Boscov's
Boscov's is a privately held American department-store chain with roots in Reading, Pennsylvania, and a broad assortment of apparel, home goods, cosmetics, furnishings, and services.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Boscov's, LLC is an American department-store retailer founded in 1914 by Solomon Boscov in Reading, Pennsylvania. The business began as a small store at Ninth and Pike streets after Boscov, a Russian immigrant, arrived in the United States in 1911 and worked as a traveling salesman. His ability to communicate in both Yiddish and with Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking customers helped him build a local retail business in Berks County. The original store became the foundation of a family-controlled chain that has remained closely associated with southeastern and northeastern Pennsylvania. The company expanded beyond its original Reading location during the 1960s, adding suburban stores in Sinking Spring and Muhlenberg Township. Fires destroyed two early locations in 1967, but both were replaced or rebuilt, demonstrating the company’s willingness to reinvest in its physical stores. By the end of that decade, Boscov’s had five stores, approximately 2,200 employees, and annual sales above $50 million. Solomon Boscov’s son Albert, known as Albie, had succeeded him as company leader in 1960 and guided much of the chain’s long-term expansion. Boscov’s began moving beyond Berks County in 1972 with a store at Lebanon Valley Mall. In 1980, it acquired Fowler, Dick and Walker, including the Boston Store in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. That transaction gave Boscov’s one of its first substantial multi-story department stores. The chain entered Delaware in 1982 through a Dover Mall location and later expanded into the Philadelphia market. Stores initially operating under the Ports of the World name were subsequently converted to the Boscov’s banner during the 1990s. In 1983, the company leased a former Fowler’s building in downtown Binghamton, New York. The five-floor Binghamton store became the chain’s flagship. The retailer continued to add locations through acquisitions and mall openings. In 2002, it opened at the Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, replacing a Strawbridge’s store, while closing the earlier Boscov’s West location in Sinking Spring. A more aggressive expansion phase began after Albert Boscov retired in 2006 and his nephew Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive. Boscov’s added ten stores by 2008, including locations acquired from Federated Department Stores after Federated’s merger with The May Department Stores Company. The timing of that expansion proved difficult. Several newly acquired stores opened shortly before the 2008 economic downturn, placing pressure on the company’s finances. Boscov’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and Albert Boscov returned from retirement to retake control. The restructuring led to the closure of the newly added stores, although two were later reopened. The company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009 and subsequently adopted a more measured expansion strategy focused on roughly one new store per year, renovations, and taking over large spaces formerly occupied by retailers such as JCPenney and Sears. Albert Boscov died of pancreatic cancer in 2017 at age 87. His nephew Jim Boscov subsequently headed the company. Boscov’s has remained unusual among American department-store retailers because it has continued to operate and expand substantial brick-and-mortar stores while many competitors have reduced their physical footprints or exited the sector. The chain reported record sales of $1.2 billion in 2017, according to the referenced Wikipedia account. Later expansion included Providence Place in Providence, Rhode Island, in 2019; Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio, in 2021, after a pandemic-related delay; and the company’s 50th store in Bridgeport, West Virginia, in 2023. A 51st store opened at The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, New York, in October 2025, taking the chain beyond its pre-bankruptcy store count. Boscov’s assortment spans men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing; footwear; cosmetics and fragrances; jewelry; furniture; mattresses; housewares; small appliances; seasonal merchandise; and other general-department-store categories. The company also has a prominent civic and promotional presence. Its Friends Helping Friends fundraising program supports nonprofit organizations, the retailer sponsors the Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, and it co-sponsored Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for more than two decades after Gimbels left the market. The brand’s identity combines regional loyalty, family ownership, broad merchandise selection, community involvement, and continued investment in full-line stores.
