[clarification needed] The first shop, located in Hingham, Massachusetts, was opened in 1947 by Rudolf and Nancy Talbot.

In 1948, the Talbots launched a direct mail business by distributing 3,000 fliers to names obtained from The New Yorker magazine.

In 1973, they sold the company, consisting of a growing catalog enterprise and five stores, to General Mills.

When General Mills divested its Specialty Retail Division in 1988, Talbots was acquired by JUSCO Co. Ltd. (now ÆON Co., Ltd.).

The New York City-based private equity firm Sycamore Partners acquired Talbots in August 2012 for $391 million (including debt).