The Gap casual apparel stores have become a ubiquitous fixture in malls and urban shopping districts around the world. Their high-quality, classic designs have remained wardrobe staples for youthful customers, older shoppers, and their children, bridging that "generation gap" that originally gave rise to its name. Founded in San Francisco in 1969 by Donald and Doris Fisher as a place for youngsters to buy jeans in a variety of sizes, The Gap by the 1990s warranted mentions and appearances in films and television shows, winning a prominent place in the 1994 hit movie Reality Bites and spawning a satire on the skit program Saturday Night Live. Detractors criticize the store's style as generic, but steadily increasing sales have made it a multibillion dollar company.

Further Reading:

Caminiti, Susan. "Competition: Will Old Navy Fill the Gap?" Fortune. March 18, 1996, 59.

Rudnitsky, Howard. "Widening the Gap." Forbes. September 13, 1982, 205.