U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 22

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22: PIONEER CHAIN STORE

Profile America — Wednesday, February 22nd.  One of the first chain stores in the U.S. opened its doors on this date in 1879 in Utica, New York.  For generations of Americans, Woolworth's was known simply as the "five and dime."  Inside were wooden floors and display tables stacked with items that sold for up to a dime.  Equally famous was the store's lunch counter, featuring malted milk shakes.  The distinctive red and gold signs were taken down in 1997.  Woolworth's was no longer able to compete with the growing number of discount stores, shopping malls, and food courts.  Today, Americans have a choice of more than 1.1 million places to shop.  Each person in the U.S. spends an average of nearly $12,000 in these stores annually.  Profile America is in its 15th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 139
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1042, 1053

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau