William Wrigley, Jr. facts for kids
William Wrigley Jr. (born September 30, 1861 – died January 26, 1932) was an American businessman. He is best known as the person who started the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. This company makes many popular kinds of chewing gum.
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Who Was William Wrigley Jr.?
William Wrigley Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When he was young, he worked for his father, who made soap. He learned a lot about selling things and how to run a business. This experience helped him later when he started his own company.
Starting the Gum Business
In 1891, William Wrigley Jr. moved to Chicago, Illinois. He started by selling soap and baking powder. To get more people to buy his products, he offered free chewing gum as a gift. He soon noticed that people were more interested in the chewing gum than the soap or baking powder!
Because of this, he decided to focus on making and selling chewing gum. In 1892, he officially started the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. He was very good at advertising and making sure his gum was known everywhere.
Wrigley's Famous Chewing Gum
Wrigley's company became very successful. They made popular gum brands like Spearmint, Juicy Fruit, and Doublemint. William Wrigley Jr. believed in good advertising. He used many ways to tell people about his gum, like billboards, newspapers, and even radio. His goal was to make sure everyone knew about Wrigley's gum.
Beyond Gum: Other Interests
Besides his gum business, William Wrigley Jr. had other interests. He bought Catalina Island in California in 1919. He wanted to develop it into a fun place for people to visit. He also owned the Chicago Cubs baseball team for many years. He helped build Wrigley Field, the famous baseball stadium in Chicago.
Wrigley's Legacy
William Wrigley Jr. passed away in 1932. He left behind a huge company that is still famous for its chewing gum today. His ideas about business and advertising changed how many companies worked. He is remembered as a very important person in American business history.
Images for kids
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July 4th ad in 1920 for Wrigley's chewing gum in The Saturday Evening Post
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William Wrigley Jr. on the cover of Time magazine in 1929.
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The Wrigley Mansion in Phoenix, Arizona. It was built between 1929 and 1931.
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The former Wrigley Mansion in Pasadena, California. It is now the headquarters for the Rose Parade.
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Wrigley's steamship, the Catalina, leaving the Los Angeles docks in 1924.
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The Wrigley Lofts building in Toronto, Canada. It used to be a Wrigley factory.
See also
In Spanish: William Wrigley Jr. para niños
