Appliances in retail stores

[brucelucenta]

I was recalling and realized that at one point in time many retail stores carried a line of appliances. I know we had many stores that were mainly clothing stores that carried appliances back in the 50's and 60's. I know that here, Dillards used to carry Frigidiare and Maytag washers and dryers. Dillards was one of the big sellers of Frigidaire washers and dryers back in the 60's because they had the "Gold Crown" models that sellers who sold a lot got to carry in their line. There were many other stores that did basically the same. I guess that must have been before everyone had a washer and dryer. I think that Dillards still carried appliances in the 70's. Used to be many local appliance dealers of TV, stereo and appliances too. Amazing how things have changed.

 

[jamiel]

Yeah--back in the day the department stores carried a comprehensive selection of everything until the "category killers" (Best Buy/Silo/Highland/Fretter/...; Party City; JoAnn Fabrics, ...) took out the individual lines of business from the department stores...interesting that Dillard's sold appliances in Tulsa--I never had any experience with "original" Dillards, only Dillards' after buying out Stix Baer & Fuller in St. Louis. I remember, though, a trip to Tulsa in 1980, I think, where they still had some of the local chains in existence (Vandevers, Frougs) which my grandmother and great grandmother remembered.

 

[brucelucenta]

LOL It's funny that you would mention Vandevers and Frougs. Those were two of the stores I was thinking about. I know that Vandevers at one point in time carried Norge and Frougs carried Westinghouse, I think and later Frigidaire in the 70's. Dillards was not called that until the 70's either. It was Brown Dunkin and was bought by Dillards in about 1960 and retained the name until the 70's and then was called Dillards. Dillards under the Brown Dunkin name, carried Frigidaire and Maytag. In the 70's they quit carrying Frigidaire and got GE.

 

[vacerator]

Big Box stores

and membership clubs and wharehouses changed it all.
Sams Club carries some GE, or Hotpoint. Costco carries some LG. Pace used to carry the "Estate" brand by Whirlpool.