In the heart of Cumberland, Rhode Island, stands a sprawling brick mill complex that once buzzed with the energy of post-war consumerism. This was the birthplace of Ann and Hope, a discount department store chain that redefined shopping in America. Founded in 1953 by Ukrainian immigrant Martin Chase and his son Irwin, Ann and Hope emerged from the ruins of a declining textile industry to become one of the nations first self-service discount retailers. For nearly five decades, it served as a cornerstone of New England family life, offering everything from appliances to apparel at rock-bottom prices. Yet, by 2020, the last vestiges of the chain shuttered amid the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving behind a legacy of innovation that influenced giants like Walmart and Kmart, but also a poignant reminder of how local businesses can be eclipsed by national behemoths.

The story of Ann and Hope begins with Martin Chase, born in 1906 in Kiev, then part of the Russian Empire. At age six, he immigrated to Providence, Rhode Island, with his family, fleeing pogroms and seeking opportunity in the bustling mill towns of New England. Unlike his five brothers, who joined their fathers auto repair shop, Martin carved a different path. At 20, he landed a job at Fintex, a mens clothing store, where he honed his retail instincts. He later launched Chase Clothing, a budget menswear operation that thrived by slashing overhead—no alterations, cheap fixtures, and direct sales. As World War II loomed, the clothing market slumped with men enlisting en masse, forcing Martin to pivot.

In 1946, Martin spotted a bargain: the Ann and Hope Mill in Lonsdale village, Cumberland, a 450,000-square-foot textile complex built in 1886 and named after a schooner lost at sea off Block Island in 1806. The mill, once a hub for cotton weaving, was faltering post-war, its looms silent amid surplus fabrics piling up nationwide. Martin bought it for $350,000 from the Lonsdale Company, envisioning a wholesale operation. His son Irwin, fresh from Brown University and a stint in General George Pattons Third Army during the war—where he earned a Bronze Star for liberating Mauthausen concentration camp—joined in 1948. Together, they rented space to fabric wholesalers, but inventory overflowed.

By late 1952, a tenant vacated a massive ground-floor space, sparking inspiration. On March 31, 1953, the Chases opened their first retail outlet right there in the mill, dubbing it Ann and Hope after the property. It was no ordinary store. Customers roamed freely, no clerks hovering—self-service in a department store setting was revolutionary. Martin wheeled in shopping carts, borrowed from grocery innovators, to haul bulky buys like bedsheets and tools. A vast parking lot accommodated car-centric suburbanites, and central checkouts sped up lines. Prices? Everyday low, 20 to 30 percent below competitors, fueled by bulk surplus purchases. Word spread like wildfire among thrifty Rhode Islanders, and by springs end, the operation had outgrown its spot, spilling across floors.

This was no accident. The Chases philosophy—buy big, sell cheap, run lean—mirrored the eras optimism. Post-war prosperity swelled the middle class, hungry for affordable abundance. Ann and Hope filled that void, stocking mill ends, overstock apparel, housewares, hardware, even tires. Basement bargains and third-floor treasures drew families from Providence to Worcester. By 1969, annual sales hit $40 million, equivalent to over $300 million today. The Cumberland flagship, with its exposed brick and multi-level layout, became a regional icon, employing hundreds and anchoring the Blackstone Valleys economy.

Expansion followed swiftly. In the late 1950s, a second store bloomed in Warwick, Rhode Island, along bustling Post Road, transforming a roadside plot into a retail draw. The 1960s saw Massachusetts entries: Seekonk near the border, then North Dartmouth, Danvers at Liberty Tree Mall, Watertown, and a Methuen outpost that fizzled after a few years. A modest warehouse-retail hybrid appeared in Millis on Route 109. By the 1970s, about a dozen full-line stores dotted Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, each mimicking the originals cavernous feel—warehouse vibes with departments for toys, linens, and seasonal goods. Sub-tenant spaces, like in-house florists or leased nooks, added variety, a precursor to modern big-box anchors.

Ann and Hopes innovations werent just gimmicks; they challenged norms. Fair trade laws in Rhode Island capped discounts to protect full-price retailers, sparking lawsuits that Martin fought tooth and nail. Victory in court paved the way for widespread price competition. The stores liberal return policy—try it, bring it back—built trust in an era of wary shoppers. In-house eateries served budget meals, from pizza to sandwiches, turning errands into outings. Holidays amplified the magic: Santa helicoptered in for photos, Trim-a-Tree sections glittered at Christmas, and summer garden shops overflowed with patio sets and mowers. For kids, it was playground and paradise—swinging under clothing racks, arcade games buzzing.

