Our Heritage

Before there was a Gap, there was an idea. In fact, it was an idea that relied on "good and bad luck" to evolve into a business plan.

The Fishers had been buying and restoring old hotels before they became retailers. They bought one hotel, in Sacramento, and leased out space to a Levi's salesman. Until then, the Fishers had never thought of an apparel business.

One day, Don bought a handful of jeans and slacks from the salesman. When he tried on the pants, none of them fit. He needed a 34-waist, 31-length. So Don visited two department stores in San Francisco to exchange the pants. No one had his size.

It was frustrating. But it got him thinking: What if someone put all the styles, colors and sizes in a single store?

Gap was born.