1 9 5 9 . ▁At ▁Ben ▁Franklin ' s ▁peak , ▁the ▁chain ▁had ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁stores ▁nation wide . ▁ ▁Wal mart ▁founder ▁Sam ▁Wal ton ▁started ▁in ▁ret ail ing ▁operating ▁a ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁store . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Michael ▁J . ▁Du pe y ▁converted ▁a ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁store ▁to ▁start ▁the ▁Mich a els ▁chain ▁in ▁Texas . ▁ ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁St ores ▁purchased ▁Texas ▁ret ail er ▁Duke ▁& ▁Ay res ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s . ▁Duke ▁& ▁Ay res ▁was ▁a ▁chain ▁of ▁ 5 ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁cent ▁stores ▁based ▁in ▁Dallas , ▁Texas , ▁with ▁stores ▁that ▁were ▁located ▁throughout ▁the ▁state ▁from ▁approximately ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁operated ▁some ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁Family ▁Center ▁locations , ▁which ▁were ▁larger ▁disc ount ▁store ▁variations ▁offering ▁mer ch and ise ▁not ▁found ▁at ▁regular ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁stores , ▁such ▁as ▁cl othing . ▁Other ▁locations ▁in ▁this ▁era ▁were ▁brand ed ▁as ▁B & C ▁Family ▁Center ▁and ▁included ▁super mark ets . ▁ ▁Bank rupt cy ▁The ▁chain ▁had ▁function ed ▁largely ▁as ▁a ▁wh oles aler ▁of ▁variety ▁and ▁craft ▁mer ch and ise ▁sold ▁to ▁its ▁franch ise es ▁under ▁the ▁name ▁Ben ▁Franklin ▁Ret ail ▁St ores ▁Inc . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0