Whether you’re a regular shopper or you don’t like to get out much, chances are you’re still familiar with some of modern day’s booming retail, both clothing-and-food-oriented. Here are 8 stores that are dedicated to their Christian faith (and facts about the stores you may not know, too).
Forever 21 was established in April of 1984 by Do Won Chang, seemingly with numerous long-term blueprints and aspirations but definitely with heart. It’s certainly a rags-to-riches story. Click here for a personal interview with CNN and Do Won Chang where he briefly discusses how this entire project commenced.
One of the most recent goals was opening up 600 stores as an eight-billion-dollar company within three years (by 2017). It will be a major milestone for the brand when they fulfill this dream, especially when it took 30 years to make the initial headway. Ringing up $700,000 in sales its first year in business, Forever 21 is now the 5th largest specialty retailer in the U.S. There are many reasons the brand is memorable, including the vintage, edgy, and retro styles for both males and females, but an undeniable trademark is the size of each store. An average Forever 21 store/building is about 38,000 square feet, while the largest of the stores is a whopping 162,000 square feet. Clothes. For. Days.
If you’ve ever bought an item from Forever 21, you already know a vast number of items — jewelry and graphic tees alike — model the powerful symbol of Christ: the cross. You would also recognize the bag in which your purchased items are stowed immediately. Yellow and black, simple yet vibrant. But have you ever noticed what’s printed on the bottoms of them? John 3:16 is proudly displayed. It may be discrete, but it’s still a declaration. When The Guardian’s Eva Wiseman sat down for an interview with the Changs, she learned that Mr. and Mrs. Chang are born-again Christians who attend church every morning at 5am. Mr. Chang, devout to his faith, even keeps a Bible on his desk at work for immediate retrieval. Wiseman questioned the founders about whether customers would receive the religious tilt, to which Linda Chang, their daughter, confidently claimed, “There is no religious tilt. The faith of the founders is separate to the brand – the bag is simply a statement of faith.” And that statement will forever be embossed in people’s wardrobes.
Fun Fact: There is a customer from Toronto who decided to name her daughter Tiev Forever Golding after the store because she almost gave birth at one of the locations. Little Golding’s first name will officially become “Forever” once her passport expires and they can change it.
Much like Tyson Foods, Little Debbie got its start during the Great Depression when O.D. Mckee went around and sold 5-cent cake snacks (the original Oatmeal Creme Pie) to people from the trunk of his car. Struggling to get by, he and his new wife, Ruth, bought a quaint bakery that was failing by using their car as collateral. They even hung a sheet up at the back of the store to create a homey space. Facing countless obstacles at first, the couple reached a breakthrough in 1960 when family-packs were placed on the market. These were named after their granddaughter, Debbie, birthing the well known and loved tag of “Little Debbie.” Profit was finally rolling in.
In due time, O.D. and Ruth allowed their sons, Ellsworth and Jack, to assume leadership roles. Today, the two sons’ own children bear leadership positions and are now introducing the 4th generation of Mckees to the family business, which is still breaking molds. Offering more than 75 varieties of snacks, Little Debbie provides outstanding products at a less expensive price. All 50 states have the privilege of obtaining these glorious snacks as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and global U.S. military bases.
“The McKee family acknowledges the providence of God in our continued success” is a sentence found in the Family Statement given by the company, and their conviction and belief in keeping the Seventh Day holy are evident in their NASCAR days. Agreeing to sponsor racecars, Little Debbie had a very serious stipulation: on Saturdays, the name of the company had to be covered in recognition of the Seventh Day Adventist Sabbath. While a portion of Adventists does not see eye-to-eye with all Christian values, contrasting them greatly from Christ-followers, an innumerable amount is considered to be believers of the same faith.
