History of Urban Outfitters in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 30, 2025

Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation based in Philadelphia, targeting young adults. They offer a diverse range of products including women's and men's fashion apparel, footwear, beauty and wellness items, accessories, activewear, housewares, and music (vinyl records and cassettes). The company operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, parts of Western Europe, Poland, soon in African countries, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar.

1970: Company Founded as Free People

In 1970, Richard Hayne, Judy Wicks, and Scott Belair founded the company as the retail store Free People as a project for an entrepreneurship class at the University of Pennsylvania.

1976: Renamed and Incorporated as Urban Outfitters

In 1976, Free People was renamed to Urban Outfitters and was formally incorporated.

January 2007: Stopping the sale of keffiyehs

In January 2007, URBN ceased selling keffiyehs after the Jewish blogging site Jewschool criticized the company for describing the item as an “anti-war woven scarf".

2007: National Preservation Honor Award

In 2007, Urban Outfitters received the National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for its Corporate Office Campus located on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.

November 27, 2009: Controversy over Labor Practices in Stockholm

On November 27, 2009, URBN faced criticism in the Swedish press for allegedly denying collective bargaining rights to employees at their Stockholm store, achieved by making all 38 workers redundant and rehiring them through Academic Work.

2011: Partnership for Polaroid Camera Sales

In 2011, Urban Outfitters partnered with Florian Kaps to sell limited editions of the Polaroid ONE600 instant cameras and Type 779 instant film, after Kaps acquired rights to manufacture 700 copies of the product.

Polaroid One600 Classic Instant Camera (OLD MODEL)

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January 2013: Hiring of Abraham & Roetzel lobbying firm

In January 2013, Urban Outfitters hired the Abraham & Roetzel lobbying firm, led by former Republican Sen. Spencer Abraham, to advocate on its behalf in Washington, D.C., regarding retail industry policy.

2015: Acquisition of Vetri Family Restaurant Group

In Q4 2015, Urban Outfitters announced its plan to acquire the Vetri Family, a Philadelphia restaurant group, including restaurants like Amis Trattoria, Bar Amis, and Pizzeria Vetri, signaling a shift in the retailer's strategy amid declining sales and foot traffic.

2019: Sale of Used VHS Tapes and Launch of Nuuly

In 2019, Urban Outfitters began selling used VHS tapes for $40, and launched Nuuly, a subscription clothing rental service. Subsequently, the company introduced Nuuly Thrift, a resale platform for apparel and accessories.

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2019: Lawsuit for Ethnic and Age-Based Discrimination

In 2019, a former executive of Chinese descent with 40 years at the company sued Urban Outfitters for ethnic and age-based discrimination.

2020: Lack of Transparency and HR Department

As of 2020, Urban Outfitters does not publicly disclose its clothing factories and has no human resources department.

2021: Low Score in Fashion Transparency Index

In 2021, Urban Outfitters received a low score of 11-20% in the Fashion Transparency Index, and there was no evidence of the company ensuring the payment of living wages to its employees.