Gruppo Coin has embodied the spirit of Venetian trade and business ever since it was founded by Vittorio Coin, and is still driven by these principles and this commercial spirit today.

A spirit which has evolved, over time without ever losing touch with its original features remaining in line and sometimes anticipating consumer needs and market developments.

Here are the most important stages in the history of Gruppo Coin

1916:
The founding generation began with Vittorio Coin, who in 1916 was granted a street trader's license for the sale of fabrics and haberdashery in the town of Pianiga in the province of Venice. This was the pioneering era in which Vittorio Coin, initially on his own and later together with his sons, made his own personal interpretation of Venice's trading tradition, by promoting himself forward in the same way as modern marketers who create markets through their persistent presence in the market place.

1926:
1926 saw the opening of his first store in Mirano, selling fabrics, yarns and linen. This was the beginning of what was to become the second phase in the company's lifecycle; a phase marked by a specific development policy. It was based on the creation of a chain of stores providing its customers with efficient service in the sale of products for the person and the house. These stores were the equivalent of shopping centres in those times, and they were differentiated from the elitist boutiques of the '30s but without giving up quality in their product and service offerings.

1929:
Dolo (1929) and Venice-Mestre (1933) were the next stores to open, and together with the first store they led to the 1934 founding of SACMA SpA (Società Associativa Commercio Manifatture ed Affini - Co-operative Company for Trade, Manufacturing and Related Activities).

1946:
In 1946 the presidency of the company was assumed by Vittorio's son Alfonso, who devoted many years to developing his father's company together with his brothers Aristide and Giovanni. In this reconstruction period, Alfonso Coin was the most dynamic and staunch supporter of the new ready-made clothing product segment.

1947:
With the opening of a store in the city of Venice (in the San Giovanni Grisostomo area), the Coin family laid the foundations for the development of their retail network in the immediate aftermath of the war, which continued in 1947 when business was resumed in the Mirano, Dolo and Mestre stores, followed by the Padua store.

1950:
The post war reconstruction cycle ended for the Coin family in 1950 with the opening of a storage and sorting warehouse in Venice-Mestre, and the founding of Coin SpA in Trieste after the 1957 acquisition of the chain's first real large emporium, Austria's former Öhler department stores. Italy's period of economic development witnessed the expansion of Coin, which turned all its existing businesses into subsidiaries, with a climax in 1958 when the company expanded beyond its regional borders and opened a large 1400 square meter store in Bologna.

1960's:
The beginning of the '60s, when Piergiorgio and Vittorio Coin's generation gradually began to take on more responsibility in the company, saw the third phase of the Group's trading history, that of department stores with sales grouped by division. The store concept evolved beyond the existing product categories to include a considerable increase and expansion of the product range, with the addition of household articles, sports goods, toys, leather goods and perfumes.

1962-65:
Between 1962 and 1965 some of the largest stores of all time were opened in Milan, with the Coin stores in Piazza Cinque Giornate, Piazzale Loreto and Corso Vercelli, with over 5000 square meters of surface area on 8 floors. Expansion continued with stores in Parma and Bergamo, and then with the immense Venice-Mestre complex in Piazza XXVII Ottobre.

1966:
In 1966, after the death of Alfonso Coin, the presidency was taken over by his brother Aristide who aimed at a gradual extension of the distribution network of the "Grandi Magazzini Coin" (Coin Department Stores). Between 1966 and 1974, Aristide Coin opened Coin branches in Brescia, Vicenza, Varese, Pordenone, Vigevano, Mantua, Genoa, Leghorn, Udine, Piacenza, Naples, Taranto and Ferrara.

1972:
The Coinette stores gave rise to OVS stores, "Organizzazione Vendite Speciali" (Special Sales Organization), which offered customers leftover Coin stock at real discount prices. Later on in 1972 the separate Oviesse division was set up.

