Credit: (©CORBIS/Bettmann) Donated by Corbis-Bettmann
In the mid-1880s, Fred Kirby opened his first a five and ten cent store with partner Sum Woolworth in Wilkes-Barre, PA. In 1887, Kirby bought out Woolworth's interest and used Wilkes Barre as his base for a company that by 1912 included 95 other retail stores. In 1912 F. M. Kirby and Co. merged with F. W. Woolworth to form one of the nation's leading retailers.
