W. T. Grant Co. - Specimen Stock Certificate

Specimen Stock, Printed by American Bank Note Company. W. T. Grant, also known as Grants, was a chain of mass-merchandise retail stores in the United States, established by William Thomas Grant. The chain operated from 1906 until 1976, primarily featuring variety store formats situated in urban centers. The inaugural "W. T. Grant Co. 25 Cent Store" was launched in Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1906. The combination of modest profits and rapid inventory turnover facilitated the stores' expansion, leading to nearly $100 million in annual sales by 1936, a figure equivalent to approximately $1.73 billion in 2023. This was also the year when William Thomas Grant founded the W. T. Grant Foundation. By the time of Grant's passing in 1972 at the age of 96, the chain had expanded to nearly 1,200 locations. At the conclusion of its operations, the company was headquartered at One Astor Plaza, a notable structure in New York City's Times Square skyline.