Here is my final installment of companies that have gone out of business, often unbeknownst to me!
Compaq
Oh, I don’t think this bodes well for my dad’s computer! In the Eighties and Nineties, Compaq was one of the largest sellers of personal computers. Then in 2002, Compaq merged with Hewlett-Packard. Compaq was only around for 20 years (1982-2002), but in Computerland, that is like 100 years for a regular business.
Here is another one I didn’t realize wasn’t around anymore. General Foods began in 1895 and in 1985, it was acquired by Philip Morris Companies (now known as Altria Group, Inc.) for $5.6 billion dollars. When Philip Morris acquired Kraft, Inc. in 1988, they combined Kraft with General Foods to become Kraft General Foods (what an original name!). By 1995, they had dropped the “General Foods” part of the title, but the General Foods International name is still used for a coffee-based beverage.
MCI/WorldCom
I really should pay better attention to the business section of the paper! In 2002, accounting fraud was discovered at MCI/WorldCom and the company claimed bankruptcy, changing its name back to MCI. Verizon purchased MCI in 2006 and what is left of the original company is called Verizon Business.
American Motors Corporation (AMC)
What? The company that brought us the Pacer AND the Gremlin is no longer around? Gasp! AMC was founded in 1954, but by the late Seventies, they had to recall products and stopped paying investors their dividends. Not able to secure a loan with anyone, Renault came to the rescue and all the AMC models were renamed to Renault or Jeep. Renault sold what was left of AMC to Chrysler in 1987 and it became the Jeep-Eagle division.
F.W. Woolworth Company
Yes, I remember when Woolworth official went out of business, but I applied for my first job there (didn’t get it), so I still have a soft spot for it in my heart. When I was a teen, our mall had a Woolworth and it was such a fun store. Woolworth started in 1879 as the original five-and-dime store (yes, you really could buy stuff for a nickel or a dime). It eventually acquired Kinney Shoes, Champs Sports, and Foot Locker, but the expansion caused problems. In 1997, the last Woolworth closed and the company is now known by the Foot Locker name.