The chains influence rippled far beyond New England. In 1961, two retail visionaries pilgrimaged to Cumberland: Harry Cunningham of S.S. Kresge and Sam Walton of Arkansas fame. They pored over layouts, quizzed staff on carts and checkouts, absorbing the low-price, high-volume gospel. A year later, Cunningham launched Kmart; Walton, Walmart. Irwin Chase later quipped they shared too freely, but pride swelled—Ann and Hope had midwifed the discount revolution. By the 1970s, the chain employed 3,000, its Warwick store alone a 250,000-square-foot behemoth. Revenue soared, but so did the blueprint for what would undo it.

Cracks appeared in the 1980s. National discounters—Walmart, Target, Caldor—invaded with deeper pockets, wider selections, and aggressive marketing. Ann and Hopes regional footprint couldnt match their scale; supply chains strained under competition. The 1990s brought layoffs, like 200 at Seekonk in 1995, signaling trouble. Operating losses mounted in 1999 and 2000, squeezed by big-box sprawl and suburban malls. In early 2001, four Massachusetts stores—Danvers, Seekonk, North Dartmouth, Watertown— shuttered abruptly. High-value properties sold off: Seekonk fetched millions, its assessed value ballooning from a 1974 pittance. The chain dodged bankruptcy, honoring suppliers and gift cards, but downsized ruthlessly. Workforce plunged from 1,900 to 500. Only Cumberland and Warwick survived, retooled as off-price outlets focused on curtains, bath linens, and garden goods—shadows of their former sprawl.

This pivot bought time. By 2007, Ann and Hope filed Chapter 11 but reemerged leaner, expanding Curtain and Bath Outlets. Acquisitions fueled growth: Raynham and Weymouth in 2011 via Curtain Factory buyouts; Westborough in 2013. The roster swelled to 11—two in Rhode Island, seven in Massachusetts, two in Connecticut—plus garden centers and dollar outlets. Revenue neared $24 million, a far cry from peaks but sustainable. The Chases third generation steered it, blending nostalgia with necessity. Cumberland remained HQ, its mill a time capsule of retail evolution.

Then came 2020. COVID-19 struck like a sledgehammer. Stores shuttered March 15 under social distancing edicts, e-commerce halted to protect warehouse staff. Federal loans propped up payroll, but foot traffic evaporated. Online shopping surged, favoring Amazons speed over local charm. On June 17, executives vowed resilience despite closing Weymouth, Raynham, and Westborough. Just 12 days later, reversal: all 11 outlets would wind down over summer, sales starting July 9. It wasnt bankruptcy, the family stressed—just inevitability. Garden centers hung in limbo; most closed too. Irwin Chase, co-founder, had passed May 5 at 93, as if fate sealed the end.

The announcement unleashed grief. Shoppers reminisced on Facebook and Reddit: childhood Santa visits, layaway hauls, that conveyor belt ferrying carts between Cumberland floors. In Warwick, Amanda Roberge mourned the in-store restaurant from her youth. Cumberland locals dreamed of the mill, its whitewashed bricks hiding 1886 bones. Economists like Johnson and Wales Diane McCrohan cited the irony: Ann and Hopes model birthed Walmart, which now devoured its kin. Smaller chains couldnt match logistics or pricing in a pandemic-ravaged world.

Yet legacy endures. Properties repurposed: Warwicks Post Road site sold 2022 for $7 million, eyeing U-Haul and mixed-use revival. Cumberland mill fetched $4.8 million to Hartford Holdings; by 2025, approvals loomed for 240 apartments—48 affordable—plus commercial spaces in the powerhouse, preserving fire escapes and windows. Redevelopment honors history, sandblasting paint to reveal original brick. Ann and Hope Plaza in Warwick thrives with Kohls and USPS tenants, the family retaining stakes.

In Rhode Island lore, Ann and Hope symbolizes resilience—from immigrant grit to retail trailblazing. It democratized shopping, empowering families to furnish homes without frills. Polls crown it the states most-missed defunct chain, edging Bennys. As one Redditor recalled, swinging under racks till the fire alarm wailed—a chaotic joy. Though stores fade, the Chases ethos—smart, simple, accessible—pulses in every big-box aisle. Ann and Hope wasnt just a store; it was community, ingenuity, the American dream woven into mill thread. Its close marks an era, but whispers of rebirth echo in those repurposed walls.

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