The Buckle, Inc. (NYSE: BKE) is a leading retailer of mid-priced to higher-end casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for fashion-forward young men and women. Under the names Buckle and The Buckle, the company currently operates 449 stores in 42 states.
Buckle sells denim, other casual bottoms, tops, sportswear, outerwear, accessories, and footwear, as well as brand names and private label casual apparel. The Company places an emphasis on personalised attention to its guests (customers) and offers personalised customer services such as free alterations, layaways, and a frequent shopper programme.
1948
Mills Clothing, a men’s clothing retailer in Kearney, Nebraska, was the precursor to Buckle.
1967
A second store is acquired and put into business as Brass Buckle.
1970
Brass Buckle evolved into a denim-focused retailer with a large selection of shirts and denim.
Dennis Nelson, who is currently the company’s CEO and president, joins.
1977
The first mall-based location opens and women’s clothing is added.
1988
The distribution team moves to a new location in west Kearney, the “Brass Buckle Center,” from downtown.
1991
Brass Buckle changes its name to The Buckle, Inc. and starts working on its own brand, bkle, which is now known as BKE.
1992
Buckle goes public on the NASDAQ under the symbol BKLE and expands to operate 100 stores across 18 states, with $112,898,000 in annual sales.
1994
Introduced is Buckle’s Primo Rewards Card, which rewards loyal customers with discounts.
1995
Launched by Buckle, the first private label credit card is handled by National City Card Services.
1996
A new store design and revised logo are introduced by Buckle.
1997
Moving to the New York Stock Exchange, Buckle will trade there under the ticker BKE.
1998
With 200 locations operating across 29 states, Buckle generates $337, 916,000 in revenue each year.
1999
The buckle.com website, the company’s first online store, officially launches.
2002
The Buckle logo and new store design that we now recognise were unveiled.
2006
45% of denim sales are attributable to BKE, a private label brand from Buckle.
2009
With 400 locations operating in 41 states, Buckle generates $898,287,000 in revenue annually.
2010
Construction on Buckle’s brand-new, 240,000 square foot, cutting-edge Distribution Center is now complete.
2011
Launch of the freshly revamped buckle.com online store by Buckle.
For the year, Buckle sold 5 million pairs of jeans; net sales increased 11.9% to $1.063 billion over the 52-week fiscal year that ended on January 28, 2012.
obsessed with fostering a diverse workforce.
TODAY
In spite of expanding to over 440 retail locations across 42 states, Buckle has remained true to its original mission of giving customers the best shopping experience possible. As a result, the company has become one of America’s favourite denim destinations.
