It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.
Though Siegel failed in his endeavor, the remnants of the chain were merged with John Claflin's stores H.B.
However, ADG was most well known for its upscale New York City based Lord & Taylor division, with over 84 locations across the country.
In the early and mid-1980s ADG attempted to rationalize its department stores, focusing on high-growth areas.
In 1984, Stix Baer & Fuller (12 locations) in St. Louis, Missouri was sold to Dillard Department Stores.
The Powers Dry Goods Company (9 locations) in Minneapolis, Minnesota were sold to Allied Stores' The Donaldson Co. in 1985.
In early 1986, they merged the Louisville-based Stewart Dry Goods division into its Indianapolis-based L. S. Ayres & Co. operations.
After 1986, May converted or merged most of the former ADG department stores into its own divisions with the exception of the upscale Lord & Taylor, which was a long-time fashion leader and considered the “crown jewel” of Associated.
After the 1986 May/ADG merger, it was largely shutdown and sold-off and the remaining units were absorbed by May D&F (May Daniels & Fischer) in 1987.
After May was bought by Federated, it was announced that most Foley's stores (including the former Denver Dry Goods/May D&F locations) would either be converted to Macy's or sold.
ADG sold this division in 1983 to Stone & Thomas due to limited growth potential.
After the May/ADG merger, its former branch locations were swiftly shuttered or sold to Hess's and JCPenney in 1987 and 1988 and the downtown flagship demolished.
Hahne & Co., Newark, New Jersey, was part of the 1916 conglomeration of American Dry Goods (later renamed Associated).
Most of them (six) were absorbed by Lord & Taylor, while the large Westfield Garden State Plaza store was bought by Nordstrom.
Due to anti-trust concerns and legal action by the City of Pittsburgh, it was promptly sold in December 1986 to an investor group.
After several years of private ownership, it was announced the Dillard's would be buying the chain to combine it with the Dillard/DeBartolo co-owned Higbee's stores based in Cleveland.
After May was bought by Federated, it was announced that most Famous-Barr – L. S. Ayres stores would either be converted to Macy's or sold.
While a part of Associated and under the leadership of CEO Joseph E. Brooks, during the 1970s, the chain aggressively expanded into Texas, Illinois, and Michigan.
Under the leadership of CEO Marshall Hilsberg, Lord & Taylor entered expansion mode opening stores as far west as Las Vegas, Nevada.
In 2019, clothing rental firm Le Tote purchased the Lord & Taylor chain.
In 2004 when Dayton's successor Marshall Field's was acquired by May, it also agreed to buy the former Donaldson/Powers locations, which Mervyn's promptly shuttered, and left May responsible for disposing of the real-estate.
It was historically a carriage-trade department store and operated in tandem with May's own middle-tier May Company California division for several years.
The bulk of the former Robinsons of Florida locations were subsequently sold by Maison Blanche to Dillard Department Stores in 1991.
After May was bought by Federated, it was announced that most Kaufmann's stores (including the former Sibley's locations) would either be converted to Macy's or sold.
This acquisition gave ADG a major entry in the rapidly growing off-price retailing market.
Caldor, an upscale discounter, consisted of 109 stores in New England and Mid Atlantic States.
See also Federated Department Stores, Lord & Taylor, and Dillard's Department Stores Strawbridge's added to division in 1996 Meier & Frank added to division in 2002; Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution (2001, to Meier & Frank)