In 1946, the company founder, Wayland Cato, left United Merchants to launch his own business with his son, Wayland Henry Cato, Jr., and Edgar Thomas. The company went public in 1968, took itself private in 1980, then went public again in 1987. The company averted bankruptcy in the early 1990s after adopting a new discount pricing strategy and updated merchandise.Cato stores are typically located in strip malls anchored by a national discounter like Walmart.
