best known as a major fine jewelry institution of Philadelphia, over the years since its inception, the firm has also been known for its silver, china, crystal, and even stationery.
Ohio Valley Mall is a one-story enclosed shopping mall in Richland Township, outside St. Clairsville, Ohio. It was opened in 1978 and was developed by the Youngstown, Ohio-based Cafaro Company, which continues to own and manage it. The mall currently has four open anchor stores which are Boscov's, Dunham's Sports, Marshalls, and Michaels. It contains more than 100 stores and services. The mall currently has two vacant anchor stores which were once Macy's and Sears.
Alex and Ani is an American retailer and producer of jewelry located in Cranston, Rhode Island.
Lagos is a privately held American jewelry company. Founded by Steven Lagos in 1977, the brand is known for its jewelry craftsmanship and the proprietary design technique of textured caviar-like beading. The company has offices in New York and Bangkok with its corporate headquarters in Philadelphia.
Black, Starr & Frost, previously known as Marquand and Co, is an American jewelry company. Founded in 1810 as Marquand and Co., the company is the oldest continuously operating jewelry firm in the United States. The company has acted as a retailer, rather than manufacturer, for most of its history.
Bromberg's is a jewelry, crystal, silver and gift retailer with two locations in the Birmingham, Alabama area. The firm was founded by Prussian immigrant Frederick Bromberg in Mobile in 1836, the oldest family owned and operated retail business in the United States and the oldest business firm operating in the state.
Theophlius Killion is an American businessman who served as CEO of Zale Corporation from February 2010 to July 2014. He also served as Director of Jewelers of America, initially as interim CEO and a member of the board of directors of Express, Inc. His tenure led the failing Zale Corporation back from near-bankruptcy.
J.E. Caldwell & Co. was a major jewellery retailer and one-time silversmith in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Peter Lewis Krider, also known as P.L. Krider, was a noted American silversmith, active in Philadelphia.
Beth Bugdaycay is a jewelry designer and entrepreneur living in New York City. In 2019, she was nominated for the CFDA Award for American Emerging Designer of the Year.
Gabriel & Co. is an American jewelry design house headquartered in New York City, USA. It was founded in 1989. Their offerings include a diverse range of bridal and fine jewelry, notably bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings crafted primarily in white, yellow, and rose gold.
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