Barkers Discount Department Stores was a chain of discount department stores founded in May, 1957 by Felix Mininberg and Irving Barker. As one of the first hard goods discounters, and with creative promotions, the initial store, in Orange, Connecticut, grew quickly with a wide variety of products for the home arranged in a supermarket style. This success spawned a second 40,000 sq. ft. location in Wallingford, Connecticut in 1960. The company was sold to Franklin Stores Corporation in 1961, and then grew quickly throughout the Northeast and South Central United States, the Caribbean, and the United States Virgin Islands. Irving Barker left Franklin Stores Corporation in 1963 and started his own discount store, Sabers. Felix Mininberg stayed on as Vice President. Mininberg's main position w