Frank Winfield Woolworth
1852–1919 (age 67)
Retailer/Entrepreneur
Biography
Frank Winfield Woolworth revolutionized retail by popularizing the five-and-dime store concept, offering fixed low prices that drew shoppers throughout the nation and making everyday goods accessible to families of modest means. He built a chain that became a hallmark of American commerce and paved the way for modern merchandising.
As he approached the end of his life in 1919, Woolworth reflected on a career that reshaped the shopping experience, and he was laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery, leaving behind a legacy of invention and entrepreneurship that still influences retail today.