Shoppers World

What Shoppers World does

Shoppers World (legal entity SW GROUP LLC) is a third-generation, family-owned discount department store chain headquartered in New York City, operating 40 physical retail stores across 11 U.S. states (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maryland, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Texas) with additional presence in Nevada, for a total footprint spanning 12 states. Founded in Baltimore in the 1930s by Sam Dushey Sr. as "The Mart" and rebranded "Shoppers World" in 1972 with its Elizabeth, NJ flagship, the chain is now led by third-generation CEO Sam Dushey, who took over at age 27 and grew the business from 8 to 40 stores with $250 million in annual retail sales as of 2015. The stores sell a full-line department store assortment — apparel for men, women, and children (newborn through plus size), footwear, lingerie, accessories, school and work uniforms (a stated point of differentiation), home furnishings, housewares, linens, home decor, and seasonal merchandise — under an "everyday low pricing" model.

The company has no disclosed proprietary technology platform, no e-commerce site, no mobile application, and no API or SDK. Distribution is exclusively through physical retail storefronts, many of which are former big-box locations vacated by bankrupt or downsizing chains (JCPenney, Kmart, Century 21), with the largest disclosed footprint at 81,675 square feet (Parma, OH JCPenney site). Revenue is generated entirely through one-time point-of-sale transactions at retail; there are no recurring subscriptions, B2B contracts, or institutional revenue streams disclosed. Customer segments are horizontal and consumer-focused: value-conscious lower- and middle-income households and uniform-seeking families. Marketing relies on weekly circulars, organic social (Facebook, Twitter), and earned media, most notably the 2015 CBS Undercover Boss appearance. The company is privately held with no external funding, parent company, or institutional investors disclosed.

Name

Shoppers World

Legal name

SW GROUP LLC

Website

https://shoppersworldusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Discount Department Store Retail

NAICS

Department Stores (455110)

SIC

Retail-Department Stores (5311)

akta.pro primary industry

Off-Price Department Store Chains (Regional) (CRAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Off-Price Fashion & Apparel Department Stores (CRAGAEAB), Off-Price Department Stores (Apparel-Led) (CRAEABAB)

Keywords

• Discount department stores
• Family apparel retail
• School and work uniforms
• Home furnishings retail
• Value retail chain

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices29 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Traditional brick-and-mortar retail revenue from selling apparel, footwear, home furnishings, housewares, linens, and seasonal merchandise across 40 department stores. Customers purchase products at point-of-sale in physical retail locations. Revenue is generated through one-time transaction purchases rather than recurring models.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shoppers World operates 40 discount department stores across 11 U.S. states selling brand-name apparel, footwear, accessories, school and work uniforms, home furnishings, housewares, linens, and seasonal merchandise at everyday low prices. The company serves value-conscious consumers and families through in-store purchases, with no e-commerce channel, and is differentiated by its largest-in-market selection of school and work uniforms and its strategy of acquiring vacated retail spaces from bankrupt national chains.

Product overview

Shoppers World operates 40 discount department stores across New York, New Jersey, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Texas. The single unified retail offering includes apparel for all ages, footwear, accessories, school and work uniforms, home furnishings, housewares, linens, home decor, and seasonal merchandise. The company's business model centers on providing brand-name merchandise at discounted prices, with a mission of 'Always New, Always For Less.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Discount Department Store Retail Full-line discount department store offering casual and dress wear for men, women, and children (newborn to juniors to plus size), shoes, lingerie, accessories, school and work uniforms, home furnishings, housewares, linens, home decor, seasonal holiday merchandise, and toys, sold at everyday low prices in physical retail locations.
• School and Work Uniforms The company's largest-in-market selection of school uniforms for K-12 students and work uniforms for service and professional workers, sold at discount prices within its physical department stores.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Five Below: Extreme-value retailer with over 1,500 stores targeting teen and pre-teen customers with merchandise priced at $5 or less. Overlapping with Shoppers World's value customer base, particularly in apparel and accessories, though with a narrower price-point and assortment focus.

Broad incumbents

• Macy's: Iconic American department store chain with ~500 stores selling apparel, home goods, and accessories. Operates in the same department store category, though full-price with a more upscale positioning; Macy's store closures have historically provided real estate opportunities for Shoppers World.
• Nordstrom Rack: Off-price division of Nordstrom operating ~250 stores selling discounted brand-name and private-label apparel, accessories, and home goods. Comparable in off-price department store model and usage of vacated retail real estate, though with a more upscale brand positioning.
• TJX Companies: Parent of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Sierra, operating over 4,900 off-price stores globally. The dominant incumbent in the off-price retail category, with broader scale and an established treasure-hunt shopping experience that Shoppers World competes against regionally.
• Dollar Tree: Operates Dollar Tree and Family Dollar discount chains with over 8,000 stores selling consumables and seasonal merchandise at extreme value price points. Comparable in value retailing though narrower assortment and smaller formats.

Direct peers

• Big Lots: Discount retailer operating ~1,400 stores offering broad assortment of closeout merchandise including furniture, food, apparel, and household goods. Comparable in discount department store positioning and reliance on buying opportunities from distressed and excess inventory.
• Ross Stores: Operates Ross Dress for Less and dd's DISCOUNTS chains with over 2,000 locations across the U.S., offering off-price apparel, accessories, and home goods. Directly comparable in value-conscious customer targeting and off-price department store model.
• dd's DISCOUNTS: Ross Stores' smaller-format off-price banner targeting lower-income shoppers with an even deeper value assortment. Highly comparable in value-conscious customer focus and discount department store model, particularly in the secondary markets where Shoppers World operates.
• Burlington Stores: National off-price apparel and home retailer operating ~1,000 stores selling brand-name merchandise at discount prices. Closest direct competitor to Shoppers World's discount department store format, with similar real estate strategy of taking over vacated big-box spaces.
• Ollie's Bargain Outlet: Closeout retailer with over 500 stores selling brand-name merchandise at deep discounts across merchandise categories including apparel, housewares, and seasonal goods. Highly comparable in discount department store format and value-seeking customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sworldusa
• Facebookfacebook.com/255109208786
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shoppers-world

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shoppers World