Dillard's founder dead at 88

By Andrea Lillo -- Home Textiles Today, 2/25/2002 12:00:00 AM

LITTLE ROCK, AR —

William Dillard, the founder and chairman of department store chain Dillard's, died Feb. 22 in his sleep at his home here. He was 88 years old.

Dillard's issued a statement saying, "Mr. Dillard will long be remembered as a man of tremendous vision and success in the world of retailing; but more importantly, he will truly be remembered as a man of honesty, integrity and absolute loyalty. His wisdom, his guidance and his friendship will truly be missed by our company and our friends."

Dillard founded his first store in Nashville, AR, in 1938. The retailer has since grown to include more than 300 traditional department stores and five clearance centers in 29 states with annual sales of $8.7 billion.