Ben Franklin Stores Passport Cover
3.9" x 5.8" / Black
$28.99
Product Details & Size Guide
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Carry a piece of American retail history on your next journey with this Ben Franklin Stores passport cover. The name began its chain story in 1927, growing from Butler Brothers, a Boston wholesaler founded in 1877. A franchise model helped locally owned stores spread nationwide, with the chain eventually reaching 2,500 locations. Its path from variety shops to family centers and continuing independent stores makes this a fitting travel companion for collectors who remember the places that shaped everyday shopping.
Ben Franklin Stores grew from Butler Brothers, a Boston mail-order wholesaler founded in 1877 that supplied general and variety-store goods. As variety stores expanded, Butler Brothers established the Ben Franklin chain in 1927, using a franchise model in which independent proprietors owned individual stores. The chain was sold in 1959 and eventually reached a peak of 2,500 stores nationwide. In the early 1970s, Ben Franklin purchased Dallas-based Texas retailer Duke & Ayres, whose five-and-ten-cent stores had operated in the state from about 1910. Some 1970s locations became larger Ben Franklin Family Centers, while others used the B&C Family Center name. After beginning to open company-owned stores in the early 1990s, financial difficulties disrupted supply to franchisees; those stores closed in 1996–1997. Ben Franklin acquired the V&S Variety Store chain in 1995. Promotions Unlimited acquired the Ben Franklin name in 1997 and continued supplying and promoting franchisees. It filed for bankruptcy in 2017, but some independently operated stores continue under the name. The company’s retail history also connects it with the early careers of Sam Walton and Michael J. Dupey, and with the roots of Dollar Tree.
Carry a piece of American retail history on your next journey with this Ben Franklin Stores passport cover. The name began its chain story in 1927, growing from Butler Brothers, a Boston wholesaler founded in 1877. A franchise model helped locally owned stores spread nationwide, with the chain eventually reaching 2,500 locations. Its path from variety shops to family centers and continuing independent stores makes this a fitting travel companion for collectors who remember the places that shaped everyday shopping.
Ben Franklin Stores grew from Butler Brothers, a Boston mail-order wholesaler founded in 1877 that supplied general and variety-store goods. As variety stores expanded, Butler Brothers established the Ben Franklin chain in 1927, using a franchise model in which independent proprietors owned individual stores. The chain was sold in 1959 and eventually reached a peak of 2,500 stores nationwide. In the early 1970s, Ben Franklin purchased Dallas-based Texas retailer Duke & Ayres, whose five-and-ten-cent stores had operated in the state from about 1910. Some 1970s locations became larger Ben Franklin Family Centers, while others used the B&C Family Center name. After beginning to open company-owned stores in the early 1990s, financial difficulties disrupted supply to franchisees; those stores closed in 1996–1997. Ben Franklin acquired the V&S Variety Store chain in 1995. Promotions Unlimited acquired the Ben Franklin name in 1997 and continued supplying and promoting franchisees. It filed for bankruptcy in 2017, but some independently operated stores continue under the name. The company’s retail history also connects it with the early careers of Sam Walton and Michael J. Dupey, and with the roots of Dollar Tree.
| 3.9" x 5.8" | |
| Height, in | 5.79 |
| Width (Closed), in | 3.94 |
| Width (Open), in | 8.03 |
| Depth, in | 0.39 |
Product features
- Two card slots plus pockets for boarding passes or IDs
- Cruelty-free black PU faux leather exterior
- RFID-blocking lining to protect against skimming
- One-size fits most passports (3.9″ × 5.8″)
- Vibrant front-cover print with potential edge fading on darker solids
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland
Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth