Lillian Vernon (company) facts for kids
Lillian Vernon Corporation is a company from America. It sells things for your home, toys for kids, and cool fashion items. You could buy their products from a catalog (like a big shopping book) or from their website. Lillian Vernon herself started the company in 1951. She began it in her apartment in Mount Vernon, New York. The company's name comes from her first name, Lillian, and her hometown, Mount Vernon.
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How Lillian Vernon Started
Lillian Menasche, who later became known as Lillian Vernon, started her business when she was 24 years old. She began by putting ads in Seventeen magazine. These ads offered personalized purses and belts. People really liked these items!
Because of this success, her company, then called Vernon Specialties Company, started focusing on products for young women. They advertised in magazines that many young women read.
The Famous Catalog
In 1956, the company launched the Lillian Vernon Catalog. This catalog became a very popular way for American women to shop. It was like the famous Sears catalog.
The Lillian Vernon catalog came out every month. It usually had about 120 pages. Inside, you could find around 750 different items to buy.
In the 1980s, shopping by catalog and at malls became very popular. Lillian Vernon created special catalogs for different groups of people. This helped them reach more customers. They even made catalogs just for children and for people who loved decorating their homes.
Becoming a Public Company
The Lillian Vernon Corporation was officially formed in 1965. Later, in 1987, it became a public company. This means that anyone could buy shares of the company's stock. It was a big deal because it was the first company started by a woman to be traded on the American Stock Exchange.
Moving Online
In the early 1990s, the internet started to become important for shopping. Lillian Vernon Corporation opened an online store on AOL in 1995. After that, they launched their own online catalog and website.
However, by the late 1990s, the company faced challenges with online sales. This was especially true after the "Dot-com bubble" burst. Lillian Vernon decided to sell her company in 2003 to ZelnickMedia. She kept a special title as a non-executive chairman.
Since then, the company has been owned by different groups. In October 2015, a company called Regent bought Lillian Vernon.
Famous Models
Did you know that some famous Hollywood actors started their careers as models for Lillian Vernon? These include Jason Biggs, Monica Potter, and Marla Maples.
Awards and Honors
Lillian Vernon received many awards during her life. These included the Project Sunshine Award for Philanthropic Leadership. She also got The International Center in New York's Award of Excellence. She was also a board member for Citymeals-on-Wheels, a group that helps deliver meals to people in need.
