J.W. Mays

J.W. Mays, Inc. is a real estate company based in Brooklyn, New York, whose corporate history is closely associated with the former Mays discount department-store chain. The retail business began in 1924 as a women's clothing store established by Joe Weinstein, a Jewish immigrant from Galicia. Weinstein later incorporated the enterprise in 1929 and adopted the J.W. Mays name, using his initials. The first store associated with the incorporated company opened at 510 Fulton Street in Brooklyn in September 1929. Mays expanded during the 1950s and 1960s as a regional discount retailer serving the New York City area and nearby parts of Long Island and Putnam County. Its stores sold general merchandise and clothing and competed with other discount chains, including Ohrbach's and Alexander's, as well as with more traditional department stores. The chain cultivated a recognizable local identity through its recurring slogan, "Every day's a sale day at Mays!", which appeared on shopping bags and boxes. Mondays were promoted as special sales days and could draw particularly large crowds. The company reached its retail peak in the early 1970s, when it operated nine stores and employed approximately 5,000 people. Its locations covered three of New York City's five boroughs, Long Island, and Putnam County. The company was controlled and led for much of this period by Weinstein, who pursued an aggressive competitive strategy and at one point discussed a possible combination with two major discount rivals. That merger did not occur. By the late 1970s, Mays was losing market share to competing discount retailers. The company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1982 and subsequently reduced its store network, closing five locations outside New York City. The remaining chain consisted of one Manhattan store, two Queens stores, and the original Brooklyn store. In 1987, one of the two Glen Oaks, Queens, locations was closed. On December 28, 1988, the company announced the immediate closure of its final three stores, with liquidation sales ending on December 31. The retail operation therefore disappeared at the end of 1988. Beginning January 1, 1989, J.W. Mays, Inc. was reincorporated or reorganized as a real estate company. The post-retail business used real estate previously occupied by the stores, marking a strategic transition from regional department-store operation to property ownership and management. The company is consequently best understood today as a real estate corporate brand with a notable historical retail identity rather than as an active department-store chain.

J.W. Mays traces its origins to a women's clothing store opened in Brooklyn in 1924 by Joe Weinstein, a Polish Jewish immigrant from Galicia. Weinstein incorporated the business in 1929 and attached his initials to the corporate name. The first location under the incorporated enterprise opened at 510 Fulton Street in Brooklyn in September of that year. The name Mays was reportedly selected because Weinstein associated it with rural scenery, flowers, and spring. During the 1950s and 1960s, the company developed from a local clothing retailer into a regional discount department-store chain. It expanded across the New York City area, Long Island, and Putnam County, competing with discount operators such as Ohrbach's and Alexander's while also drawing customers away from higher-priced department stores. The brand emphasized promotional pricing and a high-frequency sales culture. Its slogan, "Every day's a sale day at Mays!", was printed prominently on its white paper shopping bags and white cardboard boxes. Monday super-sales became a particularly visible part of the retail calendar. Mays reached its largest scale in the early 1970s. The chain had nine stores and approximately 5,000 employees, with locations in three New York City boroughs as well as surrounding suburban markets. Weinstein took an assertive approach to competition and reportedly explored a merger with two leading discount competitors, but the proposed combination was never completed. The competitive environment changed in the late 1970s. Mays began to lose market share to other discount retailers and entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1982. The restructuring involved substantial contraction: five stores outside the city were closed, leaving one location in Manhattan, two in Queens, and the original Brooklyn store. In 1987, one of the two stores in Glen Oaks, Queens, also closed. On December 28, 1988, the company announced that its three remaining stores would close immediately. The final liquidation sales concluded on December 31, ending more than five decades of Mays retail operations. From January 1, 1989, J.W. Mays, Inc. was reincorporated or reorganized as a real estate company. Its subsequent identity was tied to property formerly occupied by the retail stores, making the company a surviving real estate enterprise after the disappearance of the Mays department-store chain.

• 1989

  Company becomes a real estate business

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  Beginning January 1, J.W. Mays, Inc. operated as a real estate company using former store-related property.

• 1988

  Retail chain closes

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  The final three stores were announced for immediate closure on December 28, with final sales ending December 31.

