Hills was a discount department store chain whose ad agency was based in Canton, Massachusetts.

Most stores were located in Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, though the company did make a push into other markets.

It pushed further south and had several stores in Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama and west into Michigan.

Herbert H. Goldberger,[2] the founder of Hills, sold the chain to SCOA Industries, (Shoe Company of America), of Columbus, Ohio, in 1964.

[6] Hills' financial woes dated back to its 1985 leveraged buyout from the Shoe Corporation of America which saddled it with debt.

CEO Michael Bozic resigned, along with most of the senior executives, July 5, 1995, ending a tumultuous two-year siege for control of the regional discounter by Dickstein Partners, Hills' largest stockholder.

Dickstein's resignation as chairman was joined by that of Jack Smailes, president and CEO, who was replaced by Gregory Raven, who formerly served as chief financial officer of Revco.

A reset of the hardlines section was completed, which included lopping off 4 ft. from the end of the gondola runs to create a power aisle with pallet presentations of "good values."

[8] With the Hills acquisition, Ames expanded from 301 to 456 stores and became the nation's fourth-largest discount chain behind Walmart, Kmart, and Target.

[10] In 2023, a food truck intending to serve items similar to the Hills snack bar's menu passed inspection in Pennsylvania.

The snack bar will be serving at sites of former Hills locations throughout Western Pennsylvania and potentially expand into other areas.