OVERVIEW:

Mammoth Mills was founded by Max Coffman and Henry Gornstein in Framingham in the Spring of 1956. It was one of the earliest discount department stores in the country. Mammoth Mills was a favorite place for closeouts, factory seconds, and especially bargains. Unlike many other discount dept. stores, it had a grimy, dark and informal appearance. In 1962, the store became a Mammoth Mart in honor of it's mascot, Marty the Elephant. In 1962, the company had only 5 stores and by 1963, the chain grew to 20 stores. In 1964, the company opened it's first Connecticut store in East Hartford. By 1965, Mammoth Mart had 13 stores in New England. The chain then generated more than $50 million in sales annually. In 1966, a store opened in Brunswick ME. In 1969, when there were 35 stores in the chain, Mr. Coffman estimated that each store made about $2 million a year in sales.

Mr. Coffman's chain pioneered many practices that are familiar today. All cash registers were located in front of the store; most department stores of the day had a register in each department. In June 1974, the chain filed for bankruptcy protection, though it emerged from Chapter 11 the following year. In April 1977, the chain voluntarily sold out to King's Department stores which had 121 stores back then.

At its peak, Mammoth Mart operated 89 stores along the east coast and in New England. Max Coffman was presented with the national Horatio Alger Award in 1967. Mammoth Mart Inc. was publicly traded on the Dow Jones.