Private company

Merry-Go-Round

Defunct American clothing retailer

Merry-Go-Round was an American clothing retail chain owned by Merry-Go-Round Enterprises, Inc., that thrived from the 1970s through the early 1990s. The chain fell into bankruptcy during the mid-1990s, and eventually ceased operation in 1996. It was famous for its ability to profit from short-lived fashion fads and also owned men's clothing retailers Silverman's, by purchasing 273 stores from Retail Ventures, Inc. (RVI), parent of American Eagle Outfitters, in 1989.² It was founded by Leonard "Boogie" Weinglass.¹ Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 20, 2026.

Overview

Industryretail¹
HeadquartersJoppa¹

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Merry-Go-Round was an American clothing retail chain owned by Merry-Go-Round Enterprises, Inc., that thrived from the 1970s through the early 1990s. The chain fell into bankruptcy during the mid-1990s, and eventually ceased operation in 1996. It was famous for its ability to profit from short-lived fashion fads and also owned men's clothing retailers Silverman's, by purchasing 273 stores from Retail Ventures, Inc. (RVI), parent of American Eagle Outfitters, in 1989. In May 1993, it purchased the Chess King clothing chain from the Melville Corporation. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1994 and began liquidation sales by February 1996. At its peak, the company operated just over 500 locations, primarily in enclosed malls.²

Corporate structure

Merry-Go-Round sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Merry-Go-Round Joppa
- Chess King Subsidiary · United States

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.