Carlson was founded in 1938 by Curt Carlson. It was originally name the Gold Bond Stamp Company and started with a $55 loan Carlson received from his landlord during the Great Depression. Carlson used "Gold Bond Stamps", a loyalty program based on trading stamps, to provide consumer incentives for grocery stores, supermarkets, and gas stations. The stamps could be redeemed for various items such as patio furniture or a mink coat. During the 1950s, C.F. Carlson was the largest supplier of mink coats in the United States.
In 1962, Carlson bought into his first Radisson Hotel, a vintage property in Minneapolis named after French explorer Pierre-Esprit Radisson. The chain grew rapidly by franchising the name and taking management contracts for new hotels throughout the United States. The company was renamed Carlson Companies, Inc. in 1973. In 1975, Carlson ventured into the restaurant business by acquiring an interest in TGI Fridays, later taking full ownership in 1989. It also purchased Country Kitchen, a chain of family-style restaurants in 1977, later selling the brand in 1997. In 1981, it acquired E.F. MacDonald Motivation Co., another incentive management company, making the company the largest trading stamp company in the world. At that time, many employees were working 6 days per week and not receiving a higher pay than at similar companies with less demands. In 1986, the company also established the Country Inns & Suites brand. In 1994, Carlson and Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, a division of Accor, merged their travel agencies to form CWT, a travel management company. In 1997, Carlson acquired Regent Hotels & Resorts from Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. Carlson gained the rights to develop future hotels, while Four Seasons maintained management of 9 hotels. In Spring 1998, Curt Carlson named his daughter Marilyn Carlson Nelson as his successor. He died in February 1999, 9 days after suffering a stroke. In 2000, the company acquired Park Inn by Radisson and Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts. In 2005, Carlson acquired 25% of Rezidor Hotel Group, a business partner of the hotel division in the Europe, the Middle East and Africa markets. Rezidor became a subsidiary of the Carlson hotel group in 2010, despite retaining its listing status. The hotel group then rebranded as Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group in January 2012.
2013 to present; divesting and foundation of family office
In May 2013, Diana Nelson assumed the chairmanship of the board of directors, succeeding her mother, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, who also continues to serve as chairman emeritus. Rautio retired in 2015, leading to the company having separate CEOs for the hotel and travel businesses until the hotel business was sold to HNA. The company sold TGI Fridays to Sentinel Capital Partners and TriArtisan Capital Partners for a reported $800 million in 2014. Two years later, it sold its hotel division, including Rezidor Hotel Group, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, Park Inn by Radisson, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels, Radisson Blu Hotels, and Radisson Red Hotels were sold to Chinese conglomerate HNA Group. The division was renamed Radisson Hotel Group in 2018. In 2018, the company launched a family office to invest its cash. It also renovated its headquarters.