History
Solomon Boscov emigrated from Russia to Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1911. He initially worked as a traveling salesman, carrying a small amount of merchandise and serving customers across Berks County. His knowledge of Yiddish and ability to communicate with Pennsylvania Dutch-speaking residents helped him establish relationships in the local market. In 1914, he opened a store at Ninth and Pike streets in Reading, creating the business that became Boscov's. The company remained rooted in the Reading area for decades. Albert Boscov, Solomon's son, took over company leadership in 1960. During the 1960s, Boscov's added suburban locations, including Boscov's West in Sinking Spring in 1962 and Boscov's North at the Reading Fairgrounds in Muhlenberg Township in 1965. Fires destroyed the Reading East and Reading West stores in 1967, but replacement stores were opened. By the end of 1968, Boscov's had five stores, about 2,200 employees, and annual sales exceeding $50 million. Geographic expansion beyond Berks County began in 1972 with the Lebanon Valley Mall store in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. In 1980, Boscov's acquired Fowler, Dick and Walker and the Boston Store in Wilkes-Barre. The transaction added a major multi-story downtown department store to the chain. Boscov's crossed the Pennsylvania border in 1982 when it opened at Dover Mall in Delaware. The company entered the Philadelphia market in the late 1980s through Ports of the World stores, which were later converted to the Boscov's name. In 1983, it leased a former Fowler's building in downtown Binghamton, New York. That five-floor store became the chain's flagship. The retailer continued its mall-based growth. In 2002, it opened at Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing, replacing a Strawbridge's location, and closed Boscov's West in Sinking Spring. Albert Boscov retired in 2006, after which his nephew Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive. Under Lakin, the company pursued rapid expansion and opened ten stores by 2008. Many of the locations came from Federated Department Stores following Federated's merger with The May Department Stores Company. The expansion coincided with the 2008 recession and created significant financial pressure. Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Albert Boscov returned to active control, and the company closed the recently added stores as part of the restructuring, later reopening two of them. Boscov's emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009. Its subsequent strategy emphasized controlled growth, renovations, and the reuse of large department-store spaces vacated by competitors, particularly JCPenney and Sears. Boscov's continued opening stores after the restructuring, including Providence Place in Rhode Island in 2019 and Eastwood Mall in Ohio in 2021. The Eastwood opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bridgeport, West Virginia, store opened in 2023 as the company's 50th location and its first in that state. In October 2025, Boscov's opened its 51st store at The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, New York, exceeding the chain's 2008 store count. Albert Boscov died of pancreatic cancer in 2017 at age 87. Jim Boscov, his nephew, subsequently led the business. Boscov's has been characterized as an outlier among department-store retailers because it has continued to operate large physical stores and expand while many industry competitors have reduced their store bases. Its model combines a broad general-merchandise assortment with regional identity, family ownership, community programs, and investments in existing stores. The company has also maintained a visible civic role. Since the 1970s, Friends Helping Friends has raised funds for nonprofit organizations. Boscov's sponsors the annual Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, which attracts an estimated 40,000 attendees, and it became a sponsor of Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade after Gimbels left the business in 1986. Boscov's remained a co-sponsor for more than twenty years.
- 2025
51st store opens in Rochester
[1]Boscov's opened at The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, exceeding its 2008 store count.
- 2023
50th store opens in West Virginia
[1]The Bridgeport location became Boscov's 50th store and its first in West Virginia.
- 2021
Eastwood Mall opening
[1]The company opened at Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio, after a pandemic-related delay.
- 2019
Providence Place opening
[1]Boscov's opened a store at Providence Place in Providence, Rhode Island.
- 2017
Albert Boscov dies
[1]Albert Boscov died of pancreatic cancer at age 87, and Jim Boscov subsequently headed the company.
- 2009
Emergence from bankruptcy
[1]The company completed its Chapter 11 restructuring and returned to operations under Albert Boscov's control.
- 2008
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing
[1]Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 after rapid expansion collided with the economic downturn.
- 2006
Leadership transition and expansion
[1]Albert Boscov retired and Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive, leading an aggressive expansion.
- 2002
Berkshire Mall store opens
[1]Boscov's opened at Berkshire Mall in Wyomissing and closed its earlier Sinking Spring location.
- 1983
Binghamton flagship established
[1]Boscov's leased a former Fowler's building in downtown Binghamton, New York, creating its flagship store.
Products and positioning
A regional, family-controlled full-line department-store retailer emphasizing broad merchandise selection, value, personal service, community participation, and continued physical-store investment. Boscov's competes through regional recognition and a relatively expansive store format rather than through a narrowly defined luxury or discount proposition.
Apparel
Women's apparel
Boscov's department stores carry a broad selection of women's clothing across everyday, work, occasion, seasonal, and specialty categories. The assortment supports the retailer's full-line positioning and is typically presented alongside footwear, accessories, cosmetics, and jewelry.
Apparel
Men's apparel
Men's merchandise forms a core part of the chain's general department-store assortment. Categories include clothing for work and casual use, occasionwear, outerwear, accessories, and related footwear, allowing Boscov's to serve multiple household shopping needs in one location.
Apparel
Children's apparel
Boscov's offers children's clothing and related accessories as part of its family-oriented merchandise mix. The category complements the adult apparel departments and helps maintain the chain's role as a broad household department store rather than a single-category specialist.
