Name: Gap Stores, Inc.
Brand: Ghosts of Wall Street
SKU: 884
Price: 75.0 USD
Availability: OutOfStock

In stock
Inventory on the way

Product Details

Intricately engraved antique stock certificate from Gap Stores, Inc. dating back to the 1980's. This document, which carries the printed signatures of the company President and Secretary, was printed by the Security-Columbian / United States Bank Note Company, and measures approximately 12" (w) by 8" (h).

This certificate's interesting vignette features a family of four dressed in Gap clothing in front of the company's old logo.

Very hard to find piece!

Images

You will receive the exact certificate pictured.

Historical Context

In 1959, Don Fisher, a California commercial real estate broker specializing in retail store location, was a social friend of Walter "Wally" Haas Jr, President of Levi Strauss & Co. Fisher was inspired by the sudden success of 'The Tower of Shoes' in an old Quonset Hut in a non-retail industrial area of Sacramento, California, that drew crowds by advertising that no matter what brand, style or size of shoes a woman could want it was at The Tower of Shoes. And knowing that even Macy's, the biggest Levi's customer, was constantly running out of the best selling Levi's sizes, and colors, Fisher asked Haas to let him copy The Tower of Shoes' business model and apply it to Levi's products. Haas referred Fisher to Bud Robinson, his Director of Advertising, for what Haas assumed would be a quick refusal; but instead Robinson and Fisher carefully worked out a legal test plan for what was to become The Gap (named by Don's wife Doris Fisher).

Fisher agreed to stock only Levi's apparel in every style and size, all grouped by size, and Levi's guaranteed The Gap to be never out of stock by overnight replenishment from Levi's San Jose, California warehouse. And finally, Robinson offered to pay 50% of The Gap's radio advertising upfront and avoided antitrust laws by offering the same marketing package to any store that agreed to sell nothing but Levi's products.

Fisher opened the first Gap store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco on August 21, 1969; its only merchandise consisted of Levi's and LP records to attract teen customers.

In 1970, Gap opened its second store in San Jose. In 1971, Gap established its corporate headquarters in Burlingame, California with four employees. By 1973, the company had over 25 locations and had expanded into the East Coast market with a store in the Echelon Mall in Voorhees, New Jersey. In 1974, Gap began to sell private-label merchandise.

In the 1990s, Gap assumed an upscale identity and revamped its inventory under the direction of Millard Drexler. However, Drexler was removed from his position after 19 years of service in 2002 after over-expansion, a 29-month slump in sales, and tensions with the Fisher family. Drexler refused to sign a non-compete agreement and eventually became CEO of J. Crew.

Over the years the company acquired/developed a number of subsidiaries, including Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta.

Additional Information

Certificates carry no value on any of today's financial indexes and no transfer of ownership is implied. All items offered are collectible in nature only. So, you can frame them, but you can't cash them in!

All of our pieces are original - we do not sell reproductions. If you ever find out that one of our pieces is not authentic, you may return it for a full refund of the purchase price and any associated shipping charges.

FAQ

Are the certificates offered on your site genuine or reproductions?

All of the certificates you see on our site are genuine pieces, we do not sell any reproductions.

Are the certificates you sell negotiable on any of today's stock markets or indexes?

No. All of the pieces we sell are either canceled or obsolete and have collectible value only.

Are the images presented in your product listings of the exact piece I will receive?

It depends. We try to present images of the exact piece you will receive whenever possible. However, when we are offering quantities of a piece, this is impossible. Within every product page we detail whether or not you will be receiving the exact certificate listed, or if the image is a representative example of the one you will receive.

How will you ship my order and how much do you charge?

We ship all orders via the United States Postal Service. Most domestic orders are shipped via Ground Advantage. USPS International, Priority and Express Mail, UPS and DHL services are also available, and costs are calculated during checkout. Current charges may be reviewed here.

Can I return my purchase?

Absolutely. You may return any merchandise, for any reason, within 30 days of the purchase date for a full refund of the purchase price.

We guarantee all of our pieces to be authentic. If you ever determine that a piece is not authentic, it may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price as well as any associated shipping charges.

Shipping Information

If your order exceeds $35, and the shipping address is within the United States, shipping via USPS Ground Advantage is FREE!

We make every effort to ship out all orders within 24 hours of receipt.

We ship the majority of orders via the USPS, with domestic orders using the Ground Advantage service.

Shipping is calculated during checkout. Upgraded services such as Priority and Express Mail, as well as UPS and DHL options, are also available.

As soon as your order is shipped you will receive your tracking information via email.

OVERSEAS ORDERS PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DECLARE FULL ORDER VALUE ON ALL SHIPMENTS. CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL VAT/CUSTOMS CHARGES.

Returns

Our goal is to make sure every item you receive is exactly what you had in mind. If you not happy with your purchase, we’ll help you get it sorted in a timely and professional manner.

You can return anything we offer for an exchange, refund or store credit within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping costs may apply, and the item must be in its original condition and packaging.

Any shipping charges collected on the original order are not eligible for a refund.