Best Buy Co., Inc. - Random Facts and History
Best Buy headquarters is located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. As of June 2002, they have 481 retail stores in 41 U.S. states, and expect to have more than 550 stores by 2004. Best Buy currently has 94,000 employees, headed by CEO/Chairman Richard Schulze, Pres/COO Allen Lenzmeier, Pres Michael Keskey, CFO Darren Jackson, and Vice Chairman Bradbury Anderson. Best Buy Co. operates stores and websites under the names Best Buy, Media Play, On Cue, Sam Goody, Suncoast, Magnolia Hi-Fi and Future Shop. Best Buy Co. has 1,900 retail stores in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Best Buy was founded as Sound of Music in 1966 by CEO Richard M. Schulze. Sound of Music expanded to video gear (from audio-only) and adopted the Best Buy name in 1983. Best Buy went public in 1985 and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:BBY) in 1987. In 1989, Best Buy introduced a new retail format, placing all inventory on the sales floor with non-commissioned product specialists.
Sources:
http://www.bestbuy.com
http://biz.yahoo.com/p/b/bby.html
http://www.xmradio.com/corporate_info/screen/sp_retail_best_buy.html