never stocked closeouts or irregulars. Their credo, "the best available merchandise at the lowest possible price", remained true throughout their history. Regionalism New stores were located within at most a day's travel from Caldor's corporate headquarters and its distribution center, allowing for closely controlled costs and minimized inventory expenses. This allowed single advertising and promotional campaigns to cover multiple stores and simplified executive supervision and transfer of employees. Store environment The interior of each Caldor store was designed to look more like a department store than a discounter, and many were even designed by the same firms used by more up-scale retail environments. They featured wide aisles, bright lighting, and large, colorful display treatment, and were typically remodeled every six years. Training programs Early on, Bennett understood the importance of knowledgeable salesclerks and their impact on purchases, customer satisfaction, and reducing the number of refunds or exchanges. He instituted routine training sessions not only for sales staff, but for department managers, and traveling supervisors, as well. This extensive and ongoing program taught customer service practices and included merchandise shows that previewed new lines to be added to the stores. Caldor also offered an Executive Development Program, with topics ranging from best management practices to retail operations and customer service. As part of these seminars, top-level executives and buyers also served in sales positions to better understand day-to-day store operations and customer response to merchandise, presentation, and service. Awards In September 1980, Carl Bennett was named “Discounter of The Year” by a national poll of the top US retailing executives, sponsored by Discount Store News. At the awards banquet in Chicago, Bennett credited the corporation's employees as “our secret ingredient" for making Caldor “the finest retail chain in the country". In 1983, Bennett was elected into the "Discounting Hall of Fame" by the same industry poll, making him the sixth retail executive to receive the honor. Iris Rosenberg, editor of Discount Store News, said: "Carl Bennett typifies the successful entrepreneur who from an inconspicuous start made a dream grow into a major force in the world of mass merchandising". References 1951 establishments in New York (state) Defunct department stores based in Connecticut Retail companies disestablished in 1999 Defunct discount stores of the United States Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1995 Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999 Companies that have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy