In what year was the clothing retailer Gap founded? Gap was founded in 1969.
Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher opened the first Gap store in San Francisco on August 21, 1969. Donald Fisher was a retail-focused commercial real-estate broker, while Doris Fisher helped shape the company’s name and identity. The store was designed to make it easier for young shoppers to find Levi’s jeans in a wide range of sizes and styles.
The name “Gap” referred to the so-called generation gap between younger people and their parents. The original store sold Levi Strauss clothing and also stocked LP records to attract teenage customers. This focused concept helped distinguish the new retailer from department stores.
A common mix-up is confusing the company’s founding year with later expansion milestones. Gap opened its second store in San Jose in 1970, established a corporate headquarters in Burlingame in 1971, and began making its own jeans in 1973. Those dates describe growth after the founding, not the company’s launch.