COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 451211

Book Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

24companies1837–1999founding years22still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedBonnier ABFoundedBonnier AB
1837
FoundedBarnes & Noble, Inc.FoundedFollett CorporationFoundedFollett Corporation
1894
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedStandex International Corporation
1955
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedMTS Inc.FoundedMTS Inc.
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedHastings Entertainment, Inc.
1968
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedDeLorme Publishing Company, Inc.FoundedDeLorme Publishing Company, Inc.
1976
FoundedMusicland Stores Corporation
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedOttakar's plcFoundedOttakar's plc
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
FoundedFamily Christian Stores, Inc.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedIndigo Books & Music Inc.FoundedIndigo Books & Music Inc.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedSanomaWSOY Corporation
1999
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Bonnier AB →
Active · founded 1837 · Sweden
Bonnier AB is one of the Nordic region's leading media groups, losing out the top spot to Finland's SanomaWSOY in 2001.
Bonnier AB →
Active · founded 1837 · Sweden
Bonnier AB is one of the Nordic region's leading media groups, losing out the top spot to Finland's SanomaWSOY in 2001.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. →
Active · founded 1894
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. →
Active · founded 1894
Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Follett Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Company expands into book publishing and wholesaling.
Follett Corporation →
Active · founded 1894
1930s:Company expands into book publishing and wholesaling.
Standex International Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Standex International Corporation operates as a global multi-industry conglomerate that manufactures over 48,000…
Standex International Corporation →
Active · founded 1955
Standex International Corporation operates as a global multi-industry conglomerate that manufactures over 48,000…
MTS Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
MTS Inc., the little-known corporate name of the much more widely recognized Tower Records, is the second largest music…
MTS Inc. →
Active · founded 1960
MTS Inc., the little-known corporate name of the much more widely recognized Tower Records, is the second largest music…
Hastings Entertainment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Operator of a fast-growing chain of multimedia superstores, Hastings Entertainment, Inc.
Hastings Entertainment, Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
Operator of a fast-growing chain of multimedia superstores, Hastings Entertainment, Inc.
DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1976
DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc.
DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1976
DeLorme Publishing Company, Inc.
Musicland Stores Corporation →
Active · founded 1977
The leading specialty retailer in the United States of prerecorded music, movies, and audio and video accessories,…
Musicland Stores Corporation →
Active · founded 1977
The leading specialty retailer in the United States of prerecorded music, movies, and audio and video accessories,…
Ottakar's plc →
Defunct · founded 1987 · United Kingdom
Ottakar's plc is one of the United Kingdom's largest and fastest-growing retail booksellers.
Ottakar's plc →
Defunct · founded 1987 · United Kingdom
Ottakar's plc is one of the United Kingdom's largest and fastest-growing retail booksellers.
Family Christian Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Family Christian Stores, Inc., based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the nation's largest retailer of Christian-themed…
Family Christian Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1994
Family Christian Stores, Inc., based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the nation's largest retailer of Christian-themed…
Indigo Books & Music Inc. →
Active · founded 1997 · Canada
Indigo Books & Music Inc.
Indigo Books & Music Inc. →
Active · founded 1997 · Canada
Indigo Books & Music Inc.
SanomaWSOY Corporation →
Active · founded 1999 · Finland
Finland's SanomaWSOY Corporation leapt onto the broader European media scene with the 2001 acquisition of VNU's…
SanomaWSOY Corporation →
Active · founded 1999 · Finland
Finland's SanomaWSOY Corporation leapt onto the broader European media scene with the 2001 acquisition of VNU's…
Build It Today

Starting a book stores company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.