Our History

Dillard's was founded in Nashville, Arkansas in 1938. Over the past 75 years,
Dillard's has become a publicly traded company and has grown through multiple acquisitions.

In 1938 Dillard's was founded in Nashville, Arkansas by William T. Dillard. In 1948 Mr. Dillard purchased Wooten's in Texarkana, Arkansas.

In 1956 the Mayer & Schmidt Store was acquired in Tyler, Texas.

In 1964 the headquarters were established in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1969 Dillard's stock first offered for public trading.

In 1974 five Leonard's Department Stores were acquired in Texas. From 1970 through 1979 Dillard's pioneered the use of computers in retailing and began rapid expansion into new suburban shopping malls.

From 1983 through 1988 Dillard's acquired ninety-eight stores in the South and Midwest. These stores included: Stix, Baer & Fuller, John A. Brown, Diamond's, Macy's Midwest, Joske's, Cain-Sloan, Higbee's, and D.H. Holmes.

In 1990 Dillard's acquired twenty-three J.B. Ivey's Stores in Florida and the Carolinas. In 1998 Dillard's acquired one hundred and three Mercantile Stores across the U.S.

In 2001 Dillard's acquired twelve stores in the South, Midwest, and West. These stores included: Montgomery Wards and ZCMI. From 2000 through 2009 store construction in key markets continued at a rapid pace.

As of 2018 Dillard's operated two hundred and ninety-one stores spanning twenty-nine states with net sales of 6.4 billion dollars.

Dillard's, Inc. ranks among the nation's largest fashion retailers. The Company focuses on delivering style, service and value to its shoppers by offering compelling apparel, cosmetics and home selections complemented by exceptional customer care. Dillard’s stores offer a broad selection of merchandise and feature products from both national and exclusive brand sources. The Company operates almost 300 Dillard’s locations and several clearance centers, plus an Internet store at Dillards.com.