Interstate Department Stores

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Interstate Department Stores, Inc., was an American holding company for a chain of small department stores, founded in Delaware in 1928.^[1] After a very rapid expansion as the result of acquisition and expansion of two discount store chains acquired in 1959^[2] and 1960^[3] and also two toy store chains acquired in 1967 and 1969, the firm was renamed in 1970 as Interstate Stores, Inc., to better reflect its business.^[4] Increased competition and the changes in consumer buying habits eventually led to decreased sales in the late 1960s and early 1970s which forced the firm to file for bankruptcy in 1974. After shedding all of its non-performing units, the firm was able to exit bankruptcy with the entire toy division intact along with a small remnant of the department store division in 1978. The firm was renamed Toys "R" Us upon emergence from bankruptcy.