Witmark was a catalog showroom and jewelry/electronics chain that operated in West Michigan from 1969 to 1997 founded by Paul Leven.

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  • Witmark was a catalog showroom and jewelry/electronics chain that operated in West Michigan from 1969 to 1997 founded by Paul Leven. Over its nearly 30 year history, Witmark dominated the jewelry market with a 34% share, cementing close ties with its local communities. In the early 1990s, Witmark's earnings decreased due to continued involvement in unprofitable categories outside of jewelry. Big Box stores such as Best Buy, Circuit City, Toys "R" Us, and MC Sports captured the electronics, toy, and sports markets respectively. In 1996, Witmark experienced its fourth consecutive year of declining sales and earnings, and the company announced changes to its operating strategy. Unfortunately, vast barriers -- such as long-term leases on real estate -- limited the company's ability to adapt to the changing business climate. The following year, Witmark liquidated its assets and laid off its 700+ employees. Like the larger national chains of catalog showrooms, the retail concept collapsed in the late 1990s due to overwhelming competition from big box stores and Internet shopping. (en)
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  • western Michigan (en)
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  • Witmark Catalog Showrooms (en)
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  • 1997-01-01 00:00:00.000000 (xsd:date)
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  • None (en)
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  • Jewelry, electronics, sporting goods, furniture, beauty products, housewares, toys. (en)
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  • Witmark was a catalog showroom and jewelry/electronics chain that operated in West Michigan from 1969 to 1997 founded by Paul Leven. (en)
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  • Witmark (en)
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