Kuhn's-Big K

Kuhn's-Big K, (typically signed as simply Big K) was a large discount store chain in the Southeastern United States that merged with Walmart in 1981[1] The store is entirely unrelated to, and preceded, Big Kmart

Not to be confused with Big Kmart.
Kuhn's-Big K
FateMerged with Walmart
SuccessorWalmart
Founded1913 (as Kuhn Brothers)
1962 (as Big K)
Defunct1981
HeadquartersColumbia, Tennessee
Number of locations
18 (1969)
21 (1970)
105 (1977)
SubsidiariesBig K-Edward's

History

Kuhn's-Big K began in 1913, as a chain of variety stores called Kuhn Brothers, founded in Columbia, Tennessee. The first Kuhn's-Big K was opened in 1962, and by 1969 operated 35 variety stores and 18 Big K discount department stores. That same year, the company was officially renamed to Kuhn's - Big K Stores Corporation.[2] In March 1970, the company announced plans to go public with 400,000 shares, then operating 21 Big K stores and 34 Kuhn's Variety Stores.[3] The company later went public in April 1971, with 512,000 shares of common stock.[4]

Kuhn's Big K began an expansion push in the early 1970s, and by August 1971 had a total of 17 stores in varying stages of development.[5] The company at this time began to open larger and larger stores, the biggest at the time being a planned 76,000 sq ft location in Nashville, Tennessee.[5] The company had a total of 30 Big K stores and 32 Kuhn's Variety Stores, when they bought out the lease of a Sky City store in Greeneville, Tennessee in January 1972.[6] Big K expanded into South Carolina with the purchase of competing discount chain Edward's in September 1977, adding 33 stores, operated as subsidiary Big K-Edwards, to the then 105 stores.[7][8]

In June 1981, Kuhn's-Big K, then described as "financially struggling" by The New York Times, agreed to a merger with competitor Walmart in a deal valued at $13 million. The merger followed another attempted merger with Walmart in 1980, which collapsed due to store lease complications.[1]

References
  1. "Kuhn's Big K Stores Plans Wal-Mart Tie". New York Times. June 23, 1981.
  2. "Kuhn Brothers Name Changed To Big K". Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle. July 2, 1969. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  3. "Big K Plans Stock Offering". The Nashville Tennessean. March 27, 1970. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  4. "The first public offering..." The Boston Globe. April 3, 1971. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  5. "Big K Planning 7 New Outlets". The Nashville Tennessean. August 20, 1971. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  6. "Big K obtains Greene firm's lease". Johnson City Press Chronicle. January 8, 1972. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  7. "ACQUISITIONS". The Atlanta Journal & The Atlanta Constitution. September 5, 1977. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  8. "33-Store S. Carolina Chain Acquired by Kuhn's-Big K". The Tennessean. September 2, 1977. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
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