Information AboutBatus |
|
BATUS Inc. is a former subsidiary of British American Tobacco , now the world's second largest Cigarette manufacturer. Beginning in the late 1960s, British American Tobacco followed the then-fashionable theory of diversification, including significant investments in the apparently booming world of retail. Through its BATUS unit (somewhat redundantly, the acronym referred to "British American Tobacco -- US"), the company created BRG, for BATUS Retail Group. Saks Fifth Avenue ; Gimbel's of New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee; J.B. Ivey of Charlotte and Jacksonville (FL); Kohl's ; Frederick & Nelson ; The Crescent of Spokane; and Marshall Field's were all owned by Batus at one point or another. Out of all of them, only two (Saks and Kohls) will still be functional by July 2006. The rest were all either closed down or renamed " Macy's " or " Dillards ". Marshall Field's will be converting to the Macy's nameplate on July, 30th of 2006 (according to the website of the now defunct, May Company). BRG also owned ready-to-wear specialist Thimbles and West coast furniture chain Breuners. Ultimately, BATUS proved unable to withstand increasing competitive pressures, leading it to withdraw from the market completely by 1990 . |
|
|