History
Old Navy was born in San Francisco in 1969. Donald Fisher was having trouble finding a pair of jeans so he decided to design his own. Thus, the Gap was born! The Gap began with music records and affordable and stylish jeans. This quickly attracted music lovers. The success of the first Gap led Fisher to expand the business and by the mid-70s The Gap was popular in 20 states and had over 200 stores. In 1980, Gap became a publicly traded company. Soon after this Fisher retired, and Millard Drexler took his place. Expansion continued and Banana Republic was purchased.
Of course, not everything was always fine and dandy. There were a few setbacks at times. They owned a sportswear chain called Hemisphere which was quickly sold. Next, they owned Pottery Barn, but this did not do well for them either.
After a successful 20 years, they began the have competition. Drexler’s 1990s rival was Dayton Hudson Corp., who owned Mervyn and Target. Drexler heard rumors about them planning to create a clothing chain which would offer lower pricing than The Gap. This prompted Drexler to conduct market research and analyze his competition. Through this, Old Navy was born.
The first Old Navy store opened in 1994 in California. They held a large media event and some of the hottest celebrities at the time attended including Cindy Crawford! With $120 million in sales and 59 stores, the next store opened in Manhattan in 1995. This same year, Old Navy recorded $420 million in sales and 131 stores. Within 4 years of opening, Old Navy became the first retail brand to generate over $1 billion in sales in 1997.
Now we have Old Navy Cleveland, too!
Weird Facts
- The Company was Designed to Function as a Grocery Store (metal shelving, checkout counters, cement floors… sound familiar?)
- Old Navy loves innovation. In 1995 they opened a coffee shop at their San Francisco location, and they experimented with a kid’s collection in 1997.
- They have two promotional markdown days. If you love a good deal, you should stop in on Monday and Sunday for markdowns on some items.
Sustainability
There are quite a few ways that Old Navy/The Gap is becoming sustainable within the next few years. At the end of 2022, 100% of their cotton is now Better Cotton (verified US-grown or recycled), 100% of their denim will be made with water-saving techniques and all their stores will participate in the hanger recycling program. By the end of 2023 there will be no more plastic bags. By 2025, 85% of the fibers used in their clothing will be more sustainable and 60% of their polyester will be produced from recycled sources.
Who does Old Navy Cleveland provide clothes for?
- Men
- Women
- Maternity
- Athletic Wear
- Kids
- Boys
- Girls
- Toddlers
- Babies
- Tweens
- Plus Sizes
- Jeans
Old Navy is associated with:
- Athleta
- Gap
- Banana Republic
Old Navy Cleveland & Beyond Locations:
- Akron
- Aurora
- Avon
- Beavercreek
- Cincinatti
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Hamilton
- Health
- Hillard
- Holland
- Jeffersonville
- Lancaster
- Liberty Twsp
- Lima
- Mansfield
- Mayfield Heights
- Miamisburg
- Mentor
- Niles
- North Canton
- Parma
- Reynoldsburg
- Sandusky
- Solon
- Stow
- Strongsville
- Sunbury
- Toledo
- Wooster
- Youngstown
Returns
Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic: you have up to 30 days from ship date to return or exchange items by mail. The items must be received within 30 days of the original ship date.
Athleta: you have up to 60 days from ship date to return or exchange items by mail. The items must be received within 60 days of the original ship date.
If you’re ready for more Cleveland Motherhood content, then don’t skip over the blog links below! But before you go, check out my family photography portfolio and get inspired to start to conversation about your child’s milestone session!
Best Playgrounds in Northeast Ohio
Best Places for Ice Cream in Northeast Ohio
Happy 4th Birthday to My Daughter
If you’re a mom in NE Ohio searching for a supportive group that’s filled with support from other location Moms, look no further! Join my Facebook Group called Caffeinated Moms of NE Ohio! (Loving coffee and ice cream is a plus, too, but not required!)
