iss " ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁chain , ▁which ▁at ▁this ▁point ▁had ▁ 1 5 ▁stores ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁Chicago , ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁planned ▁to ▁have ▁ 1 0 1 ▁franch ised ▁stores ▁operating ▁throughout ▁the ▁country ▁within ▁ 1 9 ▁months . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁chain ▁had ▁expanded ▁to ▁over ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 ▁stores ▁and ▁ 1 6 0 ▁by ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁The ▁chain ▁had ▁further ▁grown ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁with ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 3 0 ▁stores ▁nation wide . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁the ▁company ▁was ▁sold ▁by ▁the ▁G ing iss ▁family ▁to ▁M esi row ▁Fin an cial ▁Services , ▁who ▁later ▁sold ▁it ▁to ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁invest ors ▁including ▁the ▁Boston - based ▁B eta ▁Part ners , ▁Barry ▁S ny der , ▁head ▁of ▁T ux edo ▁J unction , ▁and ▁Michael ▁J . ▁Cor ra o , ▁president ▁of ▁G ing iss ▁F ormal we ar , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁company ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York ▁based ▁T ux edo ▁J unction , ▁which ▁had ▁ 3 2 ▁stores . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁G ing iss ▁F ormal we ar , ▁with ▁ 2 3 6 ▁company ▁owned ▁stores ▁and ▁ 1 6 6 ▁franch ised ▁stores , ▁file d ▁for ▁Chapter