Donald was a third-generation San Franciscan.
His great-grandfather, Samuel Fisher, arrived in San Francisco, from New York, in the 1860s—a decade after the discovery of gold transformed California...
Doris and Don Fisher opened the first Gap store in 1969.
The reason was simple. Don couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit.
They never expected to transform retail. But they did.
The Gap was a reference to "the generation Gap"
The store's...
Gap opened its second store, in San Jose, California, and established its first corporate headquarters in Burlingame, California, with just four employees.
The Fishers delivered a shopping experience that was fun and fulfilling, one that included the...
In 1972, in an effort to broaden Gap from a Levi’s-only chain, the Fishers launched the Gap label.
And that made history as the first chain in retail history to use its store name as the brand name.
Gap grew rapidly.
By 1973, it had more than 25 stores, including areas outside California—entering the East Coast market with a store in Voorhees, New Jersey In 1974, Gap began to sell private-label merchandise.
The Gap grew quickly, riding a crest of popularity to go public in 1973.
Gap goes public, offering 1,2 million shares of stock.
Since that time, the stock has split nine times.
Donald Fisher hired Millard "Mickey" Drexler as president in 1983. Drexler, then 40, had just solved a similar problem with AnnTaylor, creating a more chic image for the chain and quadrupling sales in the bargain...
Gap opened first Gap Kids store in San Mateo.
Drexler sought to fill another clothing need of the baby boomer generation with the debut of GapKids, featuring comfortable, durable clothes for the children of parents who shopped at Gap stores.
Old Navy was launched in 1994, as a value chain with a specialty flair.
First store opens in Colma, California.
International stores had surged from 1994's 124 (72 in Canada, 49 in the United Kingdom, and 3 in France) to 91 in Canada, 55 in the...
Gap Inc. launched its first Gap brand store in Japan.
Year 1995:
Old Navy increased its market share by doubling in size, exceeding the company's hopes for its newest division, while Gap and GapKids lost some of their momentum, although babyGap...
The company also began its foray into e-tailing and introduced gap.com along with gapkids.com and babygap.com.
Banana Republic and Old Navy began catering to online shoppers shortly thereafter...
Drexler announced his retirement during 2002.
Fisher began his search for a new leader, one whose management style could catapult The Gap back into the upper echelon of retail fashion.
Paul Pressler, an executive from Walt Disney Co...
The first Gap franchise store opens in Singapore, followed by Gap franchise stores in Malaysia.
A fifth brand, the online clothing and accessories retailer Piperlime, was created.
Gap franchise stores open in 10 new countries: Bahrain, Indonesia, Kuwait, Korea, Oman, the Philippines, Qatar,
Turkey, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
The first Banana Republic franchise store opens in Bahrain, followed by openings in eight new...
Gap Inc. acquires Athleta.
Gap Inc. expands Outlet business with first Gap Outlet and Banana Republic Factory stores in Canada.
Gap franchise stores open in new countries: Greece, Russia.
Banana Republic franchise stores open in new countries:...
Gap Inc. opens first Gap stores in China and Italy and first Banana Republic store in Italy.
Gap franchise stores open in new countries: Australia, Bulgaria, and Thailand.
Gap Inc. launches international shipping from its e-commerce sites to more than...
Gap franchise stores open in Kazakhstan, Serbia, Ukraine, Poland, Chile, Vietnam and Egypt.
Gap Inc. opens Gap store on China’s largest e-commerce mall, Taobao.
Athleta expands its store base with openings in major markets including New York, Los...