Skip to product information
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Keep your cards alongside a Columbus retail legacy with this Big Bear Stores metal business card holder. Established in 1933, Big Bear grew from its first West Lane Avenue grocery near Ohio State into a familiar name across Ohio and West Virginia. Its story includes early shopping carts, Harts Stores, private-label favorites, Big Bear Plus, and the Wild Card era. A fitting desk accessory for regional-history collectors and former grocery professionals.
Big Bear Stores was a regional American supermarket chain founded by Wayne E. Brown in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1933. Its first store opened on West Lane Avenue on February 15, 1934, beside Ohio State University, helping mark the start of self-service supermarketing in the Midwest. The company expanded through Columbus and other Ohio cities, later operating across Ohio and West Virginia. Big Bear introduced shopping carts in 1937, used cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts, and adopted the IBM 305 RAMAC mainframe in the 1950s. In 1954 it acquired Harts Stores, a department-store business that often operated beside Big Bear groceries. Big Bear also used Food Club, Valu Time, and Betty Brown private-brand products. After a 1976 leveraged buyout, the company returned to public ownership in 1983. Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear in April 1989. Big Bear Plus, a food-and-general-merchandise format begun in 1988, gradually replaced Harts locations in the early 1990s. Penn Traffic's 2004 bankruptcy led to the closure of all remaining Big Bear Stores.
Big Bear Stores Metal Business Card Holder
$24.99
Sale price
$24.99
Regular price
Keep your cards alongside a Columbus retail legacy with this Big Bear Stores metal business card holder. Established in 1933, Big Bear grew from its first West Lane Avenue grocery near Ohio State into a familiar name across Ohio and West Virginia. Its story includes early shopping carts, Harts Stores, private-label favorites, Big Bear Plus, and the Wild Card era. A fitting desk accessory for regional-history collectors and former grocery professionals.
Big Bear Stores was a regional American supermarket chain founded by Wayne E. Brown in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1933. Its first store opened on West Lane Avenue on February 15, 1934, beside Ohio State University, helping mark the start of self-service supermarketing in the Midwest. The company expanded through Columbus and other Ohio cities, later operating across Ohio and West Virginia. Big Bear introduced shopping carts in 1937, used cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts, and adopted the IBM 305 RAMAC mainframe in the 1950s. In 1954 it acquired Harts Stores, a department-store business that often operated beside Big Bear groceries. Big Bear also used Food Club, Valu Time, and Betty Brown private-brand products. After a 1976 leveraged buyout, the company returned to public ownership in 1983. Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear in April 1989. Big Bear Plus, a food-and-general-merchandise format begun in 1988, gradually replaced Harts locations in the early 1990s. Penn Traffic's 2004 bankruptcy led to the closure of all remaining Big Bear Stores.
| One size | |
| Width, in | 3.67 |
| Height, in | 2.35 |
| Depth, in | 0.36 |
Product features
- Holds up to 20 standard 3.5" x 2.0" business cards
- Glossy metallic, polished exterior finish
- Velvet-like interior base for card protection
- Comfortable, pocket-friendly design
- Friction snap closure for secure storage
Care instructions
- Wipe the dust or any dirt off gently with a clean, dry cloth.