• 1987

  Glen Oaks store closes

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  The chain closed one of its two stores in Glen Oaks, Queens.

• 1982

  Chapter 11 bankruptcy

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  Mays entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection amid declining market share and competitive pressure.

• 1970

  Retail chain reaches peak scale

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  During the early 1970s, Mays operated nine stores and employed approximately 5,000 people.

• 1929

  Business incorporated under the J.W. Mays name

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  Weinstein incorporated the company and used his initials in the corporate name.

• 1929

  First incorporated-store location opens

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  The first location associated with the incorporated company opened at 510 Fulton Street in Brooklyn in September.

• 1924

  Brooklyn clothing store founded

  [1]J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org

  Joe Weinstein founded the business as a women's clothing store in Brooklyn, New York.

Historically, Mays positioned itself as a value-oriented regional department-store chain offering frequent promotions and broad merchandise selection to customers in the New York City area. In its post-1988 form, J.W. Mays is positioned as a real estate company rather than a consumer retail chain.

• Discount department stores · 1924

  Mays department stores

  Mays was the company's principal consumer-facing business from 1924 through 1988. It evolved from a Brooklyn women's clothing store into a regional discount department-store chain serving New York City, Long Island, and Putnam County. The stores offered clothing and general merchandise and competed through frequent sales and promotional pricing. At its height in the early 1970s, the chain had nine locations and about 5,000 employees.

• Commercial real estate · 1989

  J.W. Mays real estate operations

  After the department-store business ended in 1988, J.W. Mays, Inc. became a real estate company. The continuing enterprise was associated with property previously occupied by its stores. Specific current properties, tenants, and service lines are not detailed in the supplied reference material.

• 1950Every day's a sale day at Mays!

  New York City area · Long Island · Putnam County

  Mays used the slogan "Every day's a sale day at Mays!" as a recurring retail identity. It appeared prominently on the chain's white paper shopping bags and white cardboard boxes, reinforcing the brand's discount positioning and emphasis on continual promotions.

  Outcome. The slogan became a recognizable part of the chain's local retail presentation during its expansion period.

  Source
• 1950Monday super-sales

  New York City area

  Mays promoted Mondays as special super-sales days. The promotion helped organize the store's discount calendar and was associated with especially heavy customer traffic.

  Outcome. Monday promotions became a notable feature of the chain's retail routine, although the supplied source does not provide quantified results.

  Source

• 1989

  Transition to real estateStrategy

  Background

  Following the end of the department-store operation, the company retained real estate associated with its former stores.

  Action taken

  Beginning January 1, J.W. Mays, Inc. was reincorporated as a real estate company.

  Aftermath

  The corporate entity continued under a real estate-oriented business model rather than as a retailer.

  Source

• 1988

  Exit department-store retailingStrategy

  Background

  After years of contraction, only three Mays stores remained when the company announced their closure on December 28, 1988.

  Action taken

  The remaining stores closed immediately, with final liquidation sales ending on December 31.

  Aftermath

  The Mays retail chain ended at the close of 1988.

  Source

• 1982

  Seek Chapter 11 protectionStrategy

  Background

  Mays was losing market share in a more competitive discount-retailing environment by the late 1970s and entered Chapter 11 in 1982.

  Action taken

  The company used bankruptcy protection while reducing its retail footprint, including the closure of five stores outside New York City.

  Aftermath

  The chain was reduced to four stores: one in Manhattan, two in Queens, and the original Brooklyn location.

  Source

• 2026.10.22

  Reported2026.10.23

  J. W. Mays posts quarterly earnings results[2]J. W. Mays公布季度业绩themarketsdaily.com

  J. W. Mays posted quarterly earnings results on Thursday, reporting earnings per share of ($0.17) and revenue of $5.32 million for the quarter.

  Weekdays and relative dates follow the original report; their exact calendar dates have not been verified.

Read more

1. 1J.W. Maysen.wikipedia.org
2. 2J. W. Mays公布季度业绩themarketsdaily.com
3. 3J. W. Mays (NASDAQ:MAYS) Releases Quarterly Earnings Resultsdailypolitical.com