Brody's

Brody's was an upscale fashion merchandise retailer associated with eastern North Carolina and the Brody family. The business developed from a shoe-store operation founded by Hyman J. Brody in Sumter, South Carolina, during the early twentieth century. A later generation expanded the family enterprise into North Carolina: in 1928, Leo Brody moved to Kinston and established Brody Brothers Dry Goods. Leo and six of his brothers subsequently developed the business into a regional retail chain. The company combined the characteristics of a family department store and a specialty fashion retailer. Its stores carried apparel and other fashion merchandise and were positioned toward an upscale customer segment. Rather than becoming a national chain, Brody's concentrated on shopping centers and malls in eastern North Carolina, where its regional identity and family ownership were important parts of its commercial profile. A significant expansion came in 1973, when the family acquired Cohen & Sons Clothing. The acquisition helped Brody's grow to six stores located in six malls. By the time Proffitt's announced its acquisition in 1998, Brody's operated stores at The Plaza and Carolina East Mall in Greenville; Golden East Crossing in Rocky Mount; Vernon Park Mall in Kinston; Berkeley Mall in Goldsboro; and Twin Rivers Mall in New Bern. The six-store portfolio represented approximately 275,000 square feet of retail space. Proffitt's acquired Brody's in 1998, ending the chain's independent operation as a family-owned regional retailer. The former stores were subsequently affected by changes in ownership and retail branding. In 2005, Belk acquired the Greenville, Rocky Mount, Kinston, and Goldsboro locations when Saks sold Proffitt's to Belk. The Golden East location was an exception because the mall already contained a Belk store; it was instead converted to Bed Bath & Beyond and Ross Dress for Less. The Kinston store, which had occupied Vernon Park Mall, became a Proffitt's location after the 1998 transaction and later a Belk store. Brody's retail legacy also continued through the prominence of the Brody family in eastern North Carolina. The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University was named in the family's honor. As a retail brand, however, Brody's is no longer active and has not operated as an independent chain since its acquisition by Proffitt's.

Brody's traces its origins to the retail activities of Hyman J. Brody, who established a shoe store in Sumter, South Carolina, during the early twentieth century. The family business later expanded into North Carolina under Hyman's son Leo Brody. In 1928, Leo relocated to Kinston and founded Brody Brothers Dry Goods, creating the North Carolina operation that became known as Brody's. Leo and six of his brothers participated in the development of the business. The company operated as a family-controlled regional retailer, concentrating on apparel, shoes, and other fashion merchandise. Its stores were intended to serve customers seeking a more upscale department-store experience in the growing shopping centers and malls of eastern North Carolina. The business expanded substantially in 1973 through the acquisition of Cohen & Sons Clothing. Following that transaction and subsequent growth, the family-owned chain reached six stores in six eastern North Carolina malls. Its locations included The Plaza and Carolina East Mall in Greenville, Golden East Crossing in Rocky Mount, Vernon Park Mall in Kinston, Berkeley Mall in Goldsboro, and Twin Rivers Mall in New Bern. Brody's remained a regional rather than national retailer. At the time of its sale, its six stores together occupied roughly 275,000 square feet. On March 6, 1998, Proffitt's announced that it would acquire the North Carolina-based chain. The transaction ended Brody's independent existence as a family-owned retail company and brought its locations into Proffitt's operating portfolio. The former stores later passed through additional retail ownership changes. In 2005, Belk acquired Proffitt's stores in Greenville, Rocky Mount, Kinston, and Goldsboro as part of the sale of Proffitt's by Saks to Belk. The Golden East Crossing location could not become another Belk because the mall already had a Belk store; it instead became a Bed Bath & Beyond and Ross Dress for Less location. The Kinston store was particularly notable because Kinston was the birthplace of the Brody Brothers Dry Goods operation. Its Vernon Park Mall location first became Proffitt's after the 1998 acquisition and later operated as Belk. Although the retail chain disappeared, the Brody family continued to be associated with eastern North Carolina. East Carolina University's medical school was named the Brody School of Medicine in the family's honor. Brody's is now a defunct regional retail brand, with its stores absorbed, renamed, or replaced after the Proffitt's acquisition and later ownership changes.

• 2005

  Several former Brody's stores become Belk locations

  [1]Brody'sen.wikipedia.org

  Belk obtained the former Brody's stores in Greenville, Rocky Mount, Kinston, and Goldsboro through its acquisition of Proffitt's from Saks.

• 1998

  Proffitt's acquires Brody's

  [2]Proffitt's, Inc. Announces Acquisition of North Carolina Based Brody'sbusinesswire.com

  Proffitt's acquired the six-store regional chain, whose locations collectively represented about 275,000 square feet of retail space.

• 1973

  Acquisition of Cohen & Sons Clothing

  [1]Brody'sen.wikipedia.org

  The Brody family acquired Cohen & Sons Clothing, contributing to the chain's expansion across eastern North Carolina.

• 1928

  Leo Brody establishes Brody Brothers Dry Goods in Kinston

  [1]Brody'sen.wikipedia.org

  Leo Brody moved from South Carolina to Kinston, North Carolina, and founded the business that developed into Brody's.

A family-owned regional department-store chain focused on upscale fashion merchandise and serving shoppers in eastern North Carolina.

• Apparel and department-store fashion

  Upscale fashion merchandise

  Brody's was described as an upscale fashion merchandise chain. Its stores centered on clothing and related fashion goods for customers shopping in regional malls and established department-store environments.

• Footwear

  Shoes

  The Brody family retail story began with Hyman J. Brody's shoe store in Sumter, South Carolina. Footwear formed part of the business's early retail identity before the North Carolina operation developed into a broader fashion merchandise chain.

• 2005

  Transfer of former Brody's stores to BelkM&A

  Background

  Saks sold Proffitt's to Belk, bringing several former Brody's locations into Belk's store network.

  Action taken

  Belk acquired the Greenville, Rocky Mount, Kinston, and Goldsboro former Brody's locations. The Golden East location received different replacement tenants because the mall already contained a Belk.

  Aftermath

  Brody's locations were fully absorbed into successor retail brands, and the original chain no longer operated.

  Source

• 1998

  Sale of Brody's to Proffitt'sM&A

  Background

  Brody's had grown into a six-store regional chain serving eastern North Carolina, with approximately 275,000 square feet of combined retail space.

  Action taken

  Proffitt's announced and completed the acquisition of the North Carolina-based Brody's chain.

  Aftermath

  The independent Brody's chain ceased operating as a separate family-owned retailer. Its stores subsequently operated under Proffitt's and later other retail banners.

  Source

1. 1Brody'sen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Proffitt's, Inc. Announces Acquisition of North Carolina Based Brody'sbusinesswire.com