I've never seen an A&W restaurant. Guessing they were big on the other side of the Pond. What the hell is root beer anyway?
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11 famous brands making a surprising comeback
lovemoney staff
10 July 2017
Big names back from the dead
Remember Atari? How about Aiwa? These are just two well-known brands poised to return. As more and more companies embrace nostalgia marketing, we take a look at the big names set for a major comeback in 2017.
Aiwa
A blast from the past, Aiwa boomboxes, mini-systems and portable cassette and CD players were everywhere in the 1980s and 1990s but the brand didn't adjust well to the move to digital and it was ditched by parent company Sony in 2008.
Aiwa
The classic Aiwa boombox was revived under license by American firm Hale Devices in 2015, but Towada Audio is planning a major relaunch this year with everything from updated boomboxes to 4K TVs. The extensive product range will be available from the fall.
A&W Restaurants
This burger and root beer joint has been around for decades – A&W Restaurants was founded way back in 1919 and had its heyday in the 1960s, before McDonald's, Wendy's and the like began to steal its customers.
A&W Restaurants
A&W Restaurants was on life support and ready to croak by the early 2010s, but the chain has been experiencing a complete turnaround of late. Repositioned as an upscale burger joint, the enterprise is finally expanding after years of branch closures, and its profits are flourishing.
Nokia
Before Apple stole its thunder, Nokia was hands-down the number one cellphone brand in the world, and its virtually indestructible 3310 model was one of the planet's top-selling mobile devices. Last year, Finnish firm HMD, which was founded by a group of former Nokia employees, acquired the rights to the Nokia brand for $350 million (£280m).
Nokia
Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know that the 3310 has already been brought back from the dead. The updated phone hit stores in May and has been selling like hot cakes.
BlackBerry
Not that long ago, BlackBerry reigned supreme as the must-have cellphone brand for business types. But, like Nokia, BlackBerry was supplanted by Apple's all-powerful iPhone and its appeal waned. Things got so bad, last year BlackBerry stopped making phones entirely.
BlackBerry
While profits have plummeted since the mid 2000s, BlackBerry's share price has been on the rise this year and the firm, which now focuses on software innovation, recently launched an Android version of its classic physical keyboard handset, made by Chinese TV manufacturer TCL.
Motorola
Motorola is another brand that triumphed in the 1990s and 2000s but has dropped off the radar in recent years. However, Lenovo, which snapped up Motorola in 2014, has big plans to revitalize the US brand.
Motorola
A new range of cellphones will be released this year with the flagship model set to be unveiled on July 25, and Motorola is even flirting with releasing a revamped version of its Razr flip phone, which shifted 130 million units and was the world's second best-selling cellphone in 2004 and 2005.
Fila
Rescued from the fashion wilderness, 1990s sportswear brands are enjoying a major revival right now. Last year, achingly hip French label Vetements signed up to produce a capsule collection for Champion, having made the brand relevant again by featuring its logo on coveted $990 (£767) sweatshirts. This year it's the turn of Fila.
Fila
Referenced in edgy designer collections and worn by influential millennials like Kendall Jenner, A$AP Rocky and Louis Tomlinson, the brand is suddenly cool again and sales are up by more than 40% compared to this time in 2016.
Atari
Retro gaming is all the rage right now, so it's no wonder that most classic of console brands, Atari, is poised for a fully-fledged comeback. Atari's parent firm filed for bankruptcy in 2013 and has since stayed afloat by licensing its brand and making mobile games. Now it's back in the hardware business.
Atari
Last month, Atari CEO Fred Chesnais confirmed a new console is in the pipeline and the firm posted a teaser video online. Though the launch date and other key details are yet to be confirmed, the PC-based device will be called the Ataribox.
Safeway
Safeway was one of the UK's best known and most popular supermarket brands until it was bought by rival retailer Morrisons in 2004. Safeway stores were rebranded as Morrisons and the familiar name vanished from British high streets and out of town retail parks.
Safeway
Recognizing the brand's nostalgic appeal, Morrisons is in the process of reviving Safeway. Launching later this year, the supermarket is producing a range of hundreds of Safeway-branded products, which will be sold by third-party retailers in independent stores.
Alpine
In 1955, French automotive pioneer and Coupe des Alpes victor Jean Rédélé created this classic sportscar marque and Alpine cars, noted for their speed, won rally after rally during the latter half of the 20th century.
Alpine
Renault acquired the marque in 1973 and continued to make Alpine sportscars until 1995 when production ceased. Now, after a 22-year hiatus, the marque is back with a revamped version of its classic A110, which is slated for delivery later this year.
Nicholson Gin
This venerable London dry gin brand was established in 1736 and was popular until the early 20th century. Famous fans of the beverage have included the Duke of Wellington and actress Sarah Bernhardt.
Nicholson Gin
Cousins Nicholas Browne and Tim Walker, who are descendants of the original founders, have teamed up to resurrect the brand and the revived Nicholson Gin relaunches this month, complete with a bottle and label design that mimics the original.
Napster
Here’s another business that didn’t survive when the early 2000s dotcom bubble burst: the music-sharing platform Napster. It started life as an illegal music sharing platform before going legit. And while it may have given us the innovative MP3 file-sharing technology that informed the likes of iTunes, Napster struggled to stay in business after several high-profile legal cases plunged the company into financial difficulty.
Napster
When the heavy metal band Metallica found one of its tracks on the site before it had been officially released, it filed a lawsuit against Napster, which ended up paying $26 million to Metallica and several other artists whose music had been used unlawfully. Forced to file for bankruptcy in 2002, the brand ceased to exist until 2016, when it was revived by new owners Rhapsody.
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Woolworth's invested heavily in records, CDs and DVDs just as the smart money started to move out. They shunned their old core businesses such as DIY and ironmongery and paid a heavy price. If they try to make a comeback, they'll be up against Wilkinson (Wilco), who now have a remarkably strong foothold on Woolworth's original territory.
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14 July 2017