Coup Lands Banana Republic in The Gap: Mel and Patricia Ziegler

Patricia: One day in November 1982, Don Fisher came to our San Francisco store on Polk Street. Tall, balding, in his late 50s, he shook Mel’s hand and mine. With him was Maury Gregg, his chief financial officer at The Gap, and Sam Gerson, his president.

After a few words, they strolled in different directions around the store. Don looked closely at the clothing, seemed to read every word on the hangtags, studied the customer fan mail that papered the dressing-room walls.