Grafton-Fraser
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Founder | James Beatty Grafton |
| Headquarters | North York, Toronto, Ontario |
|
Number of locations
|
164 (2017) |
|
Area served
|
Canada |
|
Key people
|
Dave McGregor (CEO) |
| Subsidiaries |
Tip Top Tailors George Richards Big and Tall Mr. Big & Tall Kingsport Clothiers |
| Website | graftonfraser |
Grafton-Fraser Inc. is a leading Canadian seller of men's apparel. Grafton-Fraser Inc. operates through its retail chains, Tip Top Tailors, George Richards Big and Tall, Mr. Big & Tall, and Kingsport Clothiers, which are located coast to coast in Canada. The company's leading competitor is Men's Wearhouse's Moores.
In 1853, James Beatty Grafton, son of Irish immigrants, left school at the age of 16 to become an apprentice in the dry goods industry. Moving later that year to Dundas, Ontario, he went into business with Anthony Gregson and opened a dry goods, millinery and clothing shop known as Gregson & Grafton. The company was established later that year, fourteen years before Canadian Confederation. In 1858 Anthony Gregson retired and James Grafton was joined in business by his brother John to form the J.B. & J.S. Grafton Co. In 1884, James John Grafton, the son of James Beatty Grafton joined the company as a full partner and the company was once again renamed to Grafton & Co. In 1889 the store was ready to expand and opened its second branch in Owen Sound, Ontario. Within the next 16 years five more branches opened in southern Ontario in Peterborough, Hamilton, London, Brantford and .
In 1900 Grafton & Co. opened a factory across the street from its original store in Dundas to ensure that all the products they offered were manufactured with their trademark "High Grade".
By the 1960s Grafton & Co. was a well known name in Ontario with eight stores around the province. On July 19, 1967 Grafton & Co. purchased Jack Fraser Stores Limited and became Grafton-Fraser Limited. The middle of the line pricing and well established quality of the clothing offered at both of these stores made for the perfect partnership between the companies.
Jack Fraser had been founded in 1926 by Jack Fraser in Toronto's east-end. The store was quickly established for its superior value to the customer. By the 1950s the chain had 17 stores across south-central Ontario. Jack Fraser offered its selection in the Boys and Menswear departments at Woolco stores, giving it coast to coast exposure, in addition to its own 23 Jack Fraser stores, located principally in shopping centres.
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Wikipedia