King's Department Stores Youth Hoodie / Sweatshirt
For young collectors curious about the past, this King's youth sweatshirt connects everyday wear with the history of regional department stores. King's began in Brockton, Massachusetts, in 1956 and expanded across the East through acquisitions, reaching 187 stores. The company's proposed merger with W.R. Grace was called off in June 1978; financial strain later led to bankruptcy in 1982. Ames purchased King's in 1984 and converted most locations. It is a wearable way to remember how local retail names grow, change, and pass into history.
King's Department Stores was an Eastern United States discount-store chain that began in Brockton, Massachusetts, in 1956. The business expanded to 187 stores, including three in the Buffalo, New York, area. Its growth included acquisitions of other retail chains: Miracle Mart in 1968, Sandy's Discount Stores in 1966, Welles in 1973, and Barker's Discount Department Stores in 1980. The supplied article gives two dates for its purchase of Mammoth Mart: its narrative says 1978, while its acquisition list says 1977. In 1978, King's also proposed a merger with W.R. Grace, which was projected to add $325 million in sales revenue to Grace. The merger was called off in June that year. Economic downturn and debt associated with the Mammoth purchase preceded King's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 1982. In 1984, Ames Department Stores purchased the chain and converted most King's locations into Ames stores. Ames later went out of business in 2002. King's history connects regional discount retail growth, acquisitions, financial strain, bankruptcy, and the conversion of stores under a successor company.
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Width, in | 16.93 | 18.11 | 18.90 | 20.08 |
| Length, in | 21.26 | 22.44 | 24.02 | 25.59 |
| Sleeve length (from center back), in | 26.50 | 27.76 | 30.24 | 32.99 |
| Size tolerance, in | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Product features
- 50/50 cotton-poly midweight fleece (8 oz/yd²) — durable, smooth fabric for lasting prints
- Twill necktape and sewn-in label for added comfort and stability
- Kangaroo pouch pocket for warmth and convenient storage
- Embroidery available on left or center chest; DTF wrist prints with DTG body printing
- Meets children’s safety and compliance standards; runs true to size
Care instructions
- Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F)
- Bleach as needed
- Tumble dry: medium heat
- Do not dry clean
- Do not iron
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Gildan 18500B, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Warnings, Hazard: For children, Made in Honduras
Care instructions: Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F), Bleach as needed, Tumble dry: medium heat, Do not iron, Do not dry clean