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Gap, Incorporated (NYSE: GPS) is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California and founded in 1969 by Donald Fisher and Doris Fisher. The Fishers opened their first shop because they had been frustrated with the lack of decent customer service and fashionable styles at other retailers. The name was derived from the growing differences between children and adults — namely "the generation gap" — which reached its peak with the hippie movement. Some of the original mottos of the company were "Levi's for Guys and Gals", and "Fall Into The Gap". Around 1982 , Gap began focusing on its own private label, and by 1991 – 1992 the company had stopped carrying Levi's and other brands altogether.[1] As of October 2006, Gap Inc. had approximately 150,000 employees and operated 3,139 stores worldwide in the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and United Kingdom. Donald Fisher retired as Chairman of the Board in 2004 and was replaced by his son, Robert Fisher. The Fisher family collectively owns 37% of the company stock.[2] The CEO of Gap, Paul Pressler, who previously ran the Disney theme parks resigned on January 22, 2007. Robert Fisher stepped in as the interim CEO while retaining his position as Chairman of the Board. In some Major League Baseball parks, a Gap ad appears on outfield wall panels between left/right-center fields and centerfield, which is commonly termed "the gap". Banana Republic, formerly a catalog retailer selling safari themed clothing, was purchased by the company in 1983, and eventually was rebranded as an upscale clothing retailer in the late 1980s. Old Navy was launched in 1994, as a value chain with a specialty flair. Forth & Towne, the company's fourth traditional retail concept, was launched on August 24, 2005, in the Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York, featuring apparel targeted toward women 35 and older.[3] On February 26, 2007, after an 18-month trial period, Forth & Towne was discontinued, and the 19 stores will be closed. Gap Inc. is expected to take a $40 million pre-tax expenses associated with the closing.[4] A fifth brand, the online footwear retailer Piperlime, was created in 2006. [5] On March 5, 2007 Gap Inc, hired Egon Zehnder International to coordinate the search for a new chief executive officer to replace Paul Pressler. No deadline was given for the search. In 2004 , Gap sold all of its German operations to the Swedish H&M, its main competitor in Europe. - Gap
- Gap Outlet
- GapKids
- babyGap
- GapBody
- GapMaternity
- Love Me Gap
- Love (Gap Accessories)
- Old Navy
- Old Navy Outlet(Will be discontinued by end of 2007 with most stores converting to Old Navy)
- Banana Republic
- Banana Republic Factory Store
- Forth & Towne (Will be discontinued by June 2007)
- Piperlime
- Gap Warehouse (discontinued)
- Brands (discontinued)
- Hemisphere (discontinued)
- Foxtails (discontinued)
- Fashion Pioneers (discontinued)
- Pants %Off (discontinued)
- Pottery Barn (sold to Williams-Sonoma)
- SuperGap (discontinued)
- Tags (discontinued)
- You & You (discontinued)
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