Key parts of Mrs. Fields' history:
Debra J. "Debbi" Fields opened Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chippery in Palo Alto, Calif., in 1977.
Mrs. Fields Original Cookie Company Inc. was formed in 1996 when Capricorn Holdings, based in Greenwich, Conn., acquired Mrs. Fields Inc. and The Original Cookie Company. Growth continued through acquisitions such as Pretzel Time, the frozen-yogurt business TCBY and Great American Cookie.
In 2003, under Capricorn's control, Mrs. Fields Famous Brands was formed to oversee the combined businesses and place an emphasis on franchising. In 2004, MFFB completed a refinancing and began selling its company-owned stores.
During the first half of 2006, the MFFB stores count declined from 2,479 to 2,384, as company stores were sold or franchised stores closed. There are 503 franchised or licensed Mrs. Fields stores overall. Other stores under the MFFB banner continued to be Great American Original Cookie, Pretzel Time, Pretzel Maker and TCBY.
Source: Capricorn Holdings and Mrs. Fields Famous Brands