Off-price retailer Ross Stores Inc. is a chain of more than 1,000 department stores featuring close-out brand-name apparel, accessories, shoes, homewares, toys and jewelry under the Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts brands. The company’s first store, located in San Bruno, opened in 1950. Ross now operates stores in 30 states plus Guam. The company reported 2011 revenue of nearly $7.9 billion and ranked No. 303 on the Fortune 500.
As a discount retailer, the company was positioned to weather the recession and soft recovery well, posting increased sales during each of the past three years and opening 100 new stores during the past two years. By far the company’s footprint is largest in its home state of California, where it operates 275 stores, but it also has large presences in Texas and Florida. It has 49,500 employees and has been adding between 50 to 70 stores per year. Corporate headquarters are in Pleasanton.
