Merry-Go-Round was a national 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.[1] It was famous for its ability to profit from short-lived fashion fads[2] 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. It later purchased the Chess King chain from RVI. At its end, the company operated just over 500 locations,[1] primarily in enclosed malls.[2]
MainStreet.com listed it in 2011 among brand names "gone but not forgotten".[3]