Beauty
Cosmetics and fragrances
Beauty departments include cosmetics, fragrances, and associated personal-care products. These categories are traditional department-store traffic drivers and extend Boscov's offering beyond apparel and home merchandise.
Home
Furniture and mattresses
Boscov's sells furniture, mattresses, and bedding, giving its stores a significant home-furnishings component. These departments make use of the chain's large-format spaces and support higher-consideration household purchases alongside more frequently purchased goods.
Home
Housewares and small appliances
Housewares and small appliances broaden Boscov's home assortment. The category includes practical household goods and equipment and reinforces the retailer's strategy of combining fashion, home, seasonal, and everyday merchandise under one department-store banner.
Marketing campaigns
- 1986Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsorship
Philadelphia · United States
After Gimbels went out of business, WPVI-TV and Boscov's assumed sponsorship of Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Outcome. Boscov's remained a co-sponsor for more than twenty years, strengthening its visibility in the Philadelphia region.
- 1970Friends Helping Friends
United States · Pennsylvania
Boscov's launched Friends Helping Friends during the 1970s as an annual fundraising program benefiting nonprofit organizations. The event connects the retailer's customer base with local civic and charitable groups.
Outcome. The program is reported to raise approximately $1 million per year for nonprofit organizations.
- Boscov's Berks Jazz Fest
Reading · Pennsylvania · United States
Boscov's sponsors the annual Berks Jazz Fest in Reading, linking the brand to one of its historic home markets and to regional cultural programming.
Outcome. The festival draws an estimated 40,000 people to Reading each year.
Brand decisions
2021
Eastwood Mall store openingProduct launchBackground
Boscov's planned to enter the Ohio market, but the opening was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
The company opened at Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio.
Aftermath
The store became part of Boscov's continuing regional expansion and represented a new state for the chain.
2019
Providence Place store openingProduct launchBackground
Boscov's continued its post-bankruptcy expansion into selected large retail properties.
Action taken
The chain opened a store at Providence Place in downtown Providence, Rhode Island.
Aftermath
The opening extended Boscov's footprint into Rhode Island.
2009
Measured post-bankruptcy expansionStrategyBackground
Following its emergence from Chapter 11, Boscov's needed to grow while avoiding the risks associated with its earlier expansion cycle.
Action taken
The company adopted a plan generally centered on opening about one store per year, renovating existing stores, and taking over large spaces vacated by retailers such as JCPenney and Sears.
Aftermath
Boscov's continued to add stores in new markets, including Rhode Island, Ohio, and West Virginia, while maintaining a substantial physical-store network.
2008
Chapter 11 restructuringOtherBackground
Rapid store growth occurred as the American economy entered a severe downturn, creating pressure on the privately held department-store chain.
Action taken
Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Albert Boscov returned to active control, and the company shuttered the newly added stores as part of the restructuring.
Aftermath
Boscov's emerged from bankruptcy in September 2009. Two of the closed stores were later reopened, while the post-bankruptcy strategy emphasized controlled expansion and investment in existing locations.
2006
Pursuit of rapid store expansionStrategyBackground
After Albert Boscov's retirement, Kenneth Lakin became chairman and chief executive. The company pursued an aggressive expansion program and opened ten stores by 2008, including locations obtained from Federated Department Stores.
Action taken
Boscov's added multiple stores shortly before the 2008 economic downturn.
Aftermath
The expansion contributed to financial pressure, leading to a Chapter 11 filing in 2008 and the closure of newly added stores during restructuring.
Recent events
- 2025
Boscov's opens 51st store in Rochester[1]
Product launch
A store opened at The Mall at Greece Ridge in Rochester, New York, taking the chain beyond its 2008 store count.
- 2023
Boscov's opens its 50th store in West Virginia[1]
Product launch
The Bridgeport, West Virginia, location became the chain's 50th store and its first in West Virginia.
- 2021
Boscov's enters Ohio with Eastwood Mall store[1]
Product launch
Boscov's opened at Eastwood Mall in Niles, Ohio, after the planned opening was delayed by approximately one year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 2019
Boscov's opens at Providence Place[1]
Product launch
The chain expanded into downtown Providence, Rhode Island, adding a store at Providence Place.
- 2009
Boscov's emerges from bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
Boscov's completed its Chapter 11 restructuring and resumed operations under a more measured expansion approach.
- 2008
Boscov's files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[1]
Bankruptcy
The retailer sought bankruptcy protection after an aggressive store expansion coincided with the 2008 economic downturn. Newly added stores were closed as part of the restructuring.
Sources1 sources
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