Trader Joe’s
Original Headquarters: Monrovia, California
Purchased By: Theo Albrecht
Country: Germany
Convenience stores have always faced tough competition, especially if they are located in densely populated areas. Back in 1967, Joe Coulombe began carrying rare and difficult-to-find delicacies in an attempt to encourage people to buy with him rather than 7-Eleven. It works. That store remains operational today, but Joe sold Trader Joe’s in 1979. Theo Albrecht, the owner of Aldi Nord, became the new owner. Aldi is a large supermarket company, therefore the Albrechts have a lot of money. Theo is reported to be worth more than $16 billion due to his clever investments.
Trader Joe’s
American Apparel
Original Headquarters: Los Angeles, California
Purchased By: Gildan Activewear
Country: Canada
For consumers, one of the most enticing parts of clothing company American Apparel was their tagline, “Made in the USA – Sweatshop free.” This was an excellent brand for the conscious shopper. Everything ran swimmingly for the company until 2015, when it went bankrupt and struggled to get back on track. In 2017, Canadian business Gildan Activewear stepped in to save the day, purchasing both the American Apparel name and the production equipment. It was not inexpensive, costing a total of $88 million. As a result, American Apparel has survived to fight another day, albeit as a Canadian.
American Apparel