1974:
In 1974, the third Coin generation took command definitively: Piergiorgio Coin, Aristide Coin's son took the helm of the company, assisted by his brother Vittorio. At the beginning of the '80's the Group headquarters were moved back to Venice. It was located in the city's historic centre, almost as if to symbolize the company's indissoluble bond with the past and its strong attachment to tradition, which were endorsed by the opening of a new Coin in the Rialto area of Venice in 1986.

1980's:
Once again, a constant focus on market trends and consumer needs led Coin to progressively develop the shop-in-shop strategy - the most innovative solution to be adopted by large-scale retailing in Italy in the '80s. This marked the beginning of the contemporary phase of the history of Gruppo Coin. Besides its commercial aspects, this phase has been enhanced by social and cultural initiatives promoted mainly by the Coin Foundation.

1986:
1986 marked the birth of the credit card in Italy's clothing sector the Coincard which then became a fidelity card. It still offers its holders services and benefits to this day.

1990's:
The second half of the '90s marked the turning point towards the company's current phase of development. Through drastic strategic and organizational changes, the Group moved gradually from classic family run management to a purely and typically managerial set up.

1998:
1998 was characterized by the acquisition of La Standa stores operating in the textiles and clothing sector, finalized at the end of the year, thus enabling the Group to further consolidate its leadership in Italy.

1999:
1999 was an important year in the almost one hundred year history of the Group, which took a definite quantum leap forward with a series of important strategic moves. At the industrial level, the integration process of the La Standa network took shape, with the three year conversion plan into Oviesse, Coin and other store brands belonging to the Group.

At the financial and institutional level, in June 1999 the shares of Gruppo Coin SpA were listed successfully on the Italian Stock Exchange's Telematic System.

2000:
The Group begins a phase of international expansion with the acquisition of a network of 97 stores in Germany in December 2000; over the next three years, part of this network is transformed into Oviesse. In the same year an agreement is finalized with a Swiss partner to open a further 24 stores under the Oviesse franchise. The strategy to convert Standa stores is completed in September with the opening of two large Coin stores in Bologna and Como.

2003:
With Oviesse's results in Germany falling well short of expectations, the Group decides to wind up its activity in the country. It also terminates the franchising agreement in Switzerland. Oviesse launches the "Era of the Intelligent Consumer".

2005:
In May 2005 PAI Partners, one of Europe's premier Private Equity firms, becomes majority stakeholder in Gruppo Coin; a new managerial team is established under the stewardship of CEO Stefano Beraldo, driving the growth of Oviesse and instigating Coin's turnaround plan. Oviesse becomes one of the Telethon campaign's main supporters.

2006:
A year dominated by the repositioning of the Oviesse brand, which becomes OVS following the launch of a new brand and the development of a new image, a fresher and younger concept that does not lose sight of key values. Coin channels its product offering through three main house brands: Koan, Jct and Luca D’Altieri, and begins to open up more to external brands.

2007:
During 2007 Oviesse starts its international expansion plan, opening 17 stores in Middle East and Eastern Europe countries, while Coin continues its restyling plan with 3 refurbishments in key locations. The strategies implemented by the Group proved their effectiveness in the economic and financial results obtained, showing a strong profitability growth.

2008:
During a year marked by the economic downturn Oviesse acquires in Italy the Melablu retail network made up of 60 stores. Both Oviesse and Coin continue their expansion plan abroad with different store formats.

2009:
In 2009 Gruppo Coin continues to implement its growth strategy mainly through the UPIM acquisition and the conversion of the former Melablu and DEM network into OVS stores.

Coin continues to improve its product range with constant increase in the presence of third party brands, many of which are managed with the Concessions formula.

2010:
A year of important achievements: part of the Upim network is converted into the Coin and OVS formats. UPIM POP, with its city shopping mall concept, opens its first four stores. Childs wear chain Magnolia, acquired in October, is promptly converted into the new OVS Kids forma.