Company History

William T. Dillard founded Dillard's in 1938. His vision was to become one of America's largest department store merchants. Beginning with that vision and with an investment of $8000, he purchased a small apparel store on Nashville, Arkansas' main street. William Dillard believed that "business without integrity is not good business and in the end will not be successful".

Based upon this premise and offering customer’s high quality merchandise and credit terms, he was tremendously successful in growing the Nashville store to a highly profitable business. From there, he purchased stores in Texarkana and Tyler, Texas and the growth continued into Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1964, he opened his first store in a shopping mall in Austin, Texas. Capitalizing on the tremendous growth of malls being built across the nation in the 60's and 70's, he grew the Company to a total of 44 stores by 1980.

As mall construction slowed in the 1980's, Mr. Dillard turned his attention to acquisitions and initiated a series of purchases of regional department store chains across the South, culminating in an ending store count of 342 by the year 2000. SWilliam Dillard passed away in 2002, but his legacy continues to this day with all five of his children serving key roles of leadership in the Company. Today, over 330 stores span 29 states. Operating under one name - Dillard's, the Company is one of America's largest fashion apparel and home furnishing retailers.