ABOUT THIS COMPANY

ABOUT THIS COMPANY

David May, a former silver miner, opened his first department store in 1877 in Leadville, Colo., under the name the "Great Western Auction House and Clothing Store." Early merchandise included Levi copper-riveted pants and woolen long johns for local miners. A year later, he joined with his three brothers-in-law, Moses, Louis and Joseph Shoenberg, and opened a second store in Denver. Within five years, the partners had purchased The Famous Clothing Store in St. Louis; six years later, they purchased a third store in Cleveland, and named it ''May Company.'' They moved their headquarters to St. Louis in 1905, incorporated The May Department Stores Company by 1910 and went public the following year, after posting $1 million in revenue from the growing chain. In 1939, May reached $100 million in sales, and by 1967, surpassed the $1 billion mark.