Chick-fil-A didn’t start out with its current name. In 1946, Truett Cathy opened up shop in the suburbs of Hapeville in Atlanta, Georgia. It was originally called the Dwarf Grill, later retitled Dwarf HouseⓇ. Everyone’s favorite item, the Original Chicken Sandwich, made its debut in 1964 when Cathy finally landed on the perfect recipe: a chicken sandwich with two pickles on a toasted butter bun. Corporate headquarters for the chain restaurant was later planted right outside of downtown Atlanta in 1984 but was later changed to a Support Center.
North Druid Hills Road in Atlanta hit the jackpot when the first stand-alone Chick-fil-A store appeared on its street in 1986. In 1995, the Holstein cows made their introduction at the commencement of campaign advertising, urging humans to “Eat Mor Chikin.” Does a Peach Bowl include lots of peaches? Nope! It’s just an important football game that Chick-fil-A began sponsoring in 1996. Securing the family business, in 2006, the company flew past the $2 billion mark in sales. After accomplishing much in his career and sharing his life with his family and the community, Truett Cathy passed away in 2014 at the age of 93.
All over the United States, people make jokes that Chick-fil-A is “God’s chicken” because of its attachment to the Christian faith. Though only instrumental, Christian music can be heard in all of the stores amidst the echoes of “My pleasure.” To dedicated chicken-eaters’ dismay, every store is closed on Sundays to give employees a day of rest and the chance to worship if they seek to do so. This decision to lock the doors backs up the corporate purpose of the brand: “To glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with Chick-fil-A.” Cathy once said, “I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return.” To learn more about teaming up with Chick-fil-A to give back, click here or here.
Fun Fact: Coming in at three stories and 5,000 square feet, New York City houses the largest Chick-fil-A restaurant which was created with the busy lifestyle of residents in mind.
Fun Fact: Chick-fil-A has come to be known as “the Lord’s chicken” and “the Lord’s restaurant.”
California was graced with its first-ever hamburger stand in 1948 in the form of a 10-square-foot drive-thru called In-N-Out Burger. It was opened by Harry Snyder at the intersection of Francisquito and Garvey Avenues in Baldwin Park. Every day, before sundown, Snyder would make his way to the meat and produce markets to find fresh ingredients, which he put together by hand. His wife, Esther, took care of the bookkeeping of their restaurant from home. At night, Snyder spent his time inventing the speaker box that is still used today because he wanted his customers to be able to stay in their cars. In-N-Out’s sign received a facelift in 1954 when it was transformed into an arrow pointing to the restaurant with the name underneath. Associates began saying, “The arrow points to pride” and “We all work under the same arrow.”
The year 1958 brought about a change from bottled drinks to fountain drinks, and 1961 brought about the “Animal Style” burger at the request of customers. Patty-making facilities have been popping up since 1963 to meet demands, too. Harry Snyder passed away in 1976. During his lifetime, he led In-N-Out Burger through several momentous achievements, including the 25th anniversary of In-N-Out Burger in 1973, the first cookout event in 1974, and the adding of milkshakes to the menu in 1975. 1979 saw In-N-Out’s first dining restaurant become established. As of 2015, the 300th store was opened in Anaheim, California, and only five states currently enjoy the restaurant’s menu: CA, NV, AZ, UT, and TX. For more detailed milestones, click here for the timeline!
In comparison to Cook Out and Forever 21, In-N-Out Burger prints Bible verses all over the merchandise, wrappers and cups alike. Customers will find Proverbs 3:6, John 3:16, John 14:6, Nahum 1:7, and Revelation 3:20 intertwined in their dining experience. The company has stayed pretty hush-hush about the scriptures, but New York Daily Mail stated that Harry Snyder’s son, Rich, decided to incorporate them in 1987 which USA Today explained was apparently “just something [he] wanted to do.” Nevertheless, the family chose to honor his decision, so the verses continue to appear on the products.
Fun Fact: In-N-Out Burger has a foundation that is thoroughly dedicated to assisting children who have suffered from child abuse, hoping to keep others out of the same situation. To learn more about this cause or partner up with the foundation, click here.
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