Pay 'n Save

Pay 'n Save was a company founded by M. Lamont Bean in Seattle, Washington in 1941. The company was broken up in 1988 when Thrifty Corporation acquired the company. The split caused most of the company's subsidiaries to be sold to other companies or forced into bankruptcy.

Pay 'n Save is known for putting two of its chains in one shopping center. It was most popular in Washington.

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Subsidiaries

Home Centers

• Ernst Home & Nursery: Filed for bankruptcy in 1996 and called it quits.
• Malmo Nursery: Owned by Ernst, closed in 1996.
• Von Tobels Home Centers: Part of Ernst, closed in 1988.

Sporting Goods

• Sportswest: Sold to Big 5 Sporting Goods. Also operated in Lamonts stores for a little while.
• Sportsland: Sold to Big 5 Sporting Goods. Alaska stores kept for a few years.

Department Stores

• Lamonts: Filed for bankruptcy and acquired by Gottschalks in 1999.^[1]

Membership Stores

• Price Savers Warehouse: Sold to Kroger, then to PACE Wholesale Club^[2], which was sold to Wal-Mart for Sam's Club.
• Bi-Mart: Sold to Thrifty Corporation^[3] in 1988 and sold off to their employees in 2004. Still operating.

Drug & Variety

• Pay 'n Save Drugs: Sold to Thrifty Corporation in 1988, then to PayLess Drugs in 1992^[4], which was sold to Rite Aid in 1996.
• Yard Birds: Became employee-owned. Closed in 1995 due after facing competition from retailers such as Wal-Mart and Fred Meyer.

Auto Supplies

• Schuck's Auto Supply: Part of CSK Auto. Still operating.

Pay N Save

A unrelated chain, Pay N Save, operated in Phoenix, Arizona as a small chain of discount tools and home products. The chain was owned by CSK Auto (which was formerly the Pay 'n Save subsidiary Schuck's Auto Supply) and retained the right to the Pay N Save name. Pay N Save stores liquidated and closed on August 26, 2